● Master gardener and cooking-school graduate Joan Bulharowski recommends the following roses for their scent - which translates into flavor - and because they grow happily in Tucson's blast-furnace climate.
● Mr. Lincoln
. A favorite for 40 years, with red, velvety blooms and a strong damask-rose fragrance.
● Perfume Delight
. Deep (and bright) rose-pink flowers; strong damask-rose fragrance.
● Taboo,
also known as Barkarole, Grand Château and Rosa TANelorak: a deep, velvety, red hybrid tea with a strong citrus fragrance.
● Cecile Brunner
, sometimes called the "Sweetheart Rose." Small pink flowers a bit on the coral side, spicy scent. Great source of small, perfect rosebuds. Although the original, 1881 variety only blooms once a year, you can find repeat blooming and climbing forms in some catalogs.
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● AJ's Fine Foods, in La Encantada, on the northwest corner of North Campbell Avenue and East Skyline Drive, 232-6340, stocks edible roses in its produce department by special order; it will have some in-store this week.
● Wild Oats, 3360 E. Speedway, 795-9844; and 7133 N. Oracle, 297-5394. Wild Oats usually has organic roses in the floral department before Mother's Day.
● Natural-food stores with bulk herb departments frequently carry dried, edible roses.
● Rose petal honey
. Fill a jar most of the way with a fairly bland-flavored honey. Place in a couple of inches of water over low heat. Add some clean and trimmed rose petals. As the honey and petals soften, you should be able to add more petals. Cool and refrigerate. If you want to strain out the petals before serving, reheat the cooled honey and pour through a strainer.
● Adapted from the New Rose Society, Green Bay, Wis. (www. geocities.com)
●
Rose petal jam
. Collect 1 cup of strawberry juice from fresh or frozen berries. Put half of it in a blender with 2 cups fresh rose petals and blend for 10 to 15 seconds. In a small non-aluminum saucepan, combine the remaining juice, 3 1/2 cups sugar, a tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons rose water and 1 3/4 ounces (one package) pectin or Sure-Jell. Bring to a boil, and boil for 1 full minute, stirring. Add to the mixture in the blender, and blend 20 seconds more, then pour into 6 sterilized jelly glasses. Seal or store in the freezer.
● Adapted from "The Organic Rose Garden," by Liz Druitt (Taylor Trade Publishing, 2004).
Makes about 1 dozen servings
1 (15-ounce) round brie, or similar cheese
Fresh rose petals (as many as you care to use), rinsed, trimmed and patted dry
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
2 cups dry white wine
Remove the rind from the top of the cheese, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Place the brie wheel on a serving platter, and arrange the rose petals on and around the cheese.
In a small bowl, soften gelatin in the 1/4 cup cold water for 5 minutes. In a saucepan set over moderate heat, combine white wine with softened gelatin and heat, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved. Transfer to a bowl and let cool, stirring. Gently brush flowers and cheese with gelatin mixture, and chill until set. Serve with crackers.
Serves 4
2 Belgian endives, trimmed and separated into leaves
1 head of bibb or other lettuce, washed, patted dry and torn into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup pine nuts (preferably not salted)
Petals from at least 4 large blooms (pink or red), remove nibs, tear into pieces (leave whole if preferred)
1/4 cup light olive oil
6 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
Salt to taste
Divide the endive leaves among 4 chilled salad plates, arranging them decoratively.
Top with the bibb lettuce. Sprinkle with pine nuts and rose petals.
In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil into the vinegar, and season to taste with salt. Drizzle over salads.
Serve immediately.
Notes: The petals must be clean and pesticide-free. Rose petals bruise easily, so you might want to use them whole.
● www.ars.org/About_Roses/ cooking_salad.htm
Makes 6-8 servings
4 cups strongly scented white, pink or red pesticide-free petals
1 bottle rosé wine
1/4 cup vodka
Raspberries, fresh, lightly crushed
Ice cubes
1 quart carbonated mineral water
In a glass bowl, combine the wine and the petals. Chill for 1 hour.
Strain and add vodka to liquid. Chill for another hour.
Add lightly crushed fresh raspberries and lots of ice cubes. Keep chilled until used.
Just before serving, add the mineral water.
● www.ars.org/About_Roses/ cooking_cooler.htm