"Les Rosiers de Liliane" - réunion du 9 avril 2012

Charles de Mills

Fantin Latour

Fleur de Porcelaine

Hansa

Laure Davoust

Mme Grégoire Staechelin

Reine des Violettes

Rose de Rescht

Sally Holmes

Yvonne Rabier

Le Jardin de Liliane

Ce soir, Liliane Broussaudier, du Jardin de Liliane à St Laurent sur Gorre, va nous parler des rosiers.

This evening, Liliane Broussaudier, from the Jardin de Liliane at St Laurent sur Gorre , will talk about roses.

Recipes with roses

For hundreds of years, roses have been used not only for cosmetics and perfumes, but for cooking and medicinal uses. Rosewater is an important flavouring throughout the Middle East but rosehips are also an important source of vitamin C in many cultures, and the petals can be used in a delightful variety of ways. Here are just a few ideas.

ROSE PETAL TEA

Makes 1 quart.  This tea has more character than most herb teas, with the flavor of roses with hints of nutmeg and orange.  Brew fragrant, deep pink petals for a fine flavor and a lovely dark pink color.

1/2 cup tightly packed rose petals

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 orange, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 quart water

Place rose petals, nutmeg, sugar, and chopped orange into a pitcher.  Pour boiling water over petals and steep for 5 minutes.  Strain.  Serve hot or cold.

ROSE PETAL JELLY 

The flavor of roses is pronounced yet delicate in this wonderful jelly.  Use dark red petals for a clear, bright red color.

4 qts rose petals (16 cups)

2 qts water (8 cups)

7 cups sugar

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

6 ounces liquid pectin

food coloring (optional)

Boil rose petals and water together for 10 to 20 minutes, or until about half the liquid has boiled off.  Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on the rose petals to extract as much liquid as possible.  Measure 3 cups of liquid, add sugar, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. (You may discard the remaining liquid.)  Add lemon juice and pectin, and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, add food coloring, if desired, and pout into sterilized jars, filling to 1/8 inch of the top.  Seal with paraffin, or use vacuum lids.  If using vacuum lids, cover immediately with flat lids, and screw tips on tightly.  Turn upside down for 5 minutes, then turn right side up.  After 1 hour, check that seals appear intact.

OTHER COOKING IDEAS FOR ROSES

The uses of roses are limited only by your imagination.  You can line the bottom of a cake pan with rose petals before pouring in prepared batter to make an upside-down rose cake.  (This works best with yellow or white cakes).  You can also substitute rose extract in many recipes that call for vanilla, lemon, or almond extract.  Use chopped rose petals as a garnish for omelets, or line salad bowls with whole petals.  Rose petals can also be included in fruit salads.

           

Honey can be flavored with rose petals, and rose water can be combined with honey, butter, anise, saffron, or sage and used to baste poultry.  

Rose-flavored vinegar can be made by soaking 1 cup of rose petals in 1 pint of white vinegar and straining it after 10 days.

Rose petals can be steeped in brandy for 3 to 4 weeks, and then the brandy can be used in flaming dishes, custards, sauces, and puddings, or as a dessert topping.

Candied Rose Hips

First prepare the hips: Rose hips should be picked in early autumn, after the first frost.The color will be a bright orange, or red. (the frost helps to make them sweeter.)Trim off stem, and blossom end.Cut hips in half.Remove all the seeds & the silvery hairs. Wash well.
(If you want to store them for use in tea, put them in a warm dry place for several days, until they are thoroughly dried, and then store them in a suitable container.)
For this recipe -
Put hips in saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer 10 minutes. Drain well. Set aside.
Mix together 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1 or 2 pieces of crystalized ginger, cook until boiling.
Add the drained rose hips,a cupful at a time. Cook slowly until hips appear translucent.
With a slotted spoon, remove hips and spread on a plate to cool.
When cool, roll hips in granulated sugar and place on waxed paper. Let dry.
Enjoy!
Store in an airtight glass container.

Or make rose hip jelly

Francia Thauvin, rose grower

Francia Thauvin has an excellent plant nursery, specialising in old roses. Last year she kindly sent us examples of her catalogues to give out. If anyone doesn't have one, or wants one, go to her lovely website:    http://www.rosier-pepiniere.com/  She frequently holds masterclasses at Liliane's garden, on pruning and looking after roses.

Roses, roses , roses

Monday night's meeting is all about roses, with LilianneBroussaudier, from St Laurent sur Gorre. Liliane has a garden full of rare plants, which is classed 'jardin remarkable', and is a very knowledgeable person, passionate about old roses.