As you may have realized I am a Rose lover! Especially fragrant breeds win over my heart instantly. Every year when the Rose season comes to an end I use to start several attempts to substitute the lack of natural sources by purchasing several sorts of Rose oils. Admittedly yet I have not found the one that met my expectations. Most oils are too intensive, too sweet, unbalanced in a way. Therefor I tried to manufacture my own Rose water. The recipe is rather simple and the result is worth a try. Nothing really compares to a deep breath taken in the fresh morning air from a Rose bud in full bloom. But the gentle DIY rosewater scent lingers slightly on pillowcases or refreshes your skin on hot summer days.
Make your own rosewater
You will need:
150 g fresh picked rose petals,
1 l distilled water,
medicinal alcohol (optional)
***
Use strong fragrant rose breeds.
Avoid pesticide treated roses. Even though you will wash them several times you can’t make sure
that you rinse all chemicals off completely.
Rinse the petals well to get rid of any dirt and place them into a bowl.
Bring the water to the boil and pour slowly over the first 50-g-portion of your rose petals.
Let all rest for about an hour. Place a strainer over your cooking pan to catch the petals and drain the water.
Heat the rose brew again gently (do not boil anymore) and pour over the next 50 g of the Rose petals.
Repeat the process using the remaining petals.
Fill the rosewater into a glas bottle or a fragrance diffuser. Consider adding up to one teaspoon of medicinal alcohol. This will not effect the smell, but it will help preserve the rosewater and make it last longer.
The alcohol free rosewater will keep about one week in the fridge.
