Trying Something New

Aarti (the newest Food Network Star) posted a link to a NY Times article about rosewater and its uses in cooking.  I'm currently exploring some new flavors and dishes to help me with healthier eating habits, and am always interested in the unusual.  Rosewater certainly qualifies :)

Here are some excerpts from that article:

But don’t think of t as an exotic ingredient used in far corners of the world. Before 1841, when vanilla became widely available, rose water was also a primary flavoring in a wide range of desserts and pastries in Europe and even the United States.

...

Taking a cue from 18th-century bakers, substitute rose water for the vanilla in cupcakes, puddings or scones. Or (a personal favorite) add a teaspoon or so to your next batch of French toast batter. Put a drop or two in a glass of lemonade for a remarkably refreshing summer drink — or make a rose martini in the same manner.

Rose water matches uncannily well with many fruits, drawing out their shy aromas. Try adding a bit to a bowl of strawberries, or sprinkling sliced melon, plums or peaches with rose water mixed with a bit of riesling.

And if you make a salad of bitter greens dressed with a vinaigrette that has been barely touched with rose water, you’ll quickly change your mind about the versatility of this ingredient.

Here are a couple of interesting recipes using rosewater:

Victorian Lavender Cookies with Rose Water Icing Notes

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon lavender, crushed (be sure it's food grade lavender)
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

For Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
5 1/2 teaspoons water
6 1/2 teaspoons rose water
Serves / Yields
About 4 dozen

Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, lavender, flour, baking powder and salt.

Drop by teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes.

While the cookies bake, prepare the icing by mixing the powdered sugar with water and rose water. Drizzle over the cookies after they have cooled.

Recipe from The Spice House

Rose Water Sugar Cookies
Time 20 minutes  Serves 12

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter or margarine
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp lemon extract
1 1/2 tsp rose water extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream
3 cups flour
dash salt

Directions
Cream sugar and butter well.  Beat in yolk and extracts to blend.
Mix baking soda into sour cream and mix well with other ingredients.

Add flour, mix with a spoon by hand to mix well

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface and cut out your cookies as you would for sugar cookies.  Place on baking sheets a few inches apart.

Bake 325 about 20 minutes or just slightly pale brown.  Cookies should be set and cooked.  Do not over bake.

Cool on rack.

These should have a soft texture and mellow flavor.

From Grouprecipes.com

 Enjoy!