The Beauty of a Rose

I first tasted this wonderful jam a few years back when I bartered with this lady who was a fair I was displayed in. She grew and made the most wonderful Rose Jam. I had never tasted it before so I was real excited to do this trade. Here is a recipe I found and yes, I plan on making it with roses from my yard.

Rose Petal Jam

For this recipe, please only use roses you have grown and have NOT used pesticides on. You will need:

3 cups of fresh rose petals
3 cups of distilled water
3 cups of sugar
4 tablespoons of honey
3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

Wash and drain the rose petals really good. Be sure to not get any of the white base of the rose mixed with the petals because it is really bitter. Usually, you can hold the stem of the rose and pull the petals directly off of the head with little effort.

Place the water and petals into a pot and cook for approximately 10 minutes, strain out the water but keep it and set it aside.

Place sugar and honey in the pot and cook about 20 minutes or until it looks syrupy; be sure to skim off the foam because it will make the jam look cloudy and with this beautiful jam, you do not want anything to take away from its beauty.

After the sugar/honey mixture is done, add the rose pets and cook for another 20 minutes or so. Add lemon juice and simmer until it sets, about another 15 minutes. Your syrup mixture needs to reach 220-222 degrees. An easy test is to place some of the syrup mixture on a spoonful to see if it coats the surface of the spoon or runs off. If the mixture runs off of the spoon continue to cook another 5 minutes or so and retest it.

Get your jars, rims and caps ready and when the rose jam is done, ladle it into the jars leaving ¼ inch from top. Be sure the rims are clean and free of any jam that may have spilled on them.

This jam is best when it has a chance to settle. Remember Rose Jam is not like other jams, it is an elegant treat and once you try it I promise it will become one of your favorite breakfast items!! Ever thought about trying it as a glaze for Chicken????