Rose

About

Rose requires substantial sugar to balance its natural astringency, and its floral muskiness can easily become overpowering or perfumey if overused. It works best balanced with bitter ingredients such as chocolate, coffee, citrus zest, or clove, and rosewater is typically used sparingly as a background note, similar to vanilla. Rose is most commonly sold as rosewater, though dried petals and rose jam are available in Middle Eastern shops, crystallized petals are used mainly for cake decoration, and unsprayed fresh petals from suitable species can also be used.

Pairs well with rose

• CiLemonLemon and rose, both containing the aromatic compounds geraniol, nerol and citronellol, taste quite different despite this shared…
• CiOrangeOrange flower water and rosewater are often used interchangeably, both floral but with orange flower water, distilled from bitter Seville…
• WoAlmondOrgeat, a French almond-and-rose syrup, flavors cordials and cocktails including the Mai Tai and the Moresque (with pastis).
• FrAppleA few drops of rosewater give apple juice an exotic edge, and adding vanilla vodka turns the combination into a simple cocktail.
• RoChocolateDark chocolate's bitterness balances sweet rose flavor better than milk chocolate does, as in classic rose-cream-filled chocolate bars.
• MeChickenChicken or quail with rose petals or rosewater was popular in Moghul, Moorish, and medieval English cooking.
• RoCoffeeBitter flavors can offset the heavy sweetness of florals like rose, a cube of rose-flavored Turkish Delight can balance out the intensity…
• GrCucumberCucumber and rose share a summery, herbal quality, an affinity used deliberately in Hendrick's Gin, where Bulgarian rose and cucumber…
• CiCardamomGulab jamun, an Indian dessert of deep-fried milk-dough balls soaked in syrup, ranks among the sweetest desserts in the world alongside…
• CrApricotElizabeth David recommends baking rather than stewing dried apricots, covered, with just enough water to cover, for about an hour at…
• CrMelonA fruity variation on the Indian dessert gulab jamun can be made by scooping balls from a ripe, floral cantaloupe and steeping them in a…