Rose Flower Water - Morocco - by ChefShop.com
Rose water is a distillation of rose petals that has the intensely perfumy flavor and fragrance of its source. Rose water has been a popular flavoring for millennia in the cuisines of North Africa, Middle East, India and China. Morocco is especially know for its fields of roses that are used to produce some of the most fragrant rose water available - indeed, most "French" rose water is produced in Morocco.
As early as the third century, essences were made from rose petals using fairly crude methods. It wasn't until the 10th century that Avicenna, an Arab physician, discovered how to extract the essential oil from the flowers and invented rosewater proper. Its popularity with food quickly spread throughout Europe and made its way into both sweet and savory dishes, many of which are still popular today.
Rose water is called "ma ward" in Morocco, and Mustapha's is produced from the finest source: rosebuds grown on the high central plains of the Dades Valley, and then distilled nearby in El Kelaa des Mgouna - and it is some of the most fragrant we've ever tasted.
A few drops streaked through cream, crème fraîche, custards, creamed rice puddings, ice cream, baked semolina sweets (popular in Morocco and throughout North Africa), fruit fools, sugar syrups and fruit salads add an element of surprise. It's divine incorporated into sweet Middle Eastern pastries, and a little swirled through Khoshaf, a salad of dried fruit, pistachio nuts and almonds, is heavenly. It is also used in numerous savory dishes.
The trick with both orange blossom water and rose water is to use very little, to give the merest hint of fragrance. Oh, yes, when you've used it all, the blue bottle makes a marvelous bud vase.
Available from Amazon
Price: $5.00
Updated on 7-31-2008.
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