Ever since I picked up a jar of rose petal jam on my trip to Paris this summer, I've been obsessed with it. Rose petals have been used in sweet and savory cooking around the world for hundreds of years. They deliver a wildly romantic and unexpected taste sensation. I'm serious.
If you're not the type to eat flowers, we'd love to tempt you to try something new. If you're STILL not convinced, at least look at the stunningly beautiful photos and dream of what could be. And what woman doesn't love roses, anyway?
Behold these 8 beautiful rose-petal recipes (pesticide-free, of course). Ooh la la!
More from The Stir: Candied Edible Flowers: Would You Eat Them?
Image © Kompatscher, Anneliese/the food passionates/Corbis
Blackberry Rosewater Ice Cream
Get out your ice cream maker for this luscious Blackberry Rosewater Ice Cream recipe. Did you know blackberries and roses come from the same botanical family? Substitute with raspberries instead if you prefer.
Chocolate and Roses Truffle Spoons
This Chocolate and Roses Truffle Spoons recipe is easy because you make the candies directly on spoons — the better to place them directly into you lover's mouth! Or into your own …
Rosewater Pavlova
Pavlova is an airy, meringue-like dessert that's surprisingly easy to make. This Rosewater Pavlova recipe comes from Amber Rose, who has done food styling for Gwyneth Paltrow's web magazine Goop.
Persian Love Cake
Roses are all over Persian cuisine, often in savory dishes. But this Persian Love Cake recipe takes the flavor to the sweet side. The seductive cardamom-flavored cake is covered and filled with a creamy, rose-scented frosting.
Candied Rose Petals
You could buy candied rose petals from a specialty food or baking supplies store — or you could make your own using this Candied Rose Petals recipe. They make a lovely topping for desserts, especially berry or chocolate ones.
The Esteé Cookie
Estee Lauder teamed up with Momofuku Milk Bar pastry chef Christina Tosi to create a cookie based on the Bulgarian rose notes in the line's signature scent, Private Collection. You can get the recipe for The Esteé Cookie on their website. You'll need rose extract and freeze-dried strawberries.
Salted Rose Honey Pie
This honey-flavored custard pie gets a magical twist with rosewater and a sprinkling of salt. Get the Salted Rose and Honey Pie recipe at Adventures in Cooking.
Rose-Infused Sugar
This simple recipe will give you rose-scented sugar for tea, to sprinkle over toast, or to use any other way you can think of. Just mix about 1 cup of sugar with 2 or 3 tablespoons of dried rose petals or rosebuds (make sure they are pesticide-free, culinary roses).
Store in a close mason jar for a few days to let the rose scent infuse the sugar. To use, sift out the roses.