We found it: a rose water for the floral-shy that will add a uniquely aromatic boost to sweet and savory dishes alike. Clean, aromatic and balanced, this rose water from Maalouf, a small producer from Lebanon, stands out for its sweet, true rose flavor. It’s the most approachable version we’ve tried. Unlike most rose waters, which taste as perfumey as they smell, this one won’t overpower dishes (or palates). A perfect entry point for those new to using floral flavors, as well as a favorite for more experienced cooks, Maalouf’s rose water finishes without any bitterness or astringency. Chafic Maalouf distills his rose water the traditional way: he collects petals from from Rosa damascena, the coveted Damask rose, at peak bloom in the month of May, then transfers them to craft distillation pots to extract rose water drop by drop.
Note that while more delicate and subtle than other rose waters, a little goes a long way with this ingredient: mix into dishes sparingly at first and build until you find your ideal level of rose.
Recipes featuring rose water can be traced to as early as the 8th century A.D., when early Persian and Arab cooks used it to season savory dishes or infuse sweets with a floral note. Eventually, rose permeated other cuisines and continues to be popular in pastry, Middle Eastern cooking, and South Asian dishes (for example, rose-scented gulab jamun, an Indian dessert).
We test everything we sell. Here’s how we’d use this.
Try rose water in cakes—we love adding a teaspoon to the crumble and cake of our Plum Cake with Spiced Almond Crumble recipe to complement its warm spices (for just a hint of rose, only add the water to the crumble). Boost the flavor of our Mejdool Date, Manuka Honey and Macadamia Breakfast Loaf by mixing it into the batter. Drop some rose water in the fruit blend of our Mixed Berry Crostata, or top the finished pastry with some rose water infused whipped cream.
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