The Science of Spice

121

ROSE

Ro

Flavour Group | FRAGRANT TERPENES | Rose

BLEND TO TRY

Use and adapt this classic blend,

suitable for sweet or savoury dishes:

Advieh p27

RELEASE THE FLAVOUR

Rose’s most potent flavour compounds

are oil-soluble, but can easily overpower

a dish: this is one spice that benefits from

being used in a water-based way. Even

so, rosewater contains several hundred

flavour compounds, which give it a

complex subtle flavour.

BLENDING SCIENCE

Rose’s flavour profile is dominated by terpene flavour compounds that have a sweet, floral

character, including geraniol, nerol, eugenol, and linalool. The unique rose aroma is produced

by potent flavour compounds called “rose ketones”, which provide fresh green notes, herby

spiciness, woody sweetness, and berry-like notes.

FOOD PARTNERS

Cherries Add to stewed cherries and

use instead of jam in a tart.

Vegetables Add dried petals to

harissa and serve with grilled vegetables.

Chicken Sprinkle crushed petals into

a Moroccan-style chicken stew.

Mackerel Serve grilled mackerel

with couscous scented with ground

rose petals.

Shortbread Add a few crushed

dried rose petals to the dough for

shortbread biscuit.

Ice cream Use ground petals or

rosewater to make rose ice cream.

combine with

more nerol spices

or those adding

complex sweetness:

lemongrass

lends citrus notes,

mild pepperiness,

and slight spiciness,

also shares linalool

vanilla has rich,

mellow creaminess

and complex flavours

that including subtle

cherry notes

combine with

other geraniol-

carrying spices:

ginger adds

pungent warmth and

citrus notes, and also

shares linalool

nutmeg used

sparingly brings a

warm, earthy

spiciness, and also

shares eugenol

pair with other

eugenol-rich spices

to boost penetrating

menthol nuances:

allspice provides

sweet peppery

flavours

clove adds

sweet, astringent,

eucalyptus-like notes

combine with

other linalools

to add floral

complexity:

cinnamon, cassia

contributes warming

sweetness, with a

touch of bitterness

from cassia

coriander provides

a powerful citrus

spiciness alongside

floral qualities

LINALOOL

floral | woody |

spicy

GERANIOL

floral | sweet |

lingering

NEROL

orange blossom |

sweet | fresh

EUGENOL

medicinal |

woody | warming

Kitchen

creativity

Rose petals add sweet floral aromas to both sweet and savoury dishes. The petals

of any unsprayed scented rose can be used, but those cultivated specifically for

consumption have a more potent flavour than garden roses.

Make your own rosewater by steeping

rose petals in water. Allow several days

for the flavour compounds to slowly

dissolve into the liquid.

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