Rose Water & Orange Flower Water - How do you like to use them?

[liu]

I have been putting a few drops of rose water and a few drops of orange flower water in my freshly brewed green tea...a burst of great flavor! This "spike" really makes a wonderful, hot and healthy brew.

How do you use these flavored waters? Do they ever go bad? I think mine have been in the refrigerator for a few years, and I just discovered this new use.

[Kelli2006]

I have used them as a flavor extract when I bake. My favorite use it to flavor a simple syrup when I moisten a cake or baked goods.
I have reduced down a whole bottle of rosewater to just a few tablespoons to make a simple syrup, but that is extremely expensive.

Orange flavored Madelines and rosewater added to scones are my most common uses.

[mothrpoet]

I once had a "Persian-inspired" fruit salad recipe that was quite lovely. YOu marinate different melons, cut into cubes or balls, in simple syrup infused with a different flavor: maybe crenshaw with rose water, honeydew with orange water, another with a tart lime syrup. Fresh orange slices were sprinkled with a dusting of cinnamon-sugar. Fresh strawberries completed it. There may have been more flavors, but you get the idea. Fresh ginger syrup would be yummy. It was a nice, refreshing finish to a summer meal.
ANd, of course, you can't make a Ramos Gin Fizz without orange flower water!!!
mothrpoet

[coolbean98]

On that note, both of those waters are great with Persian ice cream, or really any very creamy vanilla (or ideally saffron) ice cream.

[pikawicca]

These are very nice additions to pound cake recipes.

[junglekitte]

i agree with all the posters above.

i love orange blossom water put in moroccan mint tea (a drop!)
i love it in syrups to pour over cakes and baklavas
i love it in ice cream.
its great when you cut up melon, sprinkle a bit of sugar on it, and some orange blossom water, and let it macerate in the fridge.
not food related but: i also love to put it in a mister and spray my house to make it smell awesome (got that trick from a famous hotel in morocco)

rose water is another story. i like it in MUCH smaller doses than orange blossom. i think the best way i've used it as a rose water/lemon sorbet.

[Bossa]

I used to serve a cocktail in the 80's called a Florabunda Martini, the drink was a classic Martini on the rocks with rose petals suspended in the ice cubes. Then the guest was misted with rose water from a atomizer. All great ideas. I like to pour rose water in a bath and give my boyfriend a kiss.

[pikawicca]

The drinker was actually sprayed with rosewater? How strange! What kind of restaurant/bar was this?

[yinyangdi]

I, too, put rosewater in an atomizer and spritz my face before moisturizing and sometimes as a pick-me-up whenever needed. I also have a collection of rose ice cream recipes (using rosewater and petals) and plan on making them one day.

[China]

I've used rosewater to flavor a buttercream frosting that I used to frost a wedding cake I made last summer. The cake was a white butter cake filled with lemon curd. The combination of the rose and the lemon was very nice.

[Procrastibaker]

I like Madhur Jaffrey's dessert:
peeled,sliced oranges with Grand Marnier and orange blossom water

[Pei]

I was at a Persian market that serves ice cream, and they served me this concoction:

-cardamom ice cream
-a scoop of faloodah (sp?)
-a drizzle of lemon juice
-a drizzle of rose water

It was delicious. Light and refreshing but creamy and rich at the same time

[liu]

Hello, Pei! Remember, we're 'Hounds! You can't say "I was at a Persian market..." without telling us where, cross-streets, what else they had that was good, what you bought, what you didn't buy, what you will buy next time, how the service was! (Just kidding -- I realize we are on the General Boards.)

Was this the Rose Market in Westwood...although I don't remember seeing any cardamom ice cream there -- which sounds really good to me!

[Pei]

I should have known I was going to get called on that one. Yes, Rose Market on Westwood. The "original" flavor is cardamom with a healthy dose of rose water, so ask for that!

[liu]

Oh, thank you, thank you! Now I will dream about cardamom ice cream until I can get there...that just sounds sooo good! Really, it will be soon because we "hound" the Westside quite frequently. I have had some other flavors there...also quite good.

So, I am amazed at the added depth of flavor achieved with a little rose water. I continue to enjoy the orange flower water, also. Now I am wondering what other types/flavors of waters there are...anyone know? I am pretty sure that the Persian market has several shelves dedicated for their waters. Which other ones are worth trying? Are some brands "superior" to others?

[Pei]

My favorite Moroccan restaurant (Tajine, in San Francisco) had a bottle of rose water on the cashier's desk. Before you left, the owner would ask you to hold out your hands and he'd spinkle a little on you. It was a sign of hospitality, and a very nice send off. He told us he only did it for his favorite customers, but I think everyone was his favorite customer (wink, wink!)

[liu]

Nice! I will try that with my family tonight!!!!! Chanel 5 - $80/oz., Rose Water - $1.95 at Bay Cities!

[amyzan]

Orange flower water is also good with glazed carrots. Nice side dish for roasted chicken.

I've made an Indian dessert with rose water, called falooda kulfi, I think. You use falooda sev, which are little translucent squiggles made of corn flour you rehydrate, then mix with ice cream (kulfi,) a little soda water or milk, and candied fruit. I often use canned Japanese candied chestnuts because I like the texture and they aren't full of artificial sweeteners and colors. Not traditional, but good. Sort of a cross of Asian jelly dessert ingredients and Indian falooda ingredients, and thoroughly yummy. (ETA--Be sure to cut up the chestnuts.)

A little rosewater is also good on anything raspberry.

[limster]

Rose flavoured chicken is a classic in Cantonese cooking.

[HillJ]

Rose water added to recipes calling for almond paste adds a nice light unexpected note.

Orange Flower Water brushed on pound cake with an orange zest glaze...yum!

[froddard]

I have a bottle of orange blossom water that I bought specifically for Ramos gin fizzes (as mothrpoet mentioned above) but I've never used it for anything else. I'm going to write some of these ideas down!

[homecook1950]

I have used rose water instead of plain water to flavor royal icing used in decorating sugar cookies.

[liu]

I am the OP and I wish to thank everyone for expanding me so!

Before this, I thought that the uses of these flavored waters were very specific. I also thought that I was so creative to think to put a few drops in my green tea. I ALSO thought I might receive none or perhaps one response. But each person here who has posted has given me so many more wonderful ideas! Thanks!

[KaraLibra]

Wow. Thanks for all the great info and ideas! My daughter and I recieved a bottle of rose water and a bottle of orange blossom water in a bag of food from a local food cupboard, and I had NO idea what to do with it. When I googled them, I found this forum, and now I have a hundred ideas to try! I like to make the most of what we recieve from charity to respect the universal goodness that brings us the help we need, and now I can make good use of this unique gift! =)

[The Chowhound Team]

We split off a recipe for Shirin Pollo (sweet orange persian rice) to our Home Cooking board. You can find that post here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/716646

[liu]

Thanks, Chowhound Team.