This week's French Garden recipe

People who know me would tell you that it's hard to tell which I like more: gardening or cooking. I'd say it depends on which I'm doing at the moment. Anyway, French cooking and French gardening go hand in hand. For me, cooking is an on-going adventure. Join me here on my culinary explorations, where I share with you both my old favorites as well as new inspirations. It's my fondest wish that these recipes serve as a springboard for your own new creations.

10/09/2009
Rose geranium syrup

Ingredients:

1 qt. spring water
4 oz. fresh rose geranium leaves (leaves from about 10-15 terminal sprigs), washed and dried
4 c. sugar
juice of 1 small lemon, strained

Bring the water to a boil in a noncorroding saucepan.  Add the rose geranium leaves, pushing them under the water with a spoon and remove from heat.  Cover and let steep in a cool place 12-24 hours.

Strain the infusion through a fine strainer lined with a coffee filter.  Return the strained infusion to a clean, noncorrosive saucepan and bring to a boil with the sugar and the lemon juice.  Reduce the heat and cook at a low, gentle bubble about 20 minutes.  The syrup should magically turn a beautiful vibrant orangey pink (kind of like cooked quinces).  Pour the hot syrup into hot, sterilized jars or bottles with rubber gaskets and clamp tops, and seal.  Makes about 6 cups, with maybe a bit leftover for immediate use.  Store in a cool place.  Keep in refrigerator after opening.

Note:  You just can't imagine how delicious this syrup is.  Plus, it's the perfect thing to do right before frost hits your rose geraniums!  Use standard, attar-of-rose scented varieties and not the more offbeat ones like nutmeg, orange and so forth.  This syrup, poured into the bottom of a glass of ice and topped up with still or sparkling water, makes an delicious and refreshing drink.  Try it on your kids--so much more healthful than soda.  Or, mix a bit with chilled white wine for a rose kir!  Soak spongecakes with it; pour it over vanilla ice cream; or greek yogurt sprinkled with raspberries and rose petals; use it as the sweetener in fruit salads.  You get the idea. 

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Try some of our past French garden recipes:

Appetizers and small dishes

Basics

Beef, pork, lamb, and veal