How to Make Rose Petal Tea

Rose Petal Tea Anyone?

I love, love, love this wonderful tea. It's truly a little taste of heaven. Who would have thought that rose petals could be used to make a tea or infuse black or green tea with their lovely flavor?

You may have heard of rose tea and wondered what it would taste like. We all know roses smell heavenly, but dare we hope that tea made from the petals will taste as good?

When I first read about making tea by using rose petals, I had no clue as to how it would taste. At the back of my mind, I thought it would be so wonderful if that magical smell could somehow be captured when the petals were steeped in hot water or steeped in tea. But was that possible?

When I tried making it for the first time, it was better than I had hoped for. Taking a sip was like walking among my roses. That delicate scent was embodied in the tea. Yes! Tea that somehow tasted exactly as roses smelled. What an incredible combo. I was hooked!

If you want to try your hand at making tea from rose petals, it is extremely easy to do. And once you sample it, you'll be hooked on this wonderful brew.

Rose tea starts, of course, with actual roses and their petals. Most roses are edible and, in fact, the petals have been used for centuries as a delicate flavoring agent. In other countries, rose water has been used to flavor pastry or added to icing or whipped cream.

If you are intrigued and ready to get started, this article will walk you through how to make tea from rose petals. By the time you've finished reading, you'll know how to make your own rose tea.

Did You Know?

Most roses are edible, with the exception of the Christmas Rose, which is believed to be poisonous.

Collecting Rose Petals

1. Before you start, make sure your chosen rose plants have never been sprayed with pesticides and haven't grown near a roadway.
2. Choose newly opened petals that are at their best.
3. Gently remove the rose petals by pulling from each flower head. Collect and place petals into a strainer.
4. Rinse under cool water.
5. Use right away.
6. If you plan on storing dried petals, spread petals out on a tea towel to dry.

Dried or Fresh?

While you can dry rose petals for later use, for the best flavor, it is better to use fresh petals.

Tip

Rose petals go remarkably well with green tea. When brewing a pot, drop in a handful of petals.

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How to Make Rose Petal Tea

There are different methods to brew rose tea.

Caffeinated Tea

If you like green or black tea, when you are making a pot, simply drop in a handful of rinsed rose petals and steep as you normally would. A wonderful rose flavor will permeate your tea. And best of all, the petals can be eaten. As they sit in the hot water, they take on a velvety texture.

Non-Caffeinated Tea

Brew decaffeinated tea and add petals to the pot.

Plain Rose Tea

Another way to make a pleasing rose-flavored tea is to simply add petals to a pot and pour in boiling water.

A Gift From the Garden

When it's snowy out, you can still sip rose tea, enjoying the scents of the summer garden.

How to Make Rose Water

At the end of the season, collect lots of rose petals, and once washed, simmer in a large pot. Allow mixture to sit overnight. You will end up with a lovely deep pink-colored liquid. Strain and pour into ice cube trays. When cubes are frozen, store these in containers.

Uses for Rose Water

Take out the desired number of cubes to thaw and use to flavor desserts or fruit punches.

• Add liquid when making a pot of tea.
• Use liquid to flavor frosting or whipped cream.
• Add liquid to fruit punch.
• Thicken liquid with cornstarch to make a rose glaze to drizzle over vanilla ice cream or to decorate sweet treats.

A Word About Packaged Rose Tea

While rose tea can be purchased, there's a world of difference between packaged and fresh. • Some loose teas include dried rose petals but the rose flavor is very faint. • Other teas may offer a stronger rose flavor through the use of artificial flavoring agents.

When you make your own rose tea, you control the flavor and you know exactly what you are getting.

Questions & Answers

Question: Should I use the whole flower or just the petals to make rose petal tea?

Answer: I use the petals. I find it's very easy to do. One can go outside and gather a handful of petals; I gently pull them apart and rinse them before dropping them into a pot to make tea. At other times, if I want to make rose water, I take a large container outside and gather lots of petals for later rinsing and simmering for rose water.

© 2011 Athlyn Green