What's Happening Wednesday

As the Midwest gets hit with an ice storm, I am experimenting with a few new recipes for the Unique Garden Essences line. I have been playing with the soap calculator, revamping some (soap) recipes. I haven't made soap for a few years now, but I am getting ready to make a lot of it! I am also working on whipping up a batch of spray on lotion....don't ask me why, I really am not sure. It's not like its all the rage, or even a small clamor, lol, but it is something new for me, so I am thinking about adding it. I am also working on a few new balm recipes, one of which I want to go into a push up type container. I had been thinking about putting my body butter into a roll up tube, but I think that I will just create a new product for that container, and leave the body butter in the jar. Anyway, this is what's happening on my Wednesday, what about yours?

If you made it through yesterdays post, you know that I promised some recipes for roses. So here you are!






Rose-Petal Sandwich
Place a layer of  Red Rose petals (be sure they have not been sprayed with chemicals of any kind) in the bottom of a jar or a covered dish, the put in 4 ounces of fresh butter, wrapped in waxed paper. Cover with a thick layer of rose-petals, then cover the jar or dish closely, and leave sit overnight, in a cool place. The more fragrant the roses, the finer the flavor absorbed will be. Cut some bread in thin strips, or even circles, and spread each piece with the perfumed butter. Place several petals from fresh Red Roses between the slices. For some extra pizazz, make sure that the edges of the petals show. You can also do this with Violets or Clover blossoms if roses just aren't your thing!


                                                                       Crystallized Roses 
Choose a dry day for gathering the roses, and make sure to wait until the dew evaporates before you begin gathering, so that the petals will be dry. Before starting, dissolve 2 ounces of gum-arabic in 1/2 pint of water so it will be ready. Once gathered, separate the rose petals and spread them out onto shallow dishes. Sprinkle them with the gumarabic solution, using as many petals as the solution will cover, then spread them out onto sheets of white paper, sprinkle with castor sugar, then let dry for 24 hours. Put 1 pound of sugar (loaf) and 1/2 pint of cold water into a pan, stirring until the sugar melts, then bring to 250 (F) boil, fast, or to the thread stage. This is determined by dipping a stick into cold water, then dipping it into the syrup and back into the water. Then pinch the syrup that is adhering to the stick, between your thumb and forefinger, and then draw them apart. When a thread is formed you have reached the proper consistency. Meanwhile, make sure to keep the syrup skimmed well. Put the rosepetals into shallow dishes and pour the syrup over top of them. Leave them to soak for 24 hours, then spread them on wire trays and dry in a cool oven with the door ajar. The syrup should be colored with  carmine in order to give more color to the rose-petals.