Gather ye rosebuds while ye may

Or at least trim the rosebushes while the temperature is below 90 - finally.
I hate heat. Not dislike, hate. Loathe. I am a walking advertisement for global warming. My face drips like it's going to slide off my head and I shvitz like there's no tomorrow. Which is how I feel in the heat - apocalyptic. But today it is lovely and I am taking regular breaks from my writing to go outdoors and be productive in the garden.

This leads me to write about methods of making rosewater and oil of roses. There are many traditional methods, some requiring elements which are either unwholesome or downright deadly - vitriolic acid and white lead come to mind.

To make rosewater or essence of roses, you can use the petals in either fresh or dried form, but gather them early, in the cool of the morning, while the petals are most likely still full of moisture and fragrance. Don't pick them after a rain or they will clump and not give a satisfactory product.

To make rosewater, steep at least 450g or one pound of petals in distilled water, witch hazel or pure alcohol. With distilled water, or the alcohol, put the mixture in a cool place, tightly capped and sealed in sterilized jars or bottles, for about a month. Keep stored between uses in a cool place, or the fridge. You can strain off the rose petals through gauze or muslin if you wish, but it is imperative to use sterilized containers to avoid mold.

Rosewater has traditionally been employed medicinally as a treatment for bruises and headache. It is lovely in the bath, the laundry, and as a cosmetic. The witch hazel mixture is especially good for the skin. Rosewater can also be used as flavoring in cooking. It adds a whole new dimension to pastries, sweets, jellies, cakes and fruit pies.

To make rose oil, there are two main methods. The simpler is to use a fine carrier oil such as cold-pressed almond oil, and cover 450 g or one pound of rose petals with the oil in a glass or ceramic jar. If you don't fancy the smell of almond oil, mineral oil will also work. Seal the jar carefully with an airtight lid, and place the mixture in a warm spot in your garden, along a brick wall or on a windowsill, until the petals turn brown. To make the oil stronger, you can repeat the procedure again with fresh petals, as many times as you think necessary for a strong, full bodied fragrance. Be certain to store this in a cool, dark place.

Another method, to be found in old ladies handbooks, is to take two pounds (ca. 1 kg) of rose petals and place them on a napkin tied round the edge of a basin filled with hot water. Place a dish of very cold water on the petals. Keep the bottom water hot and change the water at the top as soon as it begins to grow warm. The Mirror of the Graces from whence this recipe is taken claims that this method of distillation produces an excellent - and unadulterated - essential oil of roses.