Buy rose water online (we sell it in our shop here at The Mediterranean Dish), or at a specialty grocery store or Middle Eastern market. There are two main types of rose water: food grade and cosmetic. To cook with rose water, make sure you’re buying food grade rose water. You can use the food grade rose water for cosmetic purposes, but you should not use the cosmetic kind in food. People have used rose water for centuries for both culinary and aesthetic purposes. Many use it today as perfume or facial toner, but this aromatic liquid is also common in traditional Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dessert recipes like Turkish Delight and Baklava. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. The inhalation of rose water vapors has been traditionally used as a way to improve a person’s mood. The liquid can also be taken orally. This is created by distilling the rose flower. The oil can be mass-produced in factories and is a pale, yellow color and semisolid.

Cakes: Add a splash to both the batter and frosting for an extra layer of intrigue and romance, as with Persian Love Cake. That said, should you decide to pat it on your face while making some rose-scented milk pudding we wouldn't blame you! Table of Contents

In other medical cases, rose water is known to be beneficial in the treatment of conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Rose water is traditionally made through steam distillation, the same process used to flavor many botanical gins. Today, many people make their own version at home by boiling rose petals in water and then straining. While it'll work in a pinch, it’s not quite the same as capturing the super delicate, pure concentration of rose’s essence that you get from the steam itself. Here are the basic steps: Rose water also has anti-inflammatory properties, which means it can be put on the skin to soothe the irritation caused by conditions, such as eczema and rosacea.

Middle Eastern: Rose water is often in Middle Eastern recipes like halva, Turkish delight, and sometimes baklava. It’s a key ingredient in this Lebanese Rose Water Rice Pudding and this Israeli Malabi with Pomegranate Syrup.Rose water is the fragrant liquid distilled from fresh rose petals. It is a pantry staple throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East, just a dash adds a delicate floral quality to both sweet and savory foods. Photo Credits: Andrea Gralow Research has shown that rose water has antidepressant and anti-anxiety properties. It is believed to induce sleep and to have a hypnotic effect similar to that of the pharmaceutical drug diazepam. You’ll find rose water in many traditional recipes, but you don’t need to be limited to those applications. Here are some ideas for incorporating rose water into your everyday meals:

From desserts to drinks and even savory dishes, here’s some inspiration for how to use rose water in the kitchen. Desserts with Rose Water Compotes: We love a splash in our strawberry compote, but you can add ¼ teaspoon to any fruit compote for another layer of complexity. Boskabady, M. H., Shafei, M. N., Saberi, Z., & Amini, S. (2011, July-August). Pharmacological Effects of Rosa Damascena. Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, 14(4), 295–307 We have tested many purveyors over the years, and the most delicately flavored, pure product we’ve found is from O•Floralé. Abdul, L., Abdul, R., Sukul, R. R., & Nazish, S. (2010, March 10). Anti-inflammatory and antihistaminic study of an Unani eye drop formulation. Opthalmology and Eye Diseases, 2, 17–22

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Thring TSA, et al. (2011). Antioxidant andpotential anti-inflammatory activity of extracts and formulations of white tea,rose, and witch hazel on primary human dermal fibroblast cells. DOI: The ancient Romans infused wine with rose petals but the process of distilling steam to create rose water has its roots in ancient Persia. Scholars and physicians in what is now Iran first documented the distillation process as early as the 9th century.

Thring, T. S. A., Hili, P., & Naughton, D. P. (2011, October 13). Antioxidant and potential anti-inflammatory activity of extracts and formulations of white tea, rose, and witch hazel on primary human dermal fibroblast cells. Journal of Inflammation, 8, 27

Additionally, Vasavada recommends adding it to lemonades and strawberry daiquiris to balance the tart fruit flavors in those beverages. She also says rose water is in Indian drinks such as faloodah (a cold dessert drink often served with ice cream) and Rooh Afza (a syrup that’s in many other sweet beverages). Savory Dishes with Rose Water Across many different cultures, rose water is most commonly used in dessert recipes. Here are some of the ways in which different cuisines use it: This, in turn, can help soothe the skin and reduce redness, as well as act as an anti-aging product by reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles.