Things You'll Need
Freshly harvested roses
Paper towels
Drying screen
Cookie trays
Airtight food storage bags
Food sealer (optional)
Permanent marker
Roses are the queen of the flower kingdom. Having been used in everything from salads to salves for thousands of years, there are over 150 different species of roses in the world. Cleopatra filled her hall with rose petals each time Marc Antony visited. Today, roses remain one of the most widely recognized symbols of love. Freezing rose petals is one way of preserving them for special events like a wedding or for future culinary projects.
Step 1
Harvest the rose petals when they're in peak condition, preferably early in the day before the heat and light diminishes their natural oils. Rinse the rose petals under cool water then let them dry on a paper towel.
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Step 2
Put the rose petals onto a drying screen, making sure none touch. Any fine screen works as long as it's elevated from the surface of the counter. Leave these for 48 hours in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area.
Step 3
Transfer the rose petals to a cookie sheet, again making sure they do not touch. Put these in the freezer. Within 24 hours the petals will be fully frozen.
Step 4
Place the rose petals in a freezer-safe food storage bag, taking care to get out as much air as possible. If you have a food sealer, put a small bundle of paper towel into the sealing bag before extracting the air. That will keep the petals from getting crushed.
Step 5
Label and date the bag of petals using permanent marker. They're now ready to use any time you wish--just defrost them first.
Tip
Discard flower petals that show any sign of disease or age.
Warning
For culinary purposes, only preserve organic rose petals.
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