This post is a catch-up from last July when Brian carefully picked a bundle of wild rose petals for me- truly a labor of love! We dried some and made a batch of jelly with the rest.

I found this recipe on the Martha Stewart website. I followed the advice of a reader and doubled the amount of pectin but my jelly still did not set and I had wild rose petal syrup instead. I look forward to trying again next year for the prized jelly. In the meantime, I have been enjoying this syrup mixed in fruit salads, as Nature Pop and drizzled over chocolate cake. The last four jars will be saved for the darkest days of winter when we can enjoy the scent of July wild rose blossoms and the promise of summer-to-come.

For medicinal and nutritional benefits of wild rose petals, click here to visit a previous cabinorganic post. In the meantime, here is Martha Stewart’s recipe:

Rose Petal Jelly

2 cups water

3 cups unsprayed pink rose petals, thicker tissue at base of petals removed

2 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 ounces liquid pectin (or double this)

1 tablespoon rose water

STEP 1 Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan; remove from heat. Add petals; cover, and steep for 30 minutes. Strain liquid into clean saucepan. Discard petals.

STEP 2 Add sugar and lemon juice to pan. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring, over medium-high heat. Boil 2 minutes; add pectin, and boil 2 minutes (for firmer jelly, boil up to 2 minutes more). Remove from heat, add rose water. Pour into sterilized jars, and let cool completely. Store in refrigerator up to 6 months.

I will let you know the results of next summer’s attempt in July!