Knock Out Roses

My Dad planted this knock out rose for my Mom several years before he died. My Mom has never been a gardener and has pretty much left this rose bush to "fend for its self".  She did water it a few times during the hot summer, and apply a rose spray when

the leaves turned yellow, but other than that, it seems to have flourished all on its on.  This was taken yesterday when I dropped my mom off at home. There is a smaller one behind it, and she has asked me several times to dig it up and take it home. I am going to do that this weekend. I have said several times in my blog to take flowers from someone you love to remind you of them when they are gone, and I have regretted a number of times I did not do that.

This is the smaller one, in front of the chrysanthemums my father planted.  Chrysanthemums were his favorite.

Wonder what you can do with these wonderful rose petals before winter gets here and they all fall to the ground:?
 Here are a couple of ideas. 

Candied or crystallized flowers

1 cup roses, washed and dried on paper towels

powdered egg white or meringue powder, mixed with water to equal 1 egg white

1 cup superfine sugar (or process regular sugar in the blender for a few seconds)

1 small artist's paintbrush unused

sterilized tweezers or forceps

waxed paper

Line a tray or sheet pan with waxed paper, sprinkle with sugar to keep the flowers from sticking.  Holding a single flower by the stem with tweezers or forceps, paint its entire surface with the egg mixture.  Any area unpainted will turn brown.  Sprinkle with sugar to coat thoroughly on both sides.  Place on waxed paper to dry.  Repeat until all flowers are coated with sugar.  Allow to dry till crisp, which may take several hours to several days depending on the size of the flower.  Store in an airtight container. Use to decorate cakes, petit fours, puddings and other deserts.

                                                             Romance of the Rose

1/2 cup rose petals

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup cranberry juice

2 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly softened

Whirl rose petals in a blender for a few seconds with lemon and cranberry juices.  Add ice cream, and pulse a few times.  Serve in stemmed glasses with fresh or candied rose petals for garnish.

These recipes came from a small booklet  "The Fairy Home Companion" it can be purchased at The Essential Herbal













candied rose in sugar from http://www.feteetfleur.blogspot.com/
candied rose from http://www.ediblecrafts.craftgossip.com/