Rose Herb of the Year

This year the National Herb Society named the Rose "the Herb of the Year". Yes, rose petals are edible, some being more tasty than others. Roses you absolutely do not want to eat are the ones from the florist. The foreign growers use lots and lots of pesticides to get those perfectly stemmed (although no smell) large roses. Your home garden roses are best, use only organic fertilizer and sprays on them.
This past Tuesday was our local Herb Society meeting with Roses being the evenings lecture. My girlfriends and I made the refreshments. I made a rose tea using organic dried rose petals, oranges, nutmeg and food grade rose syrup and rose water. In cheese cloth I placed the petals and chopped up oranges, then poured boiling water over it and let it seep 5 minutes. Then I added the nutmeg, rose syrup and water. I made a large crock pot full. It was a cold night and everyone enjoyed it.

Next I took a good butter cookie recipe and added the rose syrup to the batter (along with vanilla). They turned out very good. The grand kids loved them and wanted to eat them all.

For our table we had a display of different color roses and their meaning. I separated the roses by color and put them in their own vases using parsley around each rose, after all it is a herb meeting.

With my vintage linen tablecloth, beautiful rose napkins and all the food our table was beautiful. In the black vegetable platter there were roses made out of tomatoes. I wish I got close up pictures but we were so busy.

In front of each vase of roses we had a card telling the colors meaning.
On the far left you can see the long stem roses made from red Hershey Kisses, next to it is a platter of roses made from Gum Drops. They were so beautiful you couldn't tell they were gum drops.

We also had white chocolate candies made with rose syrup and almonds. My cookies next with rose syrup alsoo used in the frosting.

And rose cupcake with petals sprinkled on top.

There were also lots of displays on different rose products, tall jars of rose hips (great for tea, hips are full of vitamin C).

Many rose books and knick-knacks.

Miniature rose tea set.

Rose teapots and dishes.

We had a nice handout for everyone, a package of rose potpourri.
My friend also gave me rose soap and a bottle of rose essential oil. And another gift made by her niece is a wonderful hand cream made from (I believe) coconut oil, calendula petals, and lavender with some rose essential oil. It smells and works wonderful on my dry, chapped hands. Thank you Nancy & Stacy!

Leaving Herb Society.... My girlfriend is going to Japan to visit her new grandson. Her son married a girl from Japan and they live there. She made and sent baby quilts when he was born, now she's bringing this new one with her. I thought this was so cute with his name spelled in Japanese style letters. He love soccer so the quilt is full of wonderful soccer fabric including fabric with kids of all nationalities on it.

This beautiful quilt she made is hanging on her dining room wall.

Made with wondeful batik snowflake fabric.