From: Daniela Buia Date: Fri May 28, 2004 7:32 am Subject: Re: Wild Roses Hello- Up until now I've not participated, but just today I made rose petal vinegar so it seemed appropriate for me to join in and share this old italian recipe. By the way, I am in Italy, more precisely the northern Lazio countryside in a turn of the century "tufo" (read stone) farmhouse! The best roses to use are exactly the "wild" kind that are full of perfume and haven't been touched by any kind of chemical treatments. You'll need about 2 cups (500 grams) of full red rose petals picked in the early morning, preferably not fully opened ones. Wash them delicately, checking for little bugs that may be attached and spread them on a kitchen towel to dry. Then, using your fingernails, carefully remove that little white spot at the bottom of each rose petal. When they're dry, place them in a clean sterilized jar or crock. Fill the jar with the best white wine vinegar that you've got making sure there's no air caught between the petals. Close the jar and put it in a cool, dark and dry place for 10 days. At the end of the 10 days, carefully filter the vinegar and put it into a pretty new clean bottle and seal. The vinegar will have all the perfume of the roses and will have turned pink! Great on very mild tasting lettuce greens. Some people around here keep the used rose petals letting them dry out again to make sachets. Enjoy! Daniela