To Make Conserve Of Roses
"Take red roses as many as you please beat em very small Den add twice a much sugar putt them in by degrees and beat them wall to gether conserves of Rosemary violet, Bettony and gilly flowers are made this way."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe uses period spelling and phrasing—‘beate em very small’ means to mash the petals finely, while ‘by degrees’ is an instruction to gradually add sugar. Early modern recipes were often more conversational and assumed a degree of kitchen wisdom, with little in the way of precise measurements or times. Clarifying for the modern reader, 'conserve' here denotes a thick, sweet paste made from flowers and sugar, preserved by the high sugar content.
Title
Cookbook early 1700s (1700)
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Writer
Unknown
Era
1700
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A tantalizing glimpse into the early 18th century kitchen, this historic culinary treasury serves up a delightful array of recipes and gastronomic secrets straight from the heart of the 1700s.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe comes from the early 1700s, a time when flower conserves were prized for both their medicinal and culinary uses. Conserves were a way to capture the fragrance and color of flowers at their peak and enjoy them throughout the year. The mention of other botanicals like rosemary and violets hints at the growing fascination with herbal remedies and confections in early modern kitchens, blending sensory delight with perceived health benefits.
The primary tools would have been a sturdy mortar and pestle for crushing and blending the petals and sugar. A knife or scissors might be used for an initial chop. Storage would involve glass jars, often sterilized by boiling. The process relied on simple hand tools and the cook’s patience and precision.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Servings
8
Ingredients
- 3.5 oz fresh red rose petals (unsprayed, organic)
- 7 oz white granulated sugar
Instructions
- Begin by sourcing fresh, fragrant red rose petals—ideally unsprayed and organic—amounting to about 3.5 ounces.
- Finely chop or crush the petals in a mortar and pestle until they resemble a paste.
- Gradually add 7 ounces of white granulated sugar, working it in as you continue to crush and blend.
- Keep beating the mixture together until it reaches a uniform, smooth, and glossy paste.
- Store in a sterilized jar.
- The same technique can be applied if you'd like to use other edible flowers such as rosemary flowers, violets, betony (substitute with lemon balm if necessary), or gillyflowers (carnations).
Estimated Calories
100 per serving
Cooking Estimates
You can make this rose petal paste in just a few minutes—there's no cooking involved, just chopping, crushing, and mixing the petals and sugar. The calories mainly come from the sugar. This recipe makes about 8 small servings.
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