Recipe Manuscript

To Perfume Roses

Name: To Perfume Roses
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTPT2H
Yield: 1
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 100g fresh rose petals; 30ml orange blossom water; 2 teaspoons ground Cypress powder (substitute: ground dried rosemary or juniper needles); Pinch (0.5g) ground cloves; 1 drop synthetic musk or civetone diluted in 10ml orange blossom water (substitute for civet); 0.2g powdered musk (substitute: drop of musky fragrance oil); 0.2g powdered ambergris (substitute: drop of amber fragrance oil)

1700

From the treasured pages of Receipts in cookery and medicine 1700

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Other

Original Recipe • 1700

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

To Perfume Roses

"Sprinckle some Roses with orange flower water & pouder them with pouder of Cypress, & sprinckle yr Clones at yr discretion after that with Cypress pouder, then steepe some Civett in orange flower water, & sprinckle yr Roses oftentimes, then set them on a perfuming pan with Pasteles till they be dry then when you would put them into a bag, you may put Muske and Amber to them as you please, or as you would have ye goodness of them shall bee."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in early modern English, characterized by free spelling ('sprinckle,' 'pouder') and little punctuation. Measurements are non-specific and based on the maker’s judgment and desired intensity. Directives jump between actions—sprinkling, steeping, drying—without set order or quantities, reflecting the era’s trust in the experienced hand rather than fixed recipes. The language is evocative but assumes familiarity with luxurious perfume materials.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipts in cookery and medicine 1700 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipts in cookery and medicine 1700 (1700)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1700

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step into the kitchen of the early 18th century, where this charming culinary manuscript tempts tastebuds with recipes and secrets from a bygone era. A delicious journey for both the curious cook and the history lover.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This aromatic recipe hails from circa 1700, during a period when personal and household perfumery was in vogue among the nobility and upper classes. Scented sachets, known as 'pomanders' or 'sweet bags,' were prized for warding off unpleasant smells and demonstrating sophistication. The use of exotic ingredients like civet, musk, and ambergris speaks to the global luxury trade of the time—a heady era of sensory indulgence just before the rise of industrial perfumery.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Historically, a perfuming pan (gentle chafing-dish or brazier) was used to dry fragrant materials, alongside ceramic bowls for steeping and small pestles for grinding resins and spices. Fine cloth or muslin bags served as the final vessel for the perfumed mixture, turning loose petals into portable luxury.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

2 hrs

Servings

Ingredients

3.5oz fresh rose petals
1 fl oz orange blossom water
2 teaspoons ground Cypress powder (substitute: ground dried rosemary or juniper needles)
Pinch (1/8 tsp or 1/64 oz) ground cloves
1 drop synthetic musk or civetone diluted in 2 teaspoons (0.33 fl oz) orange blossom water (substitute for civet)
Scant 1/8 tsp or less than 1/16 oz powdered musk (substitute: drop of musky fragrance oil)
Scant 1/8 tsp or less than 1/16 oz powdered ambergris (substitute: drop of amber fragrance oil)

Instructions

Begin by selecting fresh rose petals (about 3.5oz), and lightly mist them with orange blossom water (approximately 1 fl oz).
Gently dust the petals with ground Cypress powder (if unavailable, finely ground dried rosemary or juniper needles, about 2 teaspoons, may be substituted) and optionally sprinkle in a pinch of ground cloves (1/64 oz or about 1/8 tsp) to your liking.
Prepare a small amount of civet substitute (such as a drop of synthetic musk or a drop of civetone, as animal civet is now protected and unavailable), diluted in 2 teaspoons (0.33 fl oz) orange blossom water, and gently mist the rose petals again, repeating the process several times for a deeply perfumed result.
Allow the petals to dry by placing them over very gentle heat—use a baking tray lined with parchment, set in an oven at the lowest setting (around 120°F), or use a dehydrator, letting the petals dry slowly until just crisp.
Once completely dry, transfer petals to a muslin or sachet bag, and add a small pinch each (less than 1/16 oz or a scant 1/8 tsp) of powdered musk and ambergris if available (both can be substituted with a drop of natural or synthetic musky or amber fragrance oils).
Store sealed in a cool, dry place for use as a perfumed sachet or potpourri.

Cooking Estimates

You will spend about 10 minutes preparing and scenting the rose petals. Drying takes about 2 hours at low heat. This recipe does not contain significant calories, as it is not meant for eating.