Seasonal Recipe: Homemade Rose Petal Jam

Roses have many benefits on a permaculture farm—one of them is that they are edible. Roses are a marker of late spring at our house and I use the petals for homemade rose petal jam. This is my new revised version. It’s pivotal to use homegrown roses that are clean, free of any sprays or chemicals, and that have fresh blemish free petals.

This recipe is pectin- and gelatin-free. It's a bit thinner in consistency than traditional jam but also makes a great sauce over ice cream or cheesecake. We like it on toasted bread or crackers.

Ingredients
1 cup water
2 cups fresh-picked rose petals, rinsed and cleaned
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

Directions
Combine water and rose petals in a small pot. Simmer for ten minutes. Add honey, sugar and lemon juice. Stir and simmer for five minutes. This will thicken the jam. Do not strain. Add to small sterilized jars while hot and apply lids. Store in the refrigerator for up to five days. This is NOT a canning recipe for shelf storage.