Nootka Rose / SGidGangxal / Rosa Nutkana Petal Infused Honey

“It’s fragrance fills the air in a sea-side habitat.”

I recently launched a small collection of pottery inspired by the Nootka Rose, a wild rose found in wet places along the coast. 

When blooming, the flowers consist of five petals and a yellow centre, with petals ranging from soft, bubblegum pink, to a dark, crimson magenta.

Out of all the things that I harvest and forage on Haida Gwaii, the petals of this wild rose are by far the most dreamy.  They’re soft, fragrant, and picking them sea-side in the warm, evening light is something I look forward to every June. 

TIPS FOR HARVESTING

  • Harvest in the morning or evening, instead of the heat of the mid-day

  • Don’t pick the full flower - bunch the petals and gently tug, leaving the pistils and stamens behind. This will allow a rose hip to still form.

  • Leave one or two petals on each flower, so that the bees still recognize it as a flower.

While my usual rose petal recipes include jelly and syrup, this year I decided to try infused honey, on the recommendation of a dear friend and neighbour.   I was delighted to find it super simple to make, and I’m able to eat it in all the ways I would normally have the jelly.  

Please be mindful of food safety.  Honey has been shown to have strong antibacterial activity against bacteria so should last at room temperature for a very long time. However, because this recipe uses fresh rose petals, it increases the risk of culturing undesirable bacteria that can cause your honey to ferment (like mead).  To create a longer lasting honey, you can try drying the rose petals first, or find a recipe that uses heat.   

You can use this any way that you would use regular honey, and with dishes that compliment the floral sweetness.  I love it smoothed on a warm piece of buttered sourdough, or drizzled over plain yogurt or vanilla ice cream.  



NOOTKA ROSE PETAL INFUSED HONEY - RECIPE



INGREDIENTS

  • Wild Rose Petals - enough to loosely pack your jar

    • You can also use petals from your garden roses - the more fragrant, the more flavourful.  Don’t use store bought roses, they’re usually grown using harsh pesticides that you don’t want to be consuming,

  • Honey - roughly the amount held by your jar.

    • Raw local honey is best

    • If it’s quite thick or crystallized, I suggest warming it beforehand in double boiler. 

  • Glass jar with lid - well cleaned and dry

STEPS

1) Fill jar with rose petals and honey. Ensure the petals are completely covered with honey.

  • If your honey is fully liquid

    • Simply pack your jar with rose petals, and pour the honey over top. 

    • Stir to release air bubbles.

  • If your honey is semi-crystallized (as mine was)

    • Alternate layering rose petals with spoonfuls of honey until your reach the top of the jar. 

2) Allow the honey to steep for at least a few days at room temperature before serving. 

3) Enjoy! You can choose to strain the petals, or leave them in for texture and fragrance.

Recipes, HomesteadingAmber FaktorNootka Rose, Honey, Floral Honey, Recipes