ROSE IN CUCINA: ROSE-SCENTED TREATS FROM VENICE
May is wonderful to bring back centurIES-old traditions and recipes: FOR EXAMPLE, HOW WE USE ROSE PETALS IN VENICE.
To name just a few Venetian specialties prepared with rose petals: Rose syrups, jam and rose water have been used since time immemorial (aka 10th century AD) to color and flavor desserts, cakes and meringues. And there’s even a special rose spritz we make on the day Venice celebrates La Festa della Sensa in May.
But why is cooking and baking with roses so popular in the Lagoon: We found that there COULD BE three major reasons:
The monasteries on the islands used to cultivate vegetable, herbs and flower gardens for centuries - and in particular, roses!
The Armenian community in the Lagoon is famous for its rose petal jam called Vartanush, and
The Venetian merchants collected Levantine recipes including those using roses, which has become collective memory here in Venice.
Roses growing tamed on Torcello
ALMOST ALL cooking culinary journals I’VE seen IN VENICE INCLUDE recipes using rose petals.
So many recipes to flavor sweets or drinks with roses have been passed from one generation to the next. Even the name rosolio, referring to liqueurs, could derive from “rosa”: In the narrow sense, rosolio refers to “sweet rose liquor”, prepared in the Levantine tradition (that is, spices are added to bring out the rose flavor).
If you take a close look at the Venetian bars and pasticcerie, you’ll find rose liqueur bottles in so many! One of the most well-known brands of rosoli you can find in Venice is Rosolio Carlotto.
And I noticed that in particular, along the narrow calli and calleselle leading from Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute towards Campo San Barnabà, you will find a number of gourmet stores offering rose liqueurs, rose cream (crema spalmabilie, preferably eaten with warm brioche and a hint of butter and rose jam), and rose cioccole (rosolio-flavored chocolates).
The second source of Venetian rose recipes are the monasteries:
for example, La Spetiaria of the monastery of San Zanipolo prepared syrup and rose water from white roses in the 17th century.
Various kinds of roses, usually white, red or pink, were used in the monastery kitchens, but there’s one rose variety that’s legendary: Rose damascene – damask roses characterized by their intense and sweet scent: These are still used by the monks on the island San Lazzaro degli Armeni to prepare their special rose petal jam called Vartanush.
In the gardens of San Lazzaro degli Armeni, finest damask roses grow: That’s why in my opinion, mid-May to early June is the best time to visit this island, enjoy their green courtyard, and take a walk over to the roseto, the rose gardens in the southern part of the island.
In late May, the monks prepare their famous rose jam Vartanush, carefully collecting the rose petals con la brina mattutina – early in the morning by 8am, still covered with morning dew, as one of the monks who used to visit my grandparents, told them.
We don’t make rosolio at home, but we do prepare rose syrup from Lina’s Damask roses, and also rose petal jam. And in particular, I love home-made crema spalmabile ai petali di rosa, the rose cream which goes into fluffy cornetti on the morning of La Festa della Sensa (Ascension Day) in May.
This feast has a special meaning for Venice, and we’ll publish the story in our upcoming newsletter, along with one of the recipes that you can choose:
Traditional Venetian rose jam: Very similar to the Vartanush jam, made by the monks of San Lazzaro degli Armeni.
Rose petal cream that goes into cornetti: One of my personal favorites, and so easy to make in just five steps - you’ll discover. A festive treat for breakfast on a Sunday in May or June!
Nonna’s sweet cherry rose bread: In May, the cherries are ripe in the Lagoon. A favorite recipe I recall that Nonna made when I was a child is sweet cherry - rose bread!
Rose-flavored spritz: Well, you can only taste this on Nonna Lina’s garden terrace ..
And now it’s time to choose your favorite! Second, please sign up to the newsletter so we can send the recipe and a special story to you on the morning of Festa della Sensa (29 May).
