Yes, you read correctly. Roses can look wonderful decorating high-end dishes, but can also become part of them (organic roses, that is). These recipes can be addressed particularly to Valentine’s day and Mother’s day, but sometimes… when you wish to dazzle your guests, incorporating petals doesn’t seem like a bad idea, does it? And believe me: they taste good.

The Bulgarians know that for years now, they’ve incorporated rose petals to their beverage Kazanlak, in order to preserve the delicate flavor. Europeans are not the only ones to have incorporated them; Canadian-based Anne Yarymowich harvests organic roses to add them to her delicious vodka beverages.   She claims that the result is a “fragrant, subtle taste to sip over ice or in a martini.”

In Quito, Ecuador, top chefs are integrating petals to their novelty dishes, following trends from New York, Barcelona and Southern France.

Some other risk-taker foodies have experimented with jellies, jams, and even sandwiches… But I would recommend you to start slow; you’ll find it both exotic and awesome.

Just beware of pesticides! These petals should be grown with 100% natural fertilizer mixed with garlic in order to ward off bugs and washed properly before adding them to your delicious recipe.

Have you ever cooked or prepared a beverage with rose petals? I’d love to read what you have to say!