Beyond Middle Eastern and Indian markets, there’s not much rose-flavored food in the U.S. (we occasionally find rose marshmallows at fine confectioners). But rose is a flavor that fits right in with Valentine’s Day, and fashionable mixologists create menus of rose syrup-accented cocktails.

WHAT IS ROSE SYRUP?

Rose syrup is rose water with sugar added—essentially, rose-flavored simple syrup. Rose water itself is distilled from rose petals as a by-product of the rose oil (attar of roses) produced for perfumes.

First distilled by Muslim chemists in medieval times, both rose syrup and rose water add a subtle rose flavor and aroma to sweet foods. You can use rose water and sugar in beverages, but for confections and baked goods you need syrup, which won’t dilute the batter, dough, etc.

ROSE COCKTAILS

Our favorite, easy rose cocktail is a Champagne Cocktail sweetened with rose syrup instead of the conventional sugar cube. There’s a Rose Martini recipe below. You can create other cocktails, or add the syrup to club soda for a mocktail.

You can buy rose syrup in pink or clear hues, or make your own from rose water. You can whip it up in about 10 minutes and color it as light or deep rose as you like. If, after the first batch, you want even more rose flavor, exchange the tap water for more rose water.

If you decide to distill your own rose water from rose petals (our friends with a large rose garden like to do this), note that only dark red roses impart much color; you may have to supplement with food color.
 

RECIPE: ROSE SYRUP (ROSE SIMPLE SYRUP)

 
Preparation

1. BRING the water to a boil. Add the sugar and dissolve, stirring constantly. When completely dissolved, remove the pan from the heat. Do not over-boil.

2. ADD red food color as desired.

3. COOL, then store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Ingredients For 1 Cocktail

 
Preparation

1. ADD ingredients including ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

2. Garnish and serve.
 
MORE VALENTINE COCKTAIL RECIPES

*Rose petals or other flowers used for garnish must be organic—not sprayed with chemical pesticides.

This recipe is courtesy of Farmgirl Gourmet, one of our favorite blogs. Author Heather Scholten, the author, is a recipe developer, food blogger and photographer. She writes: “I love whipping up deliciousness in my 100 year old kitchen. My emphasis is on family friendly recipes with a gourmet twist. I grow it, I cook it, I snap it, I eat it.”

What better way to start off Valentine’s Day than with Heather’s red velvet donuts? They’re dipped in cream cheese frosting and decorated with sprinkles to add even more festivity.

The donuts are easy to make—baked, not fried. Prep time is 15 minutes, cook time is 20 minutes. The full recipe was originally published on Zak.com.

RECIPE: RED VELVET DONUTS

Ingredients For 24 Donuts

 
Plus

1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Spray a donut baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2. COMBINE the flours, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until fluff.

3. ADD the milk, eggs, food coloring and olive oil and mix until just combined. Carefully pour into prepared baking pan. Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until the tops are no longer tacky. Turn out onto a wire rack and cool.

4. PREPARE the icing: Combine all ingredients for icing in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high at 30 second intervals, stirring in-between until cream cheese melts and frosting is a runny consistency. Add additional milk if frosting becomes too thick.

5. DIP the cooled donuts in the icing and sprinkle with candy sprinkles of your choice. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

WHY USE SOFT GEL INSTEAD OF LIQUID FOOD COLOR

The typical food colors available in supermarkets are water-based liquids that work well for most purposes. In many recipes, you use so little of it that the teaspoon or so of water isn’t going to impact the outcome of the recipe.

But if you are looking for intense color—such as in red velvet cake—you need to use a lot of liquid to get the vibrant color. Too much liquid will alter the consistency of cake, candies, donuts and deep-colored frostings.

You can often find gel food colors in craft stores, as well as in baking supplies stores and online, where you can buy red only or the four basic food colors. Wilton sells a set of eight gel colors, as well as neon and pastel sets.
 
Don’t substitute one for another, unless you have time to test the results.
 
COLORED ICING TIPS

This appetizer or first course pairs with your favorite wine: red, white or sparkling. And beer, too, of course.

Or, serve the bruschetta with the salad course. Prep time is 5 minutes, cooking time is 10 minutes.

RECIPE: BRIE & BEET BRUSCHETTA

Ingredients For 2 Servings

 
*Love Beets beets uses two packages of its Beets Dipped In Vinegar. If you can’t find them, use pickled beets or plain beets that you can marinate lightly in vinegar.

1. PREHEAT the broiler and toast the bread on one side.

2. RUB the untoasted side with the garlic and brush with olive oil.

3. ARRANGE the beet wedges on the untoasted side of the bread and lay the slices of Brie on top. Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper to taste and place back under the broiler.

4. BROIL until the cheese is hot and bubbling. Serve immediately.
 
BRUSCHETTA VS. CROSTINI

Here’s the difference.

You can use a giant heart-shape cookie pan, pressing into the dough like a cookie cutter, to cut a heart-shaped crust (which also works for anniversaries, bridal showers, birthdays, Mother’s Day and other festivities).

Or you can freehand it.

Use your Valentine’s favorite toppings or stick to a red theme:

RED VEGETABLES

 
One of our favorite pizzas: sliced boiled potatoes, smoked salmon strips, salmon caviar and fresh dill with white sauce.

It’s perfect for Valentine’s Day or any day!

Oh, how lucky the people of West Chester, Pennsylvania are. Seven days a week they can stroll into Éclat Chocolate at 24 South High Street and select tempting confections.

Everyone else can order the chocolates online or by phone (1.610.692.5206). Some items are available at Dean and Deluca (New York and California) and DiBruno Bros. in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square.

But the temple to the marriage of great chocolate and art is located 25 miles west of Philadelphia, close to Valley Forge; and 17 miles north of Wilmington, Delaware. And it is close to our hearts.

For Valentine’s Day we want:

 
There’s more, but Easter is coming.

He honed his skills in the finest chocolate houses of Belgium, France, Germany, Japan and Switzerland, and the results will please the fussiest connoisseur.

In French, éclat (pronounce ay-CLAH) can mean:

 
We applaud all three.
 
Head to EclatChocolate.com. Just looking at the beautiful photos is a most satisfying experience.