[1] Raspberries combine with rosewater in these pretty-in-pink meringues from Chef Ingrid Hoffmann (photo © \Ingrid Hoffmann).

[2] Fresh raspberries are delicious plain, but we love to use them in confections and desserts (photo © Driscoll’s Berries).

[3] There are many uses for rosewater, in both food and beverages, and toiletries. Here’s a recipe for iced chai latte with rosemary from All Day I Dream Of Food (photo © All Day I Dream About Food).

We so enjoyed the red wine meringue cookies we made for Valentine’s Day that we decided to make another pink, flavored meringue for Mother’s Day.

This recipe, from Chef Ingrid Hoffmann, combines fresh raspberries with rosewater (also spelled rose water).

You can jump to the recipe below. But first:
 
 
WHAT IS ROSEWATER?

Since ancient times, roses have been used nutritionally, medicinally, for religious purposes, to make cosmetics, and as a source of perfume. The ancient Greeks, Romans and Phoenicians considered their large public rose gardens to be as important as as orchards and wheat fields [source].

Culinary rose water is believed to have been first created in Persia during the Sasanian dynasty (224 to 651 C.E.). It was a by-product of producing rose oil (attar of roses) for perfume.

It can be made at home, simply by steeping rose petals in water; and is available commercially. Here’s a recipe to make your own. If you’re making it to consume (as opposed to a skin refresher), use organic roses.

You can buy a bottle in any Middle Eastern or Indian grocery, or online.

In the Middle East and eastward to India and Pakistan, rosewater is used in, among other preparations:

 
Rosewater was used extensively by both American and European bakers until the 19th century, when vanilla extract became more readily available became.

Rosewater is an ingredient in Waverly Jumbles, baked doughnut said to be a favorite of James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States (1817 to 1825).

Today it is used by cooks around the world. For example, in Mexico it is used to flavor shave ice; in Yorkshire, England, it is still used in one of the area’s best-loved dishes, Yorkshire Curd Tart.

You can add it to iced tea, iced coffee, smoothies and soft drinks; or make a Rose Martini.

Needless to say, if you buy a bottle to make these meringues, you won’t have any trouble finishing the bottle.
 
 
RECIPE: ROSEWATER RASPBERRY MERINGUES

Ingredients For 5 Dozen Meringues

1. POSITION the racks in the upper third and center of the oven and preheat to 250°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with cooking spray (to help secure the parchment) and line the sheets with parchment paper.

2. WHIP the egg whites and salt together in a large, grease-free bowl with an electric hand mixer set on high speed, until they form soft peaks. Gradually beat in the sugar and raspberry gelatin powder and beat until the mixture forms stiff, shiny peaks. Fold in the rosewater and vinegar.

3. TRANSFER the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch-wide star tip. Spacing them about 1 inch apart, pipe 1-inch-wide meringues onto the lined baking sheets. Bake until the meringues look set, about 1 hour.

4. TURN off the oven and let the meringues completely cool and dry in the oven. Carefully lift the meringues off the parchment and store them in an airtight container. These are fragile cookies, so don’t pack them tightly. We protect each layer with wax paper or parchment.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF MERINGUES

Some sources say that that meringue was invented in the Swiss village of Meiringen in the 18th century, and subsequently improved by an Italian chef named Gasparini.
 
Not all experts agree: The Oxford English Dictionary, for example, states that the French word is of unknown* origin.

The one fact we can hang on to is that the name of the confection called meringue first appeared in print in Chef François Massialot’s seminal 1691 cookbook, available in translation as The court and country cook….

The word meringue first appeared in English in 1706 in an English translation of Massialot’s book.

Two considerably earlier 17th-century English manuscript books of recipes give instructions for confections that are recognizable as meringue. One is called “white biskit bread,” found in a book of recipes started in 1604 by Lady Elinor Poole Fettiplace (1570-c.1647) of Gloucestershire.

The other recipe, called “pets,” is in the manuscript of collected recipes written by Lady Rachel Fane (c. 1612–1680) of Knole, Kent. Slowly-baked meringues are still referred to as pets in the Loire region of France (the reference appears to be their light fluffiness, perhaps like a kitten?).

Meringues were traditionally shaped between two large spoons, as is often still done at home today. Meringue piped through a pastry bag was introduced by the great French chef Marie-Antoine Carême (1784-1833—he preferred to be called Antonin), the founder of the concept of haute cuisine.

He also invented modern mayonnaise, éclairs, Strawberries Romanov, and other icons of French cuisine. Even though he wasn’t in on the beginning, he perfected the end.

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*Contenders from include 1700 on include, from the Walloon dialect, maringue, shepherd’s loaf; marinde, food for the town of Meiringen (Bern canton, Switzerland), is completely lacking. None of the others sounds right, either. By default, we like the Latin merenda, the feminine gerund of merere to merit, since who doesn’t merit a delicious confection? But as our mother often said: “Who cares; let’s eat!”
 
 

That’s when Mom would pull out the waffle iron and whisk together the flour, baking powder, butter, eggs and milk butter.

We ate them with a pat of butter and maple syrup brought back from Nana’s visits to see her family in Canada, and usually, with bananas or berries and bacon: basic comfort food.

In those days there were no chocolate or pumpkin waffles, no chili-infused maple syrup, no blueberry syrup, no cheddar waffles with jalapeños and tomatoes, no Caprese waffles with basil, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.

You can make waffles like these for Mother’s and Father’s Day: Check out ideas at the end of this article.

The two recipes that follow both top waffles with the focus ingredient: cheesecake or key lime mousse. They can be served as a sweet breakfast, or as dessert waffles.

Check out the different types of waffles.
 
 
RECIPE #1: CHEESECAKE WAFFLES

This recipe, by Dorothy Kern of Crazy For Crust, was sent to us by Krusteaz.

It uses a Belgian waffle mix. (Note: That’s Belgian, not Belgium, waffle. The former use is analogous to American waffles, the latter to America waffles.)

What’s the difference between Belgian waffles and regular waffles?

 
Prep time is 10 minutes, total time is 30 minutes.
 
Ingredients For 4-5 Waffles

[1] Cheesecake waffles. [2] Buttermilk pancake mix (photos courtesy Krustaz). [3] Cinnamon roll waffles: add some cinnamon to the batter and top with royal icing. Here’s the recipe from A Whisk And Two Wands.

1. BEAT the cream with a hand or a stand mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

2. BEAT the cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Beat in the sugar and vanilla extract. Fold the whipped cream into cream cheese mixture slowly, using a spatula.

3. PREPARE the waffle batter as directed on package, using 3 cups of waffle mix. Cook the waffles as directed.

4. SERVE topped with cheesecake mixture, garnished with berries or other fresh fruit. Serve the sauce on the side.

[3] Waffles with key lime mousse. We’d triple that scoop of mouse! (Photo courtesy Chef’s Choice.) [4] A size comparison of the larger Persian limes and Key limes (photo by Evan Dempsey | THE NIBBLE). [5] Graham cracker crumbs (photo courtesy Keebler).

This recipe was sent to us by Chef’s Choice, which made them in their space-saving waffle maker, Chef’sChoice WafflePro M852, which makes two square waffles in three minutes or less.

You can make the mousse the day before.

Ingredients For The Key Lime Mousse

 
Ingredients For 18-20 Graham Cracker Waffles

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the mousse. Place the lime juice in a bowl and sprinkle in gelatin, stirring lightly. Let sit for 2 minutes.

2. HEAT the lime juice mixture over low heat until hot, but not boiling. Take the mixture off heat and set aside.

3. HEAT the sweetened condensed milk over medium heat and add the white chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted.

4. WHIP the heavy cream on high speed only until stiff, about two minutes. Add the lime juice mixture to whip cream and beat with an electric mixer until the ingredients are blended together.

5. ADD the white chocolate mixture to the whipped cream and beat until blended. Refrigerate mixture for four hours or overnight to stiffen.

6. PREPARE the waffles. Mix together the pancake mix, milk, brown sugar, honey, buttermilk, eggs and cinnamon in a bowl. Melt the butter and add to the mixture. Crush the graham crackers to crumb size and add to the mix. Blend with an electric mixture.

7. PLACE 1/4 cup of batter on the prepared waffle maker (or per manufacturer’s maker’s directions). Bake for 2-1/2 minutes on setting 4. SERVE immediately with a dollop of key lime mousse. Garnish with lime slices and graham cracker pieces.

 
TOP SWEET WAFFLES WITH:

For spring and summer, this honey-based cocktail can strike just the right tone: a light buzz.

We adapted it from the cocktail of the month, called Two Bees Walk Into A Bar, at Davio’s Italian Steakhouse in New York City.

It uses an easy-to-make honey simple syrup, infused with rosemary, that you can use in other drinks as well. A recipe for a Honey-Rosemary Martini is below.

RECIPE #1: HONEY & HONEY POLLEN COCKTAIL

Ingredients Per Drink

 
For The Honey Rosemary Simple Syrup

________________

*If you’re concerned about raw eggs, get pasteurized raw eggs.
________________

Preparation

1. MAKE the simple syrup. Combine the water and honey in a small pot over medium heat and whisk until the honey dissolves. Add the rosemary and cook over low heat for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until cool. Strain and discard the rosemary, and store the syrup in an airtight jar.

2. COMBINE the other ingredients (except ice and garnish) in cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Add the ice and shake for another 30 seconds.

3. STRAIN into an 8-ounce glass (the photo shows a large Martini glass). Sprinkle with bee pollen and serve.
 
BENEFITS OF BEE POLLEN

Bee pollen is made by bees as food for their young. It is considered one of nature’s most completely nourishing foods, containing nearly all nutrients required by humans, including approximately 40% protein.

For this reason, it is a valued nutritional supplement, but has also become fashionable as a garnish. Consider this a most nutritious cocktail.

[1] A honey of a cocktail, from Davio’s Manhattan. [2] Fresh rosemary (photo courtesy Burpee). [3] Bee pollen. Here’s more about it from Shape Magazine.

RECIPE #2: ROSEMARY-HONEY MARTINI

You can make a sweeter cocktail with a bit more simple syrup (proceed cautiously); or a less sweet cocktail by adding more vermouth.

Ingredients Per Drink

 
Preparation

1. ADD 6 ice cubes to a cocktail shaker, followed by the other ingredients.

2. SHAKE vigorously and pour into a Martini glass. Garnish with fresh rosemary.

[1] Eclairs decorated by pastry great Johnny Iuzzini for Le Meridien hotels. [2] Decorated eclairs by Master Pastry Chef Michel Richard at Pomme Palais in New York Palace Hotel. [3] The Dsmile decorating pen makes it easy to decorate with designs or writing.

Yet, the elongated pastry with the shiny chocolate or caramel top can be even more exciting. Just look at the photos, to see what great pastry chefs do with them.

While it takes some skill to make attractive éclairs, its pretty easy to decorate ones you purchase. You’ll find the classic chocolate and caramel toppings, but may also find a rainbow of colors and flavors: coffee, currant (pink), dulce de leche, lemon, mango, matcha, pistachio, raspberry

You can make a DIY party of it. You can make it a Mother’s Day (or other celebration) event.

The history of the éclair is below.

DECORATIONS

 
FIXATIVES

Since the glaze (shiny icing) on top of the éclair will be set, you need a bit of something to adhere the decorations, plus utensils or squeeze bottles to dab them on.

 
You can give everyone the gift of a cake decorating pen (under $10), which makes it easy to write and decorate with icing. The icing also serves to affix other decorations.
 
ÉCLAIR HISTORY

An elongated, finger-shaped pastry made of pâte à choux (puff pastry), filled with whipped cream or custard and topped with a glacé icing (glaze), the éclair originated in France around the turn of the 19th century.

The Oxford English Dictionary traces the word “éclair” in the English language to the second half of the 19th century: 1861. In the U.S., the first printed recipe for éclairs appears even later, in the 1884 edition of the Boston Cooking-School Cook Book, edited by Mrs. D.A. Lincoln (later editions were under the auspices of Fanny Farmer).

Many food historians speculate that éclairs were first made by Marie-Antoine Carême (1874-1833).

This brilliant man, cast out to make his own way at the age of 10 by his impoverished family, became the first “celebrity chef,” working for luminaries: Charles, Prince Talleyrand, the French ambassador to Britain; the future George IV of England; Emperor Alexander I of Russia and Baron James de Rothschild.

The elite clamored for invitations to dinners cooked by Carême.

He is considered to be the founder and architect of French haute cuisine; an innovator of cuisine, both visually (he studied architectural to create amazing presentations) and functionally (modern mayonnaise, for example). He also was an enormously popular cookbook author—an big achievement for a boy who had no education, yet taught himself to read and write.

We can only dream…and live vicariously by reading his biography.

We saw this photo on Tajín’s Facebook page, but couldn’t find a recipe.

Fortunately, it’s not too difficult to slice bell peppers and drop an egg inside each slice—along with some mildly spicy Tajín seasoning (it’s a cayenne, lime and salt blend).

We thought: What else can we make with a bell pepper rim?

Cooked Foods

 
Uncooked Foods

If the food isn’t cohesive enough to be mounded, make the slices taller; or trim a bit of the bottom of a half or whole pepper so it will stand.

 

ABOUT TAJÍN SEASONING

In Mexico, this spice blend of cayenne, lime and salt (photo #3) is used on just about anything, savory and sweet:

 
 
GOOD MELTING CHEESES

Good melting cheeses include, among others:

[2] Enjoy as is, or in the center of a yummy bowl of greens (photo © Hope Foods).

[3] Tajín seasoning: cayenne, lime and salt (photo © Tajín).