Rose water

Rose water

Rose water is a flavored water that made by rose petals in water, a by-product of the production of rose oil for use in the aroma. Rose water, as a component in some cosmetic and medical preparations, also used to flavor food and for religious purposes throughout Europe and Asia . Rose syrup is made from rose water, with sugar added.

Origin

The tillage of various aromatic flowers for gaining perfumes including rose water may date back to Sassanid Persia.

The modern mass production of rose water through steam distillation was refined by Persian chemist Avicenna in Medieval Islamic world which led to more efficient and economic uses for perfumery industries. This allowed for more efficient and beneficial trade.

Roses have been used medicinally, nutritionally, and as a source of perfume, since ancient times. The ancient Greeks, Romans, and Phoenicians considered large public rose gardens to be as important as croplands such as gardens and wheat fields.

Rose perfumes are made from rose oil, which is a mixture of volatile essential oils obtained by steam-distilling the crushed petals of roses, a process first developed in Iran (Persia). Rose water is a by-product of this process.

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Uses

Eatable

Rose water has a very distinctive flavor and it is used heavily in Persian and Middle Eastern cuisine especially in sweets such as nougat, gumdrops, and baklava. Rose water is used to give some types of Turkish delight (like Rahat lokum) with their distinctive flavors.

In Iran, rose water  is also added to tea, ice cream, cookies and other sweets in small quantities. In the Arab world, Pakistan and India it is used to flavor milk and dairy-based dishes such as rice pudding. It is also a key ingredient in sweet lassi, a drink made from yogurt, sugar, and various fruit juices, and it is also used to make  jallab. In Malaysia and Singapore, sweet red-tinted rose water is mixed with milk, which then turns pink to make a sweet drink called Bandung. Rose water is frequently used as a halal substitute for red wine and other alcohols in cooking; the Premier League offer a rose water-based beverage as an alternative to champagne when rewarding Muslim players.

Marzipan has long been flavored with rose water. It is originated in the Middle East and arrived in Western Europe by the Middle Ages; it continues to be served  as a postprandial snack. Rose water was also used to make Waverly Jumbles.

American and European bakers enjoyed the floral flavoring of rose water in their baking until the 19th century when vanilla flavoring became popular.

In parts of the Middle East, rose water is commonly added to lemonade or milk.

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Cosmetic and medicinal use

Rose water is a usual component of perfume. A rose water ointment is occasionally

used as a softener, and rose water is sometimes such as cold creams used in cosmetics.

Medicinal use-Ayurveda(the traditional Hindu system of medicine): In India, rose water is used as eye drops to clear them. Some people  also use rose water as spray applied directly to the face for natural fragrance and moisturizer, especially during winters. They have also used sweets and other food preparations . They are often sprinkled rose water  in weddings to welcome their guests.

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Religious uses

Rose water is used as a fragrance in religious ceremonies such as Muslim, Hindu, and Zoroastrian. Water used to clean the Kaaba, the Qibla for Muslims located in Mecca, combines water from the Zamzam Well with rose water as an additive. In the Indian subcontinent during Muslim burials, rose water is often sprinkled in the dug grave before placing the body inside. Rose water is used in some  Hindu  rituals as well. Rose water also figures in Christianity, particularly in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

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Composition

Depending on the origin and type of producing the method of rosewater obtained from the sepals and petals of Rosa × Damascena from Central Iran through steam distillation. Phenylethyl alcohol is responsible for the typical smell of rose water but not always present in rosewater products.