Rose Syrup of Genoa
With petals of rose plants, gently picked so as not to tear them, and infusing them, a very sweet syrup is produced; once it was offered to guests in tiny crystal glasses.
The best roses to produce this drink, Slow Food Presidium, are ancient varieties, almost all selected between the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It is not known why this renowned tradition of processing rose petals, with which we do not only make syrups, but also sugared almonds and preserves, was developed in Genoa.
Syrup roses are harvested in spring, between May and June, when the corolla is well open. The recipe of the infusion is very simple and involves the immersion of the petals with a little lemon in boiling water, removed from the fire. They are left to macerate for about 24 hours, until the water gets of a bright pink color, then the maceration liquid is filtered, the residual petals are twisted and the sugar is added. It is boiled for about ten minutes and bottled.
