I love creating new taste treats (at least new to me)! Many years ago, I became very interested
in cooking with herbs in response to needing to drastically slash sodium levels in my diet.
As I read the literature, I also learned what flowers were edible and how to use them in my cooking.
Every year, I try at least one new recipe during canning season. One of those has become my “trademark” –Wine and Roses Jelly. It combines my interests of organic gardening and canning.
As we began creating our container garden at our new place,
I made sure that we had one rose bush with the intention of adding more.
I chose a Mr. Lincoln rose for its dark red petals. I do not treat my plants with chemical fertilizers
or pesticides. I only use “food-friendly-natural-organic” pest controls.
When roses are bloomed, I pick them and pull the petals off the stem.
I use a kitchen shear to remove the white at the base of the petals because it is bitter.
I place the petals in a colander, rinse them with cold water to make sure there is no dirt,
and place them in a glass bowl.
I heat 2 ½ cups Chardonnay to boiling in a small pan.
When it comes to a boil, I gently pour it over the rose petals. The hot wine leaches the color
and fragrance out of the rose petals.
When the liquid has cooled, I strain the petals from the rose-infused wine into a measuring cup.
I need 2 ¼ cups of the infused wine to make the jelly.
I assemble my jelly-making tools and ingredients. Jars need to be sterilized and hot.
Sealing lids need to be placed in a small pan of water and heated to at least medium
to soften the rubber seals.
The infused wine, sugar, and vinegar are put into a stock pot and heated to boiling over high heat while being stirred. When the sugar is dissolved, add pouch of liquid pectin.
Stir and boil for one minute.
Remove pan from heat. Ladle hot jelly into jars leaving ½-inch space from top of jar.
Wipe the edges of jar rim and place a lid on top. Screw a jar ring onto the jar to hold the lid in place.
Fill as many jars as you can. The last jar that isn’t quite full becomes your family sample.
Fill as many jars as you can. The last jar that isn’t quite full becomes your family sample.
That’s my family’s favorite part!
Place the sealed jars into a pot of hot water using water bath basket
(part of the Ball Small Batch Canning Kit) or into a water bath canner with a rack in the bottom.
You don’t want the jars to touch thebottom of the pan because it will cause them to break.
Add enough hot water to cover the jars by about an inch.
Bring the water to a boil, place the lid on the pot, and time for 5 minutes.
(part of the Ball Small Batch Canning Kit) or into a water bath canner with a rack in the bottom.
You don’t want the jars to touch thebottom of the pan because it will cause them to break.
Add enough hot water to cover the jars by about an inch.
Bring the water to a boil, place the lid on the pot, and time for 5 minutes.
When the timer sounds, remove the jars from the pot using a jar-lifter. Do not tip the jars while removing them from the water bath pot. I have a commercial brand jar-lifter that I couldn’t find
from our moving boxes. Fortunately, with my kitchen décor I had packed the jar lifter that
my dad crafted for my mom when they were newly married.
Set the hot jars on a towel-covered cooling rack. Leave the jars undisturbed until you hear the “pop”
of the lid being sucked down. That tells you the jar has sealed.
of the lid being sucked down. That tells you the jar has sealed.
Allow jars to cool completely before moving them.
Of course, the best part of jelly-making is tasting the finished product.
I usually make scones or fresh bread on which to sample these tasty treats.
Here is the recipe for my Wine & Roses Jelly:
2 to 4 dark red roses, (the more roses the deeper the color)
2 ½ cups Chardonnay or white wine of your choice
4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 pouch liquid pectin
Follow the directions shared in this post. Makes four to five half-pint jars.
This jelly has the wonderful fragrance of the roses and the taste of the roses and wine.
It is wonderful!
Do you have a “trademark” jam, jelly, or recipe? I would love to hear about it!
Gardening and canning are fun ways that I am able to share my heart for home.