Najmieh Batmangili is an Iranian cookbook author specializing in Persian food. Her generous spirit and love for her culture are inspiring. At a Culinary institute of America at Greystone conference, she brought in a rose-water distiller so we could see firsthand how rose petals are miraculously transformed into rose water. To make rose water, damask roses (rosas de Castilla in Latin American countries) are picked before sunrise when their scent is at its peak. They are set
