The Persian Rose

The name for “flower” and “rose” is the same in Persian—gol. Ancient Iranians valued roses not only for their beauty and perfume, but also for their use in medicine and cooking. It was in the fourth century BCE that Alexander the Great introduced the rose from Iran to Greece, sending specimens to Aristotle for cultivating in his botanical gardens in Athens. From there, the rose spread further West. Rose petals and rose water have been part of Persian cooking since ancient times, used in savor y as well as sweet dishes. These days, they are used mostly in sweet pastries, though in some villages in Iran they are still incorporated in savor y dishes. I love to use them in all of my cooking. I keep a bag of rose petals and a bottle of rose water handy in the kitchen for use in a range of recipes. I add rose water to my rice and braises, as well as to pastries, and I use dried rose petals to add taste and texture to salads and desserts. They are also one of the ingredients in my Persian spice mix (advieh). Buy the dried petals (don’t use buds) and crush them in your hand as you sprinkle them in a recipe.