Rose Tea and Orange Syrup

This Rose Syrup is so versatile that it can be used as the base for so many drinks! This gorgeous floral syrup not only adds a lovely aroma, but it actually adds a subtle floral flavor as well.

You can make this rose syrup with rose flower petals, but you will need to find culinary-grade rose petals for this and for some this might be hard to come by. I have made this with culinary-grade rose petals before, but I’ve come to prefer making it with rose water (also known as rose water syrup, sharbat syrup or falooda syrup) instead.

WHY I PREFER MAKING ROSE SYRUP WITH ROSE WATER INSTEAD OF ROSE PETALS

• I always get consistent results with rose water. You can buy good rose water from Asian grocery stores or online. Pictured below is one of the brands that I like to use to make this rose syrup.
• On the flip side, rose petals don’t always give me the desired result depending on what’s available. I’ve tried using homegrown roses (since I know they are organic), and culinary-grade rose petals purchased online. Interestingly, the roses I purchased online provided more consistent results for the strongest floral aroma.
• Using petals is also an extra step, and it requires soaking them overnight to get the most out of the petals. Rosewater on the other hand is obviously less time-consuming and you get a wonderfully strong floral smell and flavor.