Rose Cacao Latte Recipe
Why are roses luxury?
Instinct tells us the story of the perceived luxury of roses begins with late 80s, early 90s television show Golden Girls and Betty White's beloved Rose Nylund. We suspect society so loved her character that the flower which shared her name furiously grew in popularity to the point that men were bringing home dozens of them in honor of their wives.
A bit of research unfortunately has forced me to scrap that theory. It turns out the rose flower was already popular before the show premiered in 1985!
We suppose that makes sense, though.
The vibrant red color, the alluring scent and the silken texture of each pedal has made roses number one on most flower power rankings for centuries - even for just the most superficial reasons.
But - like the aforementioned Betty White oddly enough - roses pack a punch beyond their beauty through rose water.
Typically, rose water is thought about as a skin care product. Millions of men and women go to sleep each night after a delightful little spritz of rose water to the face in search of hydration for their skin.
The benefits of digesting rose water are more debated than proved at this point though. A few of them that haven't necessarily been conclusively proved, but some evidence suggests:
- Rich in Antioxidants: Rose water contains antioxidants, which help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.
- Anti-inflammatory Properties: It may help reduce inflammation in the body, contributing to overall health.
- Digestive Aid: Some traditional practices suggest that rose water can help soothe digestive issues and improve digestion.
If you get any of those benefits, that's great. But at a minimum, rose water is elegant. It's flavorful. It can boost your mood simply by being rose water - who needs hard evidence! If you look at a rose and you feel good, we're on the right track.
And don't stop with roses, let's make it a full Valentine's Day at the drop of a hat and toss some cacao in the mix with a Rose Cacao Latte Recipe!
(Just make sure you're working with food grade roses if you're going to be consuming the water. The last thing you want to do (and maybe the actual last thing you'll ever do depending on how much you consume) is drink a bunch of water sitting at the bottom of your beautiful rose plant.)
Ingredients for Rose Cacao Latte:
- 1 cup fresh or dried roses (rose buds) FOOD GRADE
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- ~1 tbsp lemon juice (to retain rose color)
- 1 serving of Blossom’s cacao latte mix
- Cheesecloth (or a fine sieve)
Instructions:
Prepare the Rose syrup:
- In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of fresh or dried rose(buds) with 1 cup of water, syrup, and lemon juice.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes (the liquid evaporates quickly), allowing the roses to release their juice and aroma.
- Note: The Rose syrup gets pretty potent pretty quickly, add more water to dilute a bit if needed.
- Place a cheesecloth over a bowl or cup (or use a fine sieve) and pour the rose mixture over it to strain out the petals and buds. Let the juice cool slightly.
Mix the Rose Cacao Latte:
- Pour 3 oz of the freshly prepared rose syrup into a mug.
- Add one serving of Blossom’s cacao latte mix to the mug and froth the mixture until it's well combined and creamy. The latte mix contains oat milk powder, so you’ll naturally get a creamy, latte-like texture.
- Add 4 oz of hot water to the mug and finish frothing.
Enjoy your Rose Cacao Latte immediately.
