Strawberry and rose petal jam

1irisjamIt looks like I actually planned this. My afternoon batch of strawberry and rose petal jam matches my vase of dark crimson iris.

This is a great year for my two favourite ingredients for my first jam. Strawberries and roses.

I can’t keep up with the roses which are exploding in their planters in the courtyard. Well, I could if I stopped eating all the strawberries as I pick them.

In the recipe section you can see how I make this wonderful light jam. It’s the perfect accompaniment to scones. If I ever got round to baking. I find them just dandy spooned over croissants. 1jamdetail

And let’s face it, I am closer to a croissant than I am to a scone baker around here.

Best of all are the half jars. They are for me. The rest go to house guests and into the pantry for the possible Christmas fare in London.

I think I might make use of the rose petals as well. I will dry them thoroughly and make them into a salt rub for the bath.

1jampetalsThat’s the plan.

Each morning I start my day by cutting rose heads which are about to go over. I’m trying to dry some whole. But I find that the petals are my best possible harvest.

The scent is utterly divine. In the original recipe (from an old Country Living magazine) they suggest you add a tablespoon of rose water at the very end of the cooking process.

But for my roses, the scent remains, even after a plunge in hot strawberry jam.

1roseharvest