Rose Butter

A very delicately flavored butter made especially for tea-parties, bridal and baby showers. It can be tinted with food coloring to match the occasion. The original recipe called for just "butter", but I added the 2 sticks (1 cup) to make it simple since so few people make their own butter anymore.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks (1 cup) of butter (unwrapped and rewrapped loosely in waxed paper)
• 1 qt. of highly scented rose petals (perfectly clean)
• food coloring of choice (optional)

Directions:

In a Tupperware or Rubbermaid container with tight-fitting lid, place a layer of perfectly clean and spray-free rose petals. Lay the waxed-paper-wrapped butter on top of the rose petals. Cover the butter with another thick layer of rose petals and cover tightly. Leave in refrigerator for a day or at least overnight. A couple of days is best.

Remove from refrigerator and allow the butter to soften slightly if you intend to color it. Use food coloring sparingly until you get the color you want and mix it in thorougly. Shape butter whatever way you choose, then re-wrap and return it to the refrigerator until needed. You may save the rose petals to use as garnish if you like. Perfectly clean rose petals are edible.

This butter is delicious used on crackers or tiny sandwiches made with watercress or very thinly-sliced cucumber. The rose flavor is delicate, but what a delightful treat it is.

The recipe can be doubled or tripled depending on number of people to be served.

Source: This recipe came from an old Tea and Poetry book that my hubby found in a thrift store. It's from the 1920's. I believe it was put together by a church in Virginia.

By Julia from Boca Raton, FL