Customer Reviews

Rose Recipes from Olden Times

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This slim volume is packed with scores of uses for roses. With recipes from the 16th to 19th century, this book blossoms with wonderful ideas. One of my favorites is from Bullein's Bulwark of Defence--Rose water, musk, Civet and Cloves to perfume clothes.(pg 60)

This book IS charming, but the recipes (or "receipts" as they were called in "olden times") are definitely archaic, utilizing ingredients and measurements which are long obsolete.

The idea that being familiar with Olde English will enable you to easily prepare the recipes is well, just erroneous (as implied by Martha Tanner; see comments: Useless Rose Recipes). Linguistic aptitude may enhance your understanding, but it's not enough to guarantee success with actually making the recipes.

While this book is interesting from a historical perspective, the recipes are impractical from a modern standpoint. Oh sure, Googling can help demystify the arcane measurements, but just try buying musk and civet at your local pharmacy (as done in "olden times"). They are simply not available to regular folk in this day and age. And because of the rarity, cost, and controversy associated with these ingredients, they have even fallen out of favor/use in professional perfumery as well.

The appeal of this book lies in its antiquity, which ironically is the same thing that prevents its practical application and usefulness.

To sum up: The recipes require experimentation and adaptation. For the truly determined, this will undoubtedly lead you to other paths of discovery as you will certainly need to do further research to prepare the recipes. If this is right up your alley, then great -- don't hesitate to buy the book.

On the other hand, if you are hoping to open the book and get right to it and make something right away -- well, this isn't it. Instead, try something from Victoria, by Hearst Publishing. The recipes, inspired by those from the past, are modern and doable.

I purchased a copy for a friend and one for myself. It does have some interesting information, but now I wish I had previewed it at the library.

If you're looking for real recipes using roses as the ingredient this book is pert near useless.
Yes, there are recipes, that the author has copied verbatim, in "olde world" language that is hard to understand.
"Take drie rose leaves and keep them close in glasse" and what is a "grosse powder" how much is "twentie graines", or "half a drame"?
What the heck is a "Taffety bag"?
Very quaint, but can someone translate please?

I gave the book a 2 because it is pretty.
If you want more than pretty, if you really want to know how to dry roses or cook with rose hips and petals, this book doesn't deliver.