ORIGINS AND USES

Rose water may have been introduced to Britain by the Romans or much later by Crusaders returning from the Middle East. It was used to flavour food before vanilla became popular in cookery in the 19th century. In Britain, it was once used as a flavouring in Yorkshire curd tarts and featured in recipes for both sweet and savoury dishes from the Elizabethan period through to the 1950s, when it seemed to fall out of favour. However, it has recently seen something of a revival as a culinary ingredient.