Rosewater Power (SHF #30: Flower Power!)
At a yard sale, I purchased a sweet and demure book of Middle Eastern recipes published by Time Life Books. Its copyright date meshes nicely with the occasion for this post. Friday April 20th is Sugar High Friday (SHF) (my first experience cooking for a specific slice of the blogosphere; but they're also all cooking for me). The theme of this cooking/blogging event is Flower Power. A nice fit for the publication year of my humble spiral-bound recipe book: 1969- one year after the Summer of Love. Surely there was still some Flower Power in the air then.
Boughasha, "cigar shaped" pastries with walnut filling, are my creation.
But the Flower Power is in the glaze- a boiled concoction that tests for any candy making prowess one might have (or not) and relies on rosewater as its flavoring.
Boughasha, "cigar shaped" pastries with walnut filling, are my creation.
But the Flower Power is in the glaze- a boiled concoction that tests for any candy making prowess one might have (or not) and relies on rosewater as its flavoring.
That unopened bottle of rosewater that's waited forlornly in our cabinets for months is smiling eager to be part of the pastry's glaze. I'm supposed to have the patience to boil sugar water 
to the candy thread stage (I didn't come close and ran out of time). I am also submitting a second dish- a lemon tart
(more like a pie because I'm just not a perfectionist, nor do I care to follow recipes all that closely--ever). Lemons were also once flowers, but you be the judge (or the jury).
It seems other SHF folks have far more skill, creativity and prowess than I. Take a look at this randomly selected list of SHF entries for event #22. By comparison boughasha and lemon tarts
scream amateur so loudly it's tempting for me to stop typing here! But, I like this SHF concept. I can respect it and bake to it,
I'm just not sure I should be in a league creating things like fake cloudberry jam of gooseberries and carrots and cognac-infused plum walnut jam. Please be patient, I am far cry from a gourmand other than my urge to excite the tastebuds of others, simply or not. Another note: It seems entries typically are one photo and some words about the recipe. You'll excuse my in-process photos. I prefer a bit more...foreplay.
to the candy thread stage (I didn't come close and ran out of time). I am also submitting a second dish- a lemon tart 
(more like a pie because I'm just not a perfectionist, nor do I care to follow recipes all that closely--ever). Lemons were also once flowers, but you be the judge (or the jury).It seems other SHF folks have far more skill, creativity and prowess than I. Take a look at this randomly selected list of SHF entries for event #22. By comparison boughasha and lemon tarts
scream amateur so loudly it's tempting for me to stop typing here! But, I like this SHF concept. I can respect it and bake to it,
I'm just not sure I should be in a league creating things like fake cloudberry jam of gooseberries and carrots and cognac-infused plum walnut jam. Please be patient, I am far cry from a gourmand other than my urge to excite the tastebuds of others, simply or not. Another note: It seems entries typically are one photo and some words about the recipe. You'll excuse my in-process photos. I prefer a bit more...foreplay.
The boughasha was served at a party and was well received despite my lack of ability to get it boiled to the candy thread stage. The lemon tart also won praise. Better yet is to let the pie age into new worlds of tart lemon flavor days after baking it. It becomes a joy for lemon lovers.
Thanks for participating! Your entries look fabulous, see you at the round-up!
ReplyDeleteRachel, how lovely of you to mention my humble 'cloudberry' (well, carrot & gooseberry) jam:-) I've got a bottle of rosewater that I haven't used nearly enough, so I think it's time to make some rosewater cream pies, too!
ReplyDeleteRosewater ...cream ...pies? Oh my gosh, let me know when you have photos- yummy! Flowers and cream? A baking Goddess indeed you are!
ReplyDeleteSo sweet of you to mention my "infused" jam! Thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteI'll let you in on a secret... I am every bit insecure of my being in the foodblog world as well. I mean if you look at some of the photos, or recipes..can't help thinking: what in the world am I doing here?
Let's struggle together! And I love your creampie!
Oh your Boughasha looks like it needs me and a cup of strong Greek/Turkish coffee- or maybe it's the other way around! Looks delicious! Your lemon tart looks really good too!
ReplyDelete