Pickling rose petals may sound overly precious, but it’s really very easy to do, and the result is lovely — in flavor and aroma, the petals are floral but not at all perfumy.

Thanks, Martha Stewart.

I love, love, LOVE perusing food and wine magazines – Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, and Living happen to be s few of my favorites –

This time, I was scanning an ancient Martha Living magazine and discovered the treasured notion of Pickled Rose Petals.

They are absolutely gorgeous on anything and everything ~ even just in and of themselves, of course.

And, in order to make the splendid supplementation, there’s no other solution but to treat yourself with at least a dozen roses!

Other than fantasizing about the delicate dishes I will create with these fabulous flower petals: poached white fish and fennel comes to mind…with yellow squash ribbons, I believe…

I simply sautéed some red bell pepper rounds and threw in a bit of fresh tarragon to garnish my radiant roses.

Pickled Rose Petals

1 cup lightly packed, unsprayed rose petals
1 cup white wine, red wine, or coconut vinegar (I used coconut for extra sweetness and depth)
3 Tbs. honey
2 tsp. sea salt (I used Vanilla Salt) to add to the complexity of the coconut vinegar

Gently submerge the petals in cool water, drain, and allow to dry on paper towels.
Meanwhile, bring vinegar, honey, and salt to a simmer in a small saucepan, stirring until the honey and salt dissolve. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
Place the rose petals in a non-reactive bowl and pour the honeyed vinegar over the petals, allowing to cool for about 15 minutes before use.

How are you dreaming of using your fantastic floral complement?