(Candied flowers, nuts, mint leaves, citrus peel)

  
Crystallized Rose Petals
(or use any other edible flower - e.g., violets, carnations, or pinks)
  

Pick highly-scented, organically grown rose petals early in the morning. Snip off the bitter white bases of the petals. Wash the petals in cool water and dry on a paper towel. Meanwhile, gently beat an egg white with a teaspoon of cold water. Dip each fully-dry rose petal into this, life it out with a fork, and lay it on a plate of granulated sugar... press gently, turn it over, press gently again, then lift it onto a small sheet of wax paper. When each batch of petals is thoroughly dry on one side, turn them all over to dry the other side. Pack the now-stiff petals into small jars and keep them in the dark to preserve their colors. ...This is time-consuming, but what a delicacy!

[You might like to SEARCH FOR OTHER ROSE RECIPES below...]