Rose petal Jam from a Venetian monastery
Waking up on the Armenian monastery of the Island of San Lazzaro, floating in the mist of the Venetian lagoon, is like waking into a dream itself. Water softly laps around the edges of the monastery and that is about all you can hear except for the occasional speed boat on its way to the Lido.
I spent several weeks here over two years during my days interning as an art restorer. While I worked on the flooded etchings and photographs (one of the downsides of living on an island), I stayed as a guest at the monastery. In the evenings after closing the makeshift laboratory, I would catch the vaporetto, glide into Piazza San Marco and then wander the canals of Venice to my favourite wine bars, bridges and piazzas before heading back to the monastery by midnight.
But one of my favourite parts of the day was breakfast, where the monks supplied bread, butter and a deep pink jar of their infamous rose petal jam. Eating roses for breakfast, what an intoxicating, exotic, beautiful and romantic way to start the day.
The island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni was a leper colony about a thousand years ago, and then eventually abandoned until 1717 when the Republic of Venice gave the island to a group of Armenian monks to build their monastery. It sits a 15 minute ferry ride from Piazza San Marco, just west of the Lido, neighbouring the Island of San Servolo, now the Venice International University but previously an island for escaped nuns and the insane.
San Lazzaro is small (it probably takes all of 6 minutes to walk all the way around the island), but is just big enough for the Armenian monastery that sits quietly and proudly on the lagoon, where it houses a museum, a vegetable garden, olive trees, rose bushes and, one year I spent there, even a contemporary art exhibit for the Venice Biennale.
The monks of San Lazzaro are known for their roses and more so for their rose petal jam that they make every May when the flowers are in full bloom. The monks are quite private and only allow visitors to come to the island for a guided visit of the monastery once a day at around 3pm. It’s your only chance to get your hands a jar of their rose petal jam, but be warned that the shelves empty very quickly! Failing that, you can make your own if you can get hold of some wild roses, or roses that you know have not been chemically treated.
While the monks always guarded their special recipe secretly, one thing that they did reveal to me was their secret technique – the rose petals have to be massaged to get that beautiful rose perfume and fuchsia colour. Do not be tempted to take a short cut with this recipe and blend the rose petals – it does not come out half as nice, in terms of either colour, texture or taste.
This recipe is adapted of course from Artusi’s 1891 cookbook. It is quite a sweet jam, as the syrup serves to set the jam and to take out the slight bitterness of the petals. The syrup will be somewhat more liquid than you may be used to in a jam, so do not try to overcook it as the brilliant colour of the jam will darken. The monks’ massaging technique actually also helps soften the petals somewhat, as large roses can have thick, velvety, tough petals (wild ones tend to be thinner and more appropriate for this recipe). Artusi notes that the best roses to use are the ones that are in full bloom; in Tuscany these would be the ones in bloom from mid May to the beginning of June.
Rose Petal Jam
Makes about 700 grams of jam
- 600 grams of white caster sugar
- 200 grams of rose petals, preferably red or dark pink with a strong perfume
- 600 ml water
- The juice of one lemon
Very gently rinse and drain the rose petals and place them in a large bowl with 200 grams of the sugar and the lemon juice. With your hands, massage the rose petals with this mixture until you reduce the petals to a sort of “paste.” The petals should remain whole, not torn, but with the sugar and lemon they will release colour, perfume and wilt.
In the meantime, add the rest of the sugar to the water and heat in a large saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Add the rose petals and bring to the boil. Allow to boil until the syrup thickens and the petals no longer float (about 30 minutes). Remember this is a jam made from flowers, not fruit pulp! It won’t be jammy, but more a lovely silky syrup. Keep an eye on it, and stir every now and then.
While still hot, place the jam in clean, sterilised jam jars and allow to cool. This delicately perfumed jam is beautiful on fresh white bread or brioche, with or without a little unsalted butter. Stirred into some plain organic yogurt is divine!
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Lovely blog, fantastic photos. Not sure that 30 minutes cooking is enough. You probably have to continue much longer…Lemon zest added could help.
Kind regards.
Hello Anneliese, thanks for your comments! It’s important not to overcook this jam, remember it’s not fruit so it won’t cook like a regular jam (lemon zest I think will overpower the delicate rose perfume)! In my last batch I left it for about 40 minutes and it really darkened too much – the colour is one of the prettiest things about this jam! But people’s kitchens are different so see how you go – you want the syrup to be syrupy/sticky but not caramelised and the petals should be soft and no longer float.
Emiko this looks divine! As I’m currently obsessed with making interesting jams I will have to try this one out for sure. If only I could find some non-treated roses…
Thanks Adri! I got these roses from a friend’s garden where they were actually growing wild… you don’t happen to have any friends with some gorgeous rose bushes do you?
I, too, have been searching for pesticide-free rose petals that I can use to make jam! I have also been searching for a good source for already-made rose petal jam. If anyone has suggestions, I would be very grateful!
There are a few ready-made jams out there. Unfortunately I don’t know about your neck of the woods, but I know where to find it in Italy and Australia. Perhaps you can try some Mediterranean/Middle Eastern specialty food shops?
Yukonwildthings sells wild rose petal jelly that is wonderful.
Absolutely, unbelievably gorgeous. I am envious!
Very nice Emiko! We have something similar in Indian cuisine as well; but it’s more a mildly sugar-ed syrup for making flavored milk/drinks/cocktails etc. Love the color on that jam
That sounds wonderful – rose cocktails! Must try it!
This is lovely. I’d love to try it but not sure where I would get rose petals.
Thanks Barbara! I asked around friends and family who have gardens and ended up with a collection of roses from several places. In return for cutting down their roses, I’m giving them a jar of the jam!
Just one word: WOW!!!
Hi Emiko,
Beautiful site. I bought a rose petal jam in Damascus thinking it was from Middle East. Yours looks much prettier. Looking forward to seeing your next project.
Thank you mimi!
Lovely recipe and fantastic idea! Might be a bit expensive though…unless you have a massive rose garden at the back of your house (or nice neighbors…
Have you tried roasted quails with rose petals? Really romantic…
yes, I have nice in-laws and friends who offered up their roses to me (next plan is to buy a house with a garden and plant some roses!). If you have to buy them, as long as they’re in season they’ll be a bit cheaper I suppose. Roasted quails with rose petals sounds wonderful… it reminds me of a recipe in one of favourite books, Like Water for Chocolate
A truly lovely recipe that exudes the romance of the region. I hope to find some usable roses this summer to give this a whirl.
hi emiko-
i made your fava bean crostini today and wandered over to your blog. it is lovely–i am absolutely getting lost in it. and how did you know I’ve been trying to figure out how to make rose jam? a friend gave me a jar from the mandarin oriental in hong kong last christmas and i’ve been trying to figure out how to replicate it. thanks for the beautiful post!
Hi Eda! Thanks, so glad that you stopped by and found the rose petal jam! I think it was meant to be
Fantastic recipe! I have about half a dozen wild delicious smelling roses in my garden… The hardest part was choosing which bush to pick from
I cooked my first batch about 10 minutes too long, so it came out too thick, working on my next batch…. I think the 30 minutes is just right! Thank you! This recipe is a dream!
Thanks Melissa, hope the second batch came out well! I’m about to put on another batch myself, while I still have access to a big rose bush!
Rose Petal Jam yum……But getting an “Organic” rose is bit difficult in this part of the world. Otherwise I would have definitely tried it. But just my looking at the photograph I can make out that it must be tasty.
What a beautifully evocative post. I was sent to this page by a friend who has made some of the jam, which was lovely. I tried the link to Artusi’s cookbook but it appears to be broken…
Thank you Jill. I’m glad you’ve tasted this jam! Thanks for letting me know about the link, I’m going to have to replace it with another one!
me and my parents went on a cruise to europe for the first time this past june; we knew about St. Lazzaro and us being Armenian, made it a goal to visit; this was the most beautiful and historically educational stop we visited and of course, we brought home a jar of the rose jam. my dad would always eat it back home in Beirut, and i had it for the first time; a marvelous, delicious jam that is of course, a true representation of our Armenian heritage!!
Hi Alex, thanks so much for sharing your experience at St Lazzaro! I’m so glad to hear it. For me, just one taste of this jam takes me back to that island instantly!
Hi Emiko
I found your site when doing some research on rose petal jam as I was writing a piece for my own blog about the Genoese sweetmaker Pietro Romanengo. They have have just been over to London to do a demo and tasting and brought the most beautiful rose petal jam with them. I thought your piece was enchanting and very evocative. I’ll be looking out for future posts and trying to get my hands on some rose petals untouched by London pollution.
Thank you for sharing Evie! untouched rose petals for eating seem to be difficult to come by anywhere these days but if you are lucky enough to know anyone who has a garden full of them, they might be quite happy to exchange a jar of rose petal jam for their petals!
The silky texture is wonderful, though I’m also interested in giving making the jam have a thicker texture. Have you tried the recipe with pectin, or what are your thoughts about it? Thank you! And lovely website, by the way.
Hi Amy, thanks for asking. I haven’t tried it with added pectin, you might find it turns more into a jelly than a jam (as there is no fruit pulp in it). This is the way the jam made by the Armenian monks in Venice had it, so I try to stay true to that but if you do try it out, I’d love to know the results!
I made rose petal jam firstly, 3 years ago on an experimental whim with beautiful perfumed results, i mixed a number of different varieties…..my bushes had come to a mutiple , strong flowering maturity.
This year…..yesterday, I picked my first blooms of a particular bush, a lovely voilet/deep pink.
Each jar I make this season will be from each of my beautiful, scented and very much enjoyed rose bushes.
The jams will all be named for their particular bush and I wonder if they will be subtly different in colour (will have to be attentive during the cooking), and perfumed flavour !
Thankyou for the history of this recipe.
Hi Emiko, I am of Armenian descent and have had the rose jam many times as a breakfast treat or anytime snack. When I ask other Armenians, I get a variety of answers on how to make this recipe. I have often been told that the rose petals need to be dried first and you can only use either fragrant or dark colored roses. The white ones do not seem to work well.
So is this recipe with fresh roses? I have also heard that there is an ingredient which makes the color of the jam a bright red/pink. Any thoughts on this?
Hi Liz, all the answers are right here in this post actually! They must be red (or pink) and freshly picked (they say the morning is the best time to pick as the roses are more aromatic) and absolutely nothing is added to help colour the jam – but if you read through you’ll discover the secret to getting that beautiful fuschia colour
Hi Emiko, Absolutely stunning website, gorgeous pictures, stirring narrative and a most delectable recipe. My wife and I visited Venice some years ago. We absolutely need to go back and visit San Lazzaro. We’re blessed to be part of a community garden in Mountain View, California which is abundant in organic roses this time of the year. My wife’s first batch of rose petal jam was cleaned out in no time and she’s on to her second lot this weekend. Crunchy toast with rose petal jam – morning’s don’t get much better!! To quote Thomas Moore, “Rose! Thou art the sweetest flower that ever drank the amber shower. Even the Gods, who walk the sky, are amourous of thy scented sigh.” ….
Thanks Kieran, if you do go back to Venice and visit San Lazzaro, make sure it’s in May when the rose petal jam is made – those jars don’t last long on the shelves!
Yesterday strong winds have blown over our roses’ arch; I was devastated this morning, but my husband stumbled over your lovely site, so I am going to make a lot of jam with Souvenir de la Malmaison, Madame Leontine Gervaise, Lady Hillingdon and Sombreuil!
I shall probably make kilos of it.
Thank you for the recipe. Lovely site, I think I shall become a fan.
Dear Emiko,
Thank you for this beautiful post – I visited that monastery on a freezing cold Christmas Eve about 10 years ago and have never forgotten the experience. The monks were so friendly and told us some incredible story about the island’s history and that of the Armenian people too, wow they have been through so much. Reading your post took me right back to that morning and I thank you for it!
Sophie
Hi Sophie, what a small world! It’s one of the lesser known islands and sights in Venice, they definitely get much less traffic than the rest of the lagoon! It is an incredibly special place isn’t it?
Loved this!
Wild roses, don’t get that around here, but I suppose any home-grown roses will do?
I have a recipe for pastiles from rose petals, which is rather vague to be honest:
‘stir rose petals with sugar, like for cooking jam, and boil the resulting mass on coal until it becomes thick; once cooled, roll out on a flat surface, cut to pieces and store in a cool dry place.’
I’m atually tempted to try it with honey instead.
Home grown roses are perfect – anything that you know hasn’t been sprayed with chemicals! The pastilles recipe sounds interesting, haven’t tried ever making them myself but I would think that it works a lot like caramels in that the rose petal jam really sets because of the sugar, so you just keep cooking it down until it gets thick. Worth a try I say!
Your site rocks, this jam rocks! It’s fantastic. I was always sad that the roses on the bushes in my garden just bloom & fade. Now they have a 2nd life! Going to try on brioche with marscarpone.
Dearest Emiko -
A friend asked me for my recipe for making rose petal jam. I had not made it in 15 years and while looking, I came across yours. What a happy experience to see the lovely jam in your beautiful photos. I visited Venice last May and wish I had gone to the monastery. Well, I must simply go back. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to perusing your website and I’m so looking forward to trying your rose jam recipe next summer. Here is the recipe I made with my mother back in the 1970s. It came from a woman named Mrs. Hupp in California. It does have a lovely scent and flavor, but I’m sure it pales in comparison to the jam in your recipe. The benefit is that it is very simple, and makes a firm jam as it has pectin in it.
Method — Into a blender: one cup packed rose petals (white bases cut off as it is bitter), 3/4 cup water, and the juice of one lemon. Blend well. Gradually add 2 1/2 cups sugar while blending. Into a saucepan, 3/4 cup water with one package surejell that is boiled for one minute until clarified. Add the hot liquid to the roses while blending. Continue blending until sugar is dissolved and all is liquified. Pour into sterilized baby food jars. Makes about 5 jars. Refrigerate for a few months or freeze. Really, it should be eaten as soon as possible. Makes a nice gift. Very romantic and sweet and memorable. Enjoy and Thanks.
Thanks for sharing Julie! It’s quite a different recipe, but I have a thing for collecting historical recipes, I think this will just have to be added to the collection.
Hi there, I have just jarred my rose petal jam……I sought another recipe this year, having made it
over the past couple of years with varying degrees of success. This year with weather
change….my roses are not as strongly perfumed, though my Tess of the D’urbervilles
is in beautiful full bloom.
I omitted perhaps 25 – 30 gm less of sugar and instead of all castor sugar, I topped that
up with organic raw sugar. I watched the clock till 30 minutes ….. the jam was alittle to thin
even to be a syrup, so i gave it another few minutes.
* Question *……do i remove/squeeze the petals from the syrup….they sort of clump
together in the jar…..and chewing them, they are squeaky and alittle chewy. There is alot
of petals.
What is your opinion…..was Artusi’s jam very ‘petally’?
Tomorrow i am going to do ‘Cardinal De Richelieu’ followed by ‘Portia’ and ‘William
Shakespeare’……..my lovely David Austin Roses.
Cheers, Heather
Hi Heather, yes, you should leave the petals in the jam, they add to the bulk. It is a syrupy jam, so without them it’s just a syrup really. The monks’ trick was to “massage” the rose petals very well with the sugar before boiling and this step is crucial to helping soften the petals as well as bring out the perfume. It could also be that the type of roses used have a different outcome – the small, wild roses that you find in Tuscany in the spring (the ones in the photo) are perfect as they have soft, quite small petals. Larger, thicker ones will no doubt be chewy. Maybe have a play around with the different types of roses you have, but definitely something with small, thinner petals and wonderfully perfumed is ideal. Good luck!
Am so much looking forward to making this wonderful delight! I am so fortunate to have wandered upon your site! Thanks you so much! I will be finding out converting grams to cups!
From” Minnesota, USA
Thank you! There are many conversion websites online that are great and easy to use – just remember when looking up conversions that every ingredient (ie flour, sugar, liquids etc) has its own different weight/cup ratio!
I weighed out all the ingredients on a scale and converted:
600 gm sugar = 2 7/8 cups
200 gm petals = about 15 cups loosely packed, freshly picked but not wet petals
600 ml water = 2.54 cups (I seriously doubt the .04 water is critical, so 2 1/2 cups)
one lemon
Makes about 25 oz (a little over 3 cups) which would fill about six 4oz jars. (this part is untested – I’ll let you know how much it makes in a few days).
The petals, of course, is where there will be the most variance. Mine were mixed from about 6 different damask roses.
I attempted this last year (twice!), and not being an experienced jam maker (or syrup maker in this case), tried adding the pectin to get a thicker result, and it ended up being way too firm and so sugary that the rose part was sadly non-existent. Lesson learned. Have just picked this year’s petals from a friend’s garden and will follow directions!
There are a fair number of rose petal jam recipes online, but the story here is so lovely and romantic (in the bigger sense of the word) that it seems like it should be the only way to make rose petal jam. Thank you for sharing it with us!
Dear Emiko:
I just read a book “The man with the sharkskin suit” by Lucette Lagnado where she recounts her family history in Cairo, Egypt. She tells about the wonderful food they had, in particular apricots, and also remembers the rose petals. They were flavorful then.
I have 10 rose bushes in our garden here in San Diego, with various grades of perfume. The best are “Bolero” , white, and with a wonderful perfume. Some “double delight” have smell, too. I arrange the roses vases and enjoy them, until the petals fall off. I will try definitely rose petal jam.
My questions is: since the roses bloom a bunch at a time, how can I keep the petals fresh until the next petals become available? Right now, they are in full bloom. I would appreciate a comment. Thank you, Eva Turner
Thanks for sharing that story, sounds wonderful. For the roses, I can’t think of any way to preserve them (they even say the best jam is made with fresh roses picked in the MORNING when they smell their best), other than making small batches of jam with the freshly picked petals and then combining them once you have all your batches done. Then again, it might be nice to try each type of rose separately – single origin rose petal jam!