Based on an article by Susan Belsinger, from "The Herb Companion," June/July 1996.
The soft, sweet scent of roses belies the goopy black mush that simmers on the stove like an evil witches’ brew. It doesn’t look like much now, but this bubbling, burping brew is the genesis of elegant rose bead jewelry.
Rose beads originated in India, where they were used to keep track of prayers recited. Christian monks quickly adopted this practice for their own and in the 1500s, Pope Leo X officially sanctioned their use. Within the century, the prayer-counting bead had become know as a rosary, from the Latin, "rosarium," meaning "rose garden." The word "bead," incidentally, comes from the old English "bede," meaning "prayer."
Any color rose can be used to make rose beads – they all turn black in the process anyway. Pick the petals off the roses – make sure your petals are free of thorns, stems, etc, for a nice smooth mash. You can use deadheads, florists’ discards, full-blown roses, what ever you can collect. As you attempt to collect enough petals you can dry them or freeze them.
This makes about 75 beads, or enough for one good necklace. Multiply as you wish.
Put the rose petals into the stainless steel pot, add enough water to cover, approx. 1 quart. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a slow simmer. Simmer min 2 hours, 6 is better. All day is good. You can start one day and finish the next if you wish. The longer you simmer, the easier it will be to puree the mash after.
Cool the mash and puree in the food processor. (Probably in batches unless you have an industrial sized food processor). Add just enough water to allow you to puree at the highest speed. You are aiming for a smooth, thorough puree for the best quality beads.
Strain the puree through the cheese-cloth to remove the excess water.
Put the strained and drained mash into the iron pot and cook at the lowest possible heat, for 2-3 days. Stir occasionally. You do not have to cook it all at once, on and off is fine. Cover to prevent a crust from forming.
Alternately, you can bake it in the oven at low (250° F) for 1-2 days. You are looking for a soft black mush with the consistency of cream cheese. The chemical reaction of the mush and the iron pot turns the mixture black. Once the mixture has turned black, it stains like crazy, so wear the gloves and watch your clothes. Incidentally, this process removes the patina and seasoning from the pot -- so don’t use your favorite well-seasoned iron fry pan unless you don’t mind re-seasoning it all over again. (Or, you can simply use this as an excuse to never cook in that pot again. Eventually, all your kitchen appliances will become jewelry equipment, your kitchen will be deductible as your workshop, and your family will be scared to ask you to cook, so you can send out for pizza and make jewelry while it is being delivered.)
Line the tray with newspapers, then paper towels, and goop the mash onto it. Cover w more paper towels. Let it drain through to the newspapers (the mash will stick to the newspapers, but not to the paper towels.) Change the paper occasionally when it soaks through. Add a few drops of rose essence and knead it in. (6-7 drops per cup)
If you do not have time to proceed with making the beads now, you can store the mash in plastic containers w tight fitting lids. You can refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze for a few months. The mash can be thawed and re-frozen if necessary.
Measure out ½ teaspoon sized chunks and roll into a ball between your hands. (gloves recommended). Shrinkage is about 60% (1/3 original size). If the beads crack while you are rolling them, dip them in a little water or alcohol to smooth them, as the cracks will get bigger as the beads dry.
Pierce the beads by sliding onto the wire (brass wire doesn’t rust), don’t let them touch. Balance the wires across the top of a box or similar so that they don’t get flat bottoms and the air can circulate around them and dry them evenly.
Dry them at room temp, not too dry a room, as they will crack if they dry too fast. If they dry too slowly, they will grow mold and mildew.
During the first week, turn the bead on the wires to prevent them from sticking. Drying should take 2-3 weeks.
When dry, remove and store in glass jars with lids to retain the perfume.
Finished necklaces can be store in small glass jars with a cotton ball or something absorbent inside the lid, w a few drops of rose essence, to keep the rose scent fresh and strong.
Based on an article by Susan Belsinger, from "The Herb Companion," June/July 1996.
| Home |