Search
Login
Foodies Only in your inbox
By clicking "Subscribe", you agree to ourPrivacy Policy and to receive marketing emails from Foodies Only
ITC Portal
Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
5 min
10/02/2026
Floral foods will be celebrated with a focus on roses for the occasion of Rose Day 2026 by means of showcasing all of the various ways that you can use culinary roses throughout cooking applications and preparing simple food.
Rose Day 2026 is about gifting flowers to someone special; however, it is also an opportunity for you to bring the smell and flavour profile of roses into your kitchen. As you have seen in cultures throughout the Middle East and South Asia, there are many rose-based, aromatic flavoured, floral type, edible ingredients used to both enhance & add complexity to savoury/sweet dishes that are infused with these types of ingredients, such as rose-flavoured syrup, rose water or gulkand, which is a sweet, syrupy rose petal preserve. So, using these types of ingredients together with beautifully coloured fruits & vegetables can bring about elegant aromas and flavours, which will enhance the overall experience of an ordinary dish created with these types of ingredients.
Rose water is a critical ingredient in Middle Eastern and South Asian cuisine, used to give a floral yet mild taste to desserts, drinks, and some savoury dishes. Used traditionally in sweets like Baklava, a Turkish delight and rice pudding, it’s also a delightful accompaniment to beverages such as sherbet and floral lemonade due to its mild, light aroma. In some rice dishes or stews, just a few drops of rose water can add a lot of flavour while not overwhelming the taste of other ingredients, making it an ideal ingredient to use in recipes this year for Rose Day 2026.
Rose syrup is sweeter than rose water and more concentrated, so it’s perfect for adding floral sweetness to cold drinks and fruits. When added to soda or lemonade, it’s a refreshing tribute to Rose Day 2026; when combined with berries or rhubarb compote, it provides a fragrant lift to balance the tartness. The vivid colour and strong aroma of rose syrup make it an excellent base for sherbets and mocktails to be enjoyed with tangy fruits like pomegranate.
Gulkand is a traditional South Asian sweet rose preserve that has a wealth of floral sweetness that is richer in texture than any other type of sweet syrup. It can be incorporated into various desserts or yoghurt bowls. On Rose Day 2026, gulkand can be used to flavour custards, creamy parfaits or when combined with fruit and nuts, the floral essence of gulkand will be showcased in all aspects of dessert-making while celebrating the cultural significance of this beautiful flower.
Combining pomegranate arils or berries with gulkand adds a nice layer of flavour while improving the visual appeal of the dish. A mist of rose over berry compote enhances the berry's sweetness, while adding rose to sauces made with rhubarb introduces a touch of elegance to the dish's natural tartness. The juicy density of the pomegranate is elevated by using syrups or glazes made with rose, thereby marrying the two distinctive textures and tones.
While roses are most often associated with desserts, there is also room for roses in savoury cooking, if they are used properly. In some Middle Eastern recipes, such as pilafs and rice dishes, rose water enhances the flavour. Furthermore, rose water can be added in small amounts to marinades for lamb or chicken to provide additional floral flavour to the meat. These delicate rose flavours can open up additional avenues for creative and aromatic cooking for Rose Day 2026 and will provide a unique way to surprise and delight your guests.
Rose Day 2026 is an opportunity to explore the romantic side of floral flavour, while at the same time, it celebrates the diversity of culinary techniques and traditions utilising roses in both sweet and savoury dishes. For example, each culinary tradition of using rose-flavoured ingredients has deep roots throughout history, from the Persian gardens to the Indian festivals, where rose-flavoured ingredients symbolise and evoke the blossoming flavours and sensory beauty of the foods prepared. When utilising rose flavouring in the modern-day kitchen, it is important to keep in mind that rose has a very strong flavour, and any quantity will be more than sufficient to provide the desired taste in both sweet and savoury recipes.
