Rose Petal Liqueur

Ingredients

• 3 cups rose petals (choose roses that have not been sprayed with insecticides or polluted by exhaust fumes)
• 1 strip lemon rind
• 1 bottle brandy or vodka or rum
• 1 1/2 cups sugar

Directions

1. Rinse and carefully dry the petals if they are dusty.
2. Put the rose petals and the lemon rind in a wide-mouthed screw-top jar.
3. Cover with the alcohol, seal, and leave in a cool place for 28 days, shaking occasionally.
4. Add the sugar, and leave for 14 days, shaking well once or twice a day, so that the sugar is dissolved.
5. Strain off the petals and discard them.
6. Decant the brandy into a sterilized bottle.
7. Seal tightly and leave to mature for at least a month in a cool, dark place before using.