ROSE GERANIUM JELLY
2 1/8 c. (1-1/2 c.) of white Zinfandel wine
10 to 12 large rose geranium leaves
3 T. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
3 c. (3-1/2 c.) sugar
1 package liquid pectin (3 oz.)
2 T. rose water (health food stores)
Remove stems from geranium leaves. Place wine and roses in a sterilized quart jar. Cover jar with plastic wrap and top with lid. Refrigerate for several days (two or three at most). Strain leaves from wine, discarding spent leaves. Measure two cups of wine. Any leftover wine becomes the cook’s treat.
Place wine in a three to four quart non-reactive saucepan with three cups sugar and three tablespoons lemon juice. Stir to dissolve sugar. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture reaches a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Remove pan briefly from heat and add pectin. Return to heat and when mixture comes back to a full rolling boil, boil hard for one minute stirring constantly. A few seconds before a minute is up, add two generous tablespoons of rose water. Remove from heat and stir and skim foam if necessary.
Pour jelly into four (4) sterilized 8 oz. jars to about ¼” from top of jar. Wipe tops of jars clean and put on clean sterilized tops and rings. (To sterilize jars, boil them for ten minutes and keep them hot until you are ready to pour the jelly.) Lids can be left in hot water until needed. Do not boil the lids or rings. Screw lids down and process jars in a boiling water bath for five minutes. Remove jars from boiling bath to racks to cool. Check the next day to be sure jars are properly sealed. If the jars are not sealed, you must refrigerate them and use them promptly. This recipe makes a little more than four 8 oz. jars.
Courtesy of Gooseberry Patch, For Bees & Me, page 291.
