[Sca-cooks] Rose Water vs. Damask Water

[Patricia Dunham]

Well, since Partridge's gives a couple of recipes 
for making Damaske water (#59 & 60), but none for 
making rose water, I would personally suspect 
that he's talking about two different qualities 
of rose-water.  The plain stuff, that everybody 
knew how to make at home, and something more 
special (the Damaske).

Or maybe... since many of the things I'm finding 
on-line say that rose-water was invented by 
Islamic alchemists in period, maybe the generic 
"rose water" was the fancy imported stuff, and 
"Damaske" water would be a home-made specialty, 
using the imported stuff as a base, and adding 
more of a specific type of local rose, to get a 
stronger or more definite scent.

Over the past 25+ years, we have grown Gallicas, 
Damasks, Eglantine, Musk, R foetida and Albas and 
they all had individual scents.  (Boy, do we need 
to update the webpages, 8-)!

FYI, here's #59: To make Damaske water
Take Damaske Roses, and red Roses, of each a 
handfull, let them drie foure houres in the 
shadow: then take two drams of Laudanum, Nigellae 
Romanæ, two penny-worth, Iries halfe an ounce, 
Storax two drams, Cloves an ounce, Benjamin, 
Calamus aromaticus,, Nutmegs, of each halfe an 
ounce, Marjoram, Bazell, of each halfe a 
handfull: bruise the spice, and put it in 
Malmesey, or the lees thereof, the space of four 
dayes: then distill it and scum it fourteen dayes.

chimene

>Greetings!  A question was posted to our 
>kingdom's cookery list about the difference 
>between rose water and damask water.  Both are 
>called for in Partridge's Treasurie of 
>Commodious Conceits, 1591.  Since both are 
>called for, there must be a difference.  Does 
>anyone know what it would be?
>
>The beginning of the marchpane recipe says, 
>"TAke halfe a .li. of blanched Almons, & of 
>white sugre: a quarter of a .lb.: of Rosewater,
>halfe an ounce: & of Damaske water, asmuche. 
>Beate the Almons with a little of the same 
>water, and grinde them til thei be smal: let 
>them on a few coles of fier, til thei wax thick: 
>then beate them agayne with the Sugre, fine: 
>Then mixt the sweet waters and them together: 
>and so gather the, & fashion your Marchpane..."
>
>Thanks for any clues you might give.  I couldn't 
>find anything on the Internet that gave a hint.
>
>Alys K.
>--
>Elise Fleming
>alysk at ix.netcom.com
>http://home.netcom.com/~alysk/
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