[Sca-cooks] Shelf life for Rosewater, Orange flower water

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

Bear wrote:
> Floral waters have an "official" shelf life of 1 to 2 years. In practice, 
> they can last ten or more years, as long as they haven't turned into a 
> science project. The only way to know is open it and check the potency.

I have a few bottles that are older than 2 years and have been opened. They do last longer if kept in a cool, dark place - not over the stove, not in a spot where sun hits it.

I have to confess i'm often shocked when i see people's herb and spice racks over or next to their stove. Heat causes deterioration by volatilizing fragrant and flavorful oils. I feel the same about a bottle of oil kept on or next to the stove, since heat promotes oxidation, and eventually - in that situation, fairly quickly - rancidity.

Urtatim