An unexpected find

[wiseheart]

Or is that found? English is such a confusing language!

Anyway, I had my big shopping day today (I usually have two of those each week because I don't have a car and can only haul so much stuff at once) and found something I haven't expected. I've been wanting to try out some oriental recipes for years, but many of them require rose water, which isn't easily found here. But today I had to go to a Herbaria shop (specialized not only in herbs but all sorts of natural remedies) because I needed argan oil and celandine extract, and it just occurred to me to ask "you don't happen to have rose water, do you"? At which the lady answered "why, of course we do have it!" So, after having to go to this shop for years I finally realized that they have probably had it all the time. *facepalm*

So I'm now the proud owner of a small bottle of rose water (about 300 ml or so), which means I can finally try my hand on authentic ma'amouls (Arabic date biscuits). Which I'll do for Christmas, among lots of other things. Yay!

Since I spent the morning in the shops and had to cook today (broccoli cream soup and Schinkenspätzle with a tomato and cucumber salad, in case anyone wants to know), there wasn't much time left for creative activities. I did a bit of writing, really just a few lines, and then had to take a nice, long nap. But it was a day of a great discovery, so I am well content. *g*

Comments

[meathiel]

It's "find" actually. 😀

Yay for finding the elusive rose water.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Ah, thanks! And yes, finding the rose water was a great discovery indeed. :)

[red-day-dawning.livejournal.com]

I love rose water! Great find!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

What do you use it for?

[elwenlj.livejournal.com]

One of the things I used to love about living in Leeds, which is a big city, was the herbalist on the outside of the market building. That shop, Claphams, had been there for about a hundred years, and the back wall was full of small wooden drawers, filled with every kind of dried herb you could imagine. You could guarantee that if you walked into that shop and asked, "Can I have two ounces of (any weird herb you could think of)" They would have it in one of those drawers.

It's forty years since I lived in Leeds but recent photo's showed that the shop was still there.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Oh, that sounds wonderful! I love such old-fashioned shops. There were some pharmacies nearby that looked similarly before falling victim to modernisation. :(

[noadvertising.livejournal.com]

I always buy rose water in the pharmacy!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Never heard of our pharmacies having it. I can call myself lucky if they have rubbing alcohol for Mum's back.

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

Cool.

What do you use the organ and celandine for?

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Skincare. The essence of greater celandine is good against warts, and argan oil helps keeping my face in a more or less acceptable shape. The only place on my body where my skin is rough and reddish is my face (rosacea, among other problems), so I'm trying to treat it gently.

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

Neat.

[mirasaui.livejournal.com]

I have purchased rose water from the pharmacy and the grocery store. A long time ago, the pharmacy sold a rose water and glycerin soap that I loved, but haven't seen that in ages.