ROSE PETAL TEA {with a little video}

May makes me sentimental. Yesterday was Mother's Day, and Paul and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary over the weekend (yes, we were practically babies when we got married!). May 2nd also marked the sixth anniversary of our little niece who passed way too soon. This month is packed with milestones beautiful, hopeful and painfully real.

End-of-school also brings its own palpable energy... I can feel it in the warmer air, see it in late evening light and all the bursting foliage. Even though it has been decades since I was a student, I still get an antsy, excited feeling of anticipation this time of year when Summer is within reach. My inner teenager wants to daydream and hit the beach, but life is busy - between end-of-year school activities, Lilah's newly found passion for softball, P's second semester push, and lots of activity around my book - I crave simple pleasures.

I can almost always find solace in our garden. Stepping outside to do a little weeding might mean a whiff of just-blooming lavender, or an encounter with a swallowtail laying its eggs in the fennel fronds. Even a minute or two in the garden slows me way down and calms my racing mind. As often as possible, I try to bring bits of the garden into our house and to our table. Lately, I've been clipping roses like a fiend and I've noticed that Otis and Lilah keep tucking petals into their tea. Hmmm.... I thought. Why not make a tea of just rose petals?

Rose Petal Tea might strike you as kinda fancy... but really, making it couldn't be easier. What could be more simple than pouring hot water over petals?



INGREDIENTS

• 1 young, un-sprayed rose bloom, petals only
• 2-3 cups hot water
• optional: a handful of fresh raspberries

Toss rose petals into any glass container, even a large jam jar will do. Bring water to a boil and pour the hot water over the petals. Let them steep for 2-3 minutes only. (If you let the rose steep too long, the tea becomes bitter.) My kids particularly like this tea when we add a few raspberries to each glass before pouring the hot tea... making a tasty berry-rose infusion.

Serve tea right away. I think this lightly-fragrant, floral tea would be a charming drink to serve for a baby shower or afternoon tea. Or you could make a pot just for yourself. I'm sure you deserve it.

makes 6 small servings