Rosewater

Rosewater is the hydrosol portion of the distillate of rose petals. Due to the perfume industry's immense demand for rose oil , rosewater has the status of an inexpensive by-product.

Rosewater has a very distinctive flavour and is used heavily in South Asian, West Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine—especially in sweets. For example, rosewater gives loukoumia and gulab jamuns their distinctive flavour. It is also used for religious purposes in Hinduism and Islam.

In the West, rosewater is better known as an ingredient in cosmetics than as a food flavoring, though it is used in some marzipan.

Orangewater is made from orange blossoms in a similar manner.