Sweet roses of May
Centifolia or hundred-petalled roses, locally known as the sweet-smelling roses, have always been a signature plant of old Dubrovnik gardens.
Blooming in May, they belong to the group of old garden roses or antique roses, that bloom only once during the season, unlike their hybrid counterparts.
However, the display they put on when they do bloom is worth the wait. As if they’re saving up all their energy for a whole year and then spending it extravagantly in an explosion of bloom, they can produce as many as 50 times more total flowers than ever-blooming roses.
The blooms are opulent, full, swollen with perfume and that ineffable scent of bewitchment that never fails to make you stop and close your eyes for a second.
The bloom is short lasting but each petal is carefully collected…
Characterised by its intense scent, and later a fragrant taste, petals are carefully collected. They make the essence of traditional Dubrovnik “rozolin”, a delicate rose liquor characteristic of the area.
Sensuous, evocative, and downright delicious, rozolin is also a signature ingredient of many local sweets, the most popular being Dubrovačka rozata, a special kind of crème caramel aromatized with this liquor.
The essence of the rose is so powerful, making the Rozolin recipe quite a simple one
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