Article: Heaven Scent

Subscribe |

Email Us | Preface | Back Issues | Home

Text: Large | Medium | Small

ARCHIVES

Reinventing the Abaya
There is a big divide between what is Western and what is Arabic. My abayas bridge this gap

Win, Lose
Exploring Yitti, Banana Beach, Khayran, Wadi Zekt and Sifah “It could, if you close your eyes long enough, almost be like old times

Print this story

Email to a friend

Rate This Article

Heaven Scent
Tony Walsh, 01 Mar 2009

At the core of the rose water production process is a dahgan (oven), that fiery furnace I had seen the previous day.

Nowadays made of cement but previously from mud, its size is in keeping with the fields where the roses come from – small. Suspended inside are several clay pots locally called burma.

These are sealed in place at the top of the oven, above a fire. Today this oven may be gas fired but previously the wood of Sidr trees (Ziziphus spina Christi) was the fuel of choice. Inside the pot, a mixture of rose petals and water simmers away creating a heady steam.

The steam is trapped inside the clay pot by a copper qars (bowl) which is filled with cold water. Finally, the steam condenses against the cool copper qars and drips into a sahla (small bowl) placed on top of the roses simmering below.

The quantity of this condensed rose water is small but even so, periodically the qars which has stoppered the burma is lifted out. Using a set of pliers the sahla which has been collecting the drops of rose water can be taken out and its contents filtered into a large storage jar.

This allows the water to settle and unfiltered sediment can drop to the bottom. The final stage is decanting the water into empty Vimto bottles, whose distinctive shape must be the expected container for all Jebel Akhdar rose water.

Through the clear glass of the Vimto bottle, it is apparent that this rose water is distinctive. Where rose water from other countries is clear, like water, Oman’s has an amber colour to it. Its aroma carries not only the heady fragrance of the rose but also that of the Sidr smoke whose flame started the process.

It is this fragrant, smoky rose water that now finds its way into homes and food production units around Oman. Perhaps a few drops are added to Omani qahwa (coffee) or more generous quantities are poured into giant oversized copper cauldrons (marjal) during the making of the classic Omani halwa (a sweet much like Turkish delight).

However it is used, the demand makes it certain that the next auction of the rose harvest will be as competitive as this year’s.

Pages: 1 2 3

Reader Comments

Be the first one to post your comment
All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. OmanToday reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason.