Spiced Rose Water Syrup

A little of this over cut-up fresh fruit which is then chilled -- heaven! You can vary the spices, adding such things as star anise or cardamom pods, cloves, allspice berries. If you have access to unsprayed rose petals, make your own rose water--there are recipes on Zaar--and save a ton of money. Note: cooking time is really cooling time.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Yields: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups water
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1  cinnamon stick, broken in two
• 1  teaspoon rose water

Directions

1. Make a syrup by stirring the water and sugar together in a heavy saucepan over medium low heat until the sugar dissolves.
2. Increase heat to medium high; add cinnamon sticks; boil until the syrup is reduced to a scant one cup, about ten minutes.
3. Remove from heat, stir in the rose water and allow the syrup to cool.