Jackie Zykan: Maître Liquoriste + Perfumer + Herbalist

By Jackie Zykan 

It would be dishonest for me to claim Valentine’s Day as being anything other than my favorite holiday of the entire year. I know the event stirs up a multitude of polarizing emotions ranging from romance to loneliness, along with expectations and protocols, disingenuous acts to check boxes of formality, surge pricing on bouquets, and for some, feelings of inadequacy. It’s multifaceted, it’s complicated, and with that it is an accurate portrayal of the notion of romantic love in general with its vast emotional spectrum. But as with all things, we always have the option to choose to operate from a perspective of seeing the gifts it brings and the positivity. I hear the phrase in my mind over and over “it shouldn’t require a holiday to express love to those dear to you”. Which is of course true, however is it wrong to hold a spot on the calendar to do that? Sure we can argue about the commercialization of it, but we can wax poetic on that with any holiday or theme. If we give ourselves permission to just appreciate the messaging behind the day, expressing love, then maybe we can override the not-so-lovely elements around it. 

This isn’t bypassing, this is making a conscious choice to let ourselves just enjoy it. It’s one day. So what if your partner didn’t plan a romantic evening? So what if you’re single? So what if you didn’t have a group of friends to focus on to rename it Galentine’s Day? No matter your circumstances, one thing is always guaranteed. You will always have your own beautiful self, and that relationship is worth all the flowers, chocolates, date nights, and heart shaped love notes. And rightfully so, it is appropriate to nurture yourself outside of February 14th. The simple act of giving to yourself creates a resonance with how it feels to be loved and to give love. Modern day manifestation guides will suggest this is the key to attracting more of that. “Love yourself first” is not an unfamiliar suggestion in the collective. It isn’t selfish and it doesn’t mean you’re taking away affection from others. The true meaning behind it isn’t surface level deep. It involves embracing the wholeness of love, acknowledging that everything is made from and of love. Loving yourself means coloring outside the lines and redefining your terms of love beyond a transactional lens. It asks you to consider that it is your birthright; you’re never without it, you’re never truly alone, and to really explore the notion of the interconnectedness of our entire world. The truth is, the space between you and those around you isn’t empty, even if our intellectual minds generate that illusion. We are incredible and energetic beings, and as such we are inevitably absorbing, deflecting, swimming around in, and intertwined with the collective energy every day. With this framework in place, it’s easy to recognize that even the smallest gestures, whether outbound or inward directed, most certainly contribute to the whole. 

Loving yourself first is a way of loving everything and everyone else. It’s all connected. Integration of this wisdom calls for another type of intelligence though, one that is not limited to input from the analytical mind. To rewrite the system requires opening up to wisdom both from the brain in our heads as well as the brain in our heart, and letting both contribute to our experience. “Thinking” with your heart is a practice which relies on emotional signals, awareness of somatic reactions, intuition, and trust in your innate sovereignty. It requires being open in the heart space in order for these insights to arise. There is an overwhelming list of modalities available for opening your heart, none of which involve letting fear take the wheel. True connection requires vulnerability, and understandably so, being seen can be extremely scary. Thankfully, there is a gorgeous plant that can help ease the angst and support you relaxing into a place of intentional connection and, no pun intended, help you find your rose colored glasses. 

Roses carry a resonance of the heart. They exemplify supportive qualities such as beauty, tenacity, and endurance. Connecting with this plant helps us to gently calibrate our innate navigation center so that we may more readily recognize what is and isn’t a survival strategy born of a fearful and imaginative mind. With practice we learn to trust giving and receiving from a place of alignment, attune to self acceptance, and begin to connect in genuine ways with the world around us. 

STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES 

There are so many incredible ways to connect with roses, and of course the simplest is to keep them present in your space. One way to do this would be simply planting them. You won’t need to journey far to indulge in tending them, getting to know their rhythms, blooms and their thorns, letting their fragrance uplift your spirit as the sun warms their petals. Bonus, you’ll have rose hips, which are a fantastic source of vitamin C. If you don’t identify as having green thumbs, but you are “rose curious”, I highly recommend exploring classes through any of the many botanical gardens in Kentucky. Another helpful resource, for roses and all things garden, is the series “Gardener’s World”. As a flower and herb farmer, even I find a tinge of intimidation with these beauties. However, there is help available and you will quickly learn that they’re not as high maintenance as they may seem. If a fresh bouquet is more your jam, they are available year round and in any color to suit your style. The scent of roses, the vibrancy of their hues, and the slow unfolding of delicate petals are all uplifting. When we take a moment to breathe in their sweet aroma, our nervous systems relax and settle, which brings clarity and alignment. You can access similar effects by incorporating rose scented candles, incense, and perfumes. The smell is transformative. Expert advice to take into consideration: If you are using a diffuser, rose absolute tends to shape shift in process. I would recommend using a cosmetic or culinary rose water or hydrosol for this method. And it will save you quite a few pennies. 

“THAT TASTES LIKE THE INSIDE OF A PURSE” 

We are so accustomed to rose in scent form that when it comes to culinary applications, our minds sometimes make the connection that we are consuming soap. This is not appetizing for anyone, regardless of whether you have ever experienced the threat of having your mouth washed out as a child. That is about as blatant as I can put it. However…there is hope. Rose Water comes in cosmetic form and also culinary form. A specialty grocer or online store will likely be required to find it. A little goes a long way, and that’s an understatement. If you are not sure what to do with it, here is a quick reference of flavors that pair well: chocolate, citrus, cardamom, ginger, berries, mint, vanilla, and baking spices. Desserts such as Gulab Jamun, Turkish Delights, Panna Cotta, and Baklava are perfect examples of sweets that lean into the floral flavor to elevate the other ingredients. Dried rose petals are available from herb and spice purveyors, and one can find fun tea blends abound which incorporate them in this way. Whatever route you take, do not consume roses which you bought at the florist. It is important with these flowers and any others for that matter that you ensure you’re sourcing from a safe supplier with culinary use in mind. If you do grow them or come across them in the wild, as long as you feel certain they have not been chemically treated - feast away! 

ROSE + BLOOD ORANGE CANDY HEARTS

I highly recommend this recipe as a fun and surprisingly easy way to make homemade sweets for you and your dear ones. Blood oranges are currently in season, and their exquisite color lends the pinkish hue to the syrup. If you can’t find blood oranges, any variety of citrus will do as a substitute- because rose pairs with them all!

Ingredients:

• 4-6 Blood Oranges 

• Water

• 1-2 cups Granulated Sugar

• ⅛ tsp Culinary Rose Water

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• Optional: cinnamon sticks, ginger root, cardamom pods

Directions:

Wash the oranges in a bath of water, a dash of baking soda, and a splash of vinegar. Rinse thoroughly. Remove the peels using either a knife, potato peeler, or simply scoring the fruit and using a spoon to help lift the fragments away. Remove any fruit or pulp that may remain on the pith. Using a small heart shaped cookie cutter, or carefully carving with a paring knife, create heart shaped pieces of peel. If this sounds like a burden, you can always cut the peel into strips. Squeeze the remaining fruit and set the juice aside. 

Place the peels in a medium saucepan, adding water until they are just covered. Bring the mixture to a boil for 5 minutes, discard the water, and repeat for a total of 3 boils. This reduces the bitterness of the peel. Set the strained segments aside, and combine equal parts granulated sugar and reserved blood orange juice to the saucepan over medium heat. You only need enough mixture to cover the peels so the volumes needed will depend on how many you are making. If you end up short on blood orange juice, simply add water to bring the total volume of liquid equal to that of the sugar. Add rose water, vanilla, and any optional spices to the mix. Bring to a boil, add the peel segments, and reduce the heat to simmer. Let the mixture simmer with occasional stirring for 45-60 minutes. Once the edges of the peels are translucent, they are done. Strain any leftover syrup (and use it on heart shaped pancakes or cocktails!), and place peels on a drying rack over parchment paper to drip dry. Once cooled, roll the pieces in granulated sugar, and store in a wax paper lined container. Feeling extra? Partially dip the hearts in chocolate for another layer of love and flavor.