Earl grey rose nectar – a delicious, energy boosting drink of strong earl grey tea, perfumed with sweet rose essence, and naturally sweetened with dates and lucuma powder.

This earl grey rose nectar has been my go-to drink in the morning, or afternoon lately. Ever since I made it for the first time, I was instantly hooked on this aromatic blend of black tea, perfumed with bergamot oil, and the sweet scent of roses. The drink reminds me a lot of the taste of Turkish delight, which was a treat we had as kids, so it has some sentimental appeal too, I guess. It’s not exactly thick, as a smoothie, but rather feels like the consistency of nectar.

A strong earl grey tea is the base for this drink. Earl grey tea is simply black tea scented with the oil of the Bergamot orange rind, which gives the earl grey tea its distinct flavor. The bergamot’s sharp, citrusy aroma, with hints of flowers and warm spice, is the perfect match for the bitter, malty black tea taste. The combination of the two is so unique in flavor and scent that it’s become one of the most popular teas in the world.

To further enhance the floral qualities of earl grey tea, I added a bit of rose essence. There’s something about the sweet, musky perfume of the roses, that perfectly complements the earl grey tea, and gives this drink an almost mystical profile. You can buy culinary rose water at any Middle Eastern store, or you can make your own, by simmering fragrant rose petals (dry or fresh) in water, until the leaves lose their color (10-15 minutes).

The nectar is naturally sweetened with dates, and lucuma powder, and for some extra boost of nutrients, and energy, I added maca root powder.

Maca root is an ancient superfood, cultivated in the Peruvian Andes for thousands of years, and used as a source of nutrition and medicine. It’s always been touted as particularly effective in increasing energy and stamina, boosting fertility and libido, relieving stress, and promoting an overall sense of well-being, due to its ability to restore proper hormonal balance. It’s also rich in amino acids, vitamins (especially B vitamins), and minerals like magnesium, calcium, potassium and iron.

Lucuma powder, another superfood from Peru, hailed as ‘The Gold of the Incas’, is the dried pulp of a tropical fruit, which looks like mango, and has a slight maple or caramel taste. It’s a healthy, low sugar sweetener, rich in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Both of these super powders do not have an impact on the taste, just add nutritional value, so if you don’t have them on hand, you can totally skip them.

For some more rose water uses, check out this pistachio honey rose butter, and pistachio rose ice cream recipes.