# Rose flavored basil seed drink. WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 24, 2018, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531 "2018-07-24T23:52:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/1 "2018-07-24T23:52:08Z")
Saw [this](https://www.amazon.com/Basil-Seed-Drink-Rose-Flavour/dp/B0056ATRO4) at the store tonight. Never occurred to me to drink seeds, much less basil seeds. But then rose flavored? And I mean rose like the flower, not rose’ like the wine. Never considered rose to be an appetizing flavor. And the seeds are just floating, suspended in the liquid. That’s got to feel strange going down the throat. It was only a buck or two a bottle but nothing seemed even remotely appealing so I passed. But I’m still curious. Anyone try this odd concoction? Did you like it? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/2 "2018-07-24T23:56:41Z")
I can’t speak for that drink, but chia seed drinks are pretty popular. They take on an odd, sort of spongy slimy texture. They’re not bad. No idea about basil seeds though. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/3 "2018-07-25T00:29:40Z")
Rose water is a very popular beverage in Asia. It’s often used as a flavouring. For westerners it’s very hard to get past the aroma’s connection to perfumed products, and connect with it as a flavouring. Basil seeds? Can’t say I’ve ever heard of that though. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/4 "2018-07-25T00:39:45Z")
I’ve seen basil seed drink at the Asian grocery store since I can remember. I believe it’s a Thai thing. Haven’t seen the rose water version, though (I’ve had rose water in many other things, though). I had the regular basil seed drink, and it was interesting. It looks pretty disconcerting, almost like tadpole eggs, and it has a consistency kind of similar to tapioca. I liked it well enough, but I can see it being a bit odd. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/5 "2018-07-25T00:49:43Z")
Oh, and I should add, the basil seeds themselves didn’t have much of a flavor that I could discern. From what I could tell, it’s mostly there for the texture. I just remember it being a fairly mildly flavored drink with a tapioca texture to it. So I assume this would be the same, with the additional flavor of rose water which, well, smells and tastes like rose. (I have some rose water in the cupboard right now, and I smelled it and tasted it to double check, and it’s exactly like a rose. Very flowery and perfume-y. I use it in some Middle Eastern/South Asian dishes, like biryani.) ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/6 "2018-07-25T03:32:12Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I can’t speak for that drink, but chia seed drinks are pretty popular. They take on an odd, sort of spongy slimy texture. They’re not bad. No idea about basil seeds though. I’ve had the chia drinks and they’re pretty good if you can get over the texture and chia seeds are pretty healthy. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/7 "2018-07-25T03:37:44Z")
Any Canadian worth their salt remembers the delicious, soapy rosewater taste of [Thrills gum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrills). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/8 "2018-07-25T04:26:49Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Any Canadian worth their salt remembers the delicious, soapy rosewater taste of [Thrills gum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrills). Speaking of flower flavors, judging by the neighborhood Facebook groups where mostly retirees hang out, apparently violet flavored candy was popular in the US back in the day. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/9 "2018-07-25T05:47:41Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Speaking of flower flavors, judging by the neighborhood Facebook groups where mostly retirees hang out, apparently violet flavored candy was popular in the US back in the day. Back in the day!? Retirees!? Violet candy is still a thing, though I mostly had it in the 80s and 90s. Never had [Choward’s](https://www.oldtimecandy.com/chowards-violet-roll?gdffi=6d77937d720b4ea2b868451e975319f1&gdfms=1C3391AC232546719B628CABF2039CBD&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnNvaBRCmARIsAOfZq-35rlfK5qAL6DQu8D-gvZGcEtetMc3t0NsQjtUFvyGqn69c6yIZyvEaAmvTEALw_wcB)? [Anis de Flavigny](https://www.smallflower.com/abbaye-de-flavigny/violet-pastilles-1.75oz-tin-13902?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=sidecar&adpos=1o2&scid=scplp13902&sc_intid=13902&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnNvaBRCmARIsAOfZq-3uXnjS_jeicgbqgT5eQr8l7Qp7itiLyRcJnNQ7S1k_-ZU7nCUOEM0aAgIBEALw_wcB)? Childhood flavors, man. At first the OP’s sounded like a hippie thing, but the bottle makes me think Asian. Drinking seeds isn’t that far off drinking tapioca. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/10 "2018-07-25T07:31:52Z")
Rosewater to me is strongly associated with Persian and Middle Eastern cooking, and I use it for medieval European cooking as well. I like the flavour, it always reminds me of the pink loukoumi (turkish delight) and sharbat. Rose is also the primary flavour of parfait d’amour liqueur, which I also like (it’s [violet](https://bols.com/media/1/3717/Bols-Parfait-Amour.jpg)!) There’s a brand of basil seed drink that our local Thai chain serves (Jus Cool brand) that I like, but they don’t seem to carry a rose flavour. I’m partial to the lemongrass and pomegranate ones. It’s like a fruity milkless version of boba drink. I can understand how some people are squicked out by the texture, but that’s part of the appeal for me. ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/11 "2018-07-25T07:59:43Z")
Both popular sharbat flavours: [Sharbat - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharbat) ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/12 "2018-07-25T08:03:24Z")
My son, raised mostly in Indonesia, loves basil-seed drinks. When you soak the seeds, they swell and become something akin to gummy bears. For a non-Asian adult with prejudiced taste buds, not too appealing. But if you come at the idea without preconceived notions, apparently it is quite delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/13 "2018-07-25T09:03:19Z")
I was attending an outdoor festival in California some years ago. I was thirsty and went to a Persian food stand advertising a rose/basil sweet aide-type drink. It was very hot out and the the drink really slaked my thirst. Wish I could find another source! ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/14 "2018-07-25T10:22:41Z")
> [@Encinitas](#): > > I was attending an outdoor festival in California some years ago. I was thirsty and went to a Persian food stand advertising a rose/basil sweet aide-type drink. It was very hot out and the the drink really slaked my thirst. Wish I could find another source! That was likely sharbat - do you live anywhere near a Middle Eastern, Iranian or Indian market? Any of those should carry some variety of sharbet/sherbet - usually a squash or cordial, though, not a powder. [Rooh Afza](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooh_Afza) is a popular brand, but you’ll have to find your own basil seeds (_sabja_) to soak and add. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/15 "2018-07-25T12:36:44Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Back in the day!? Retirees!? Violet candy is still a thing, though I mostly had it in the 80s and 90s. Never had [Choward’s](https://www.oldtimecandy.com/chowards-violet-roll?gdffi=6d77937d720b4ea2b868451e975319f1&gdfms=1C3391AC232546719B628CABF2039CBD&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnNvaBRCmARIsAOfZq-35rlfK5qAL6DQu8D-gvZGcEtetMc3t0NsQjtUFvyGqn69c6yIZyvEaAmvTEALw_wcB)? [Anis de Flavigny](https://www.smallflower.com/abbaye-de-flavigny/violet-pastilles-1.75oz-tin-13902?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=sidecar&adpos=1o2&scid=scplp13902&sc_intid=13902&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnNvaBRCmARIsAOfZq-3uXnjS_jeicgbqgT5eQr8l7Qp7itiLyRcJnNQ7S1k_-ZU7nCUOEM0aAgIBEALw_wcB)? Childhood flavors, man. Nope. The first one is the one I believe I’ve seen pictured in these Facebook groups. The second I’ve never heard of at all. I don’t recall seeing either of those IRL. I’m 43. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/16 "2018-07-25T16:22:42Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Nope. The first one is the one I believe I’ve seen pictured in these Facebook groups. The second I’ve never heard of at all. I don’t recall seeing either of those IRL. I’m 43. [Those purple jujube candies are violet-flavored and the orange are lilac-flavored](http://i.imgur.com/ZQoAuDi.jpg). A fact I don’t think is all that widely recognized even by the people who eat them. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/17 "2018-07-25T16:29:26Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > [Those purple jujube candies are violet-flavored and the orange are lilac-flavored](http://i.imgur.com/ZQoAuDi.jpg). A fact I don’t think is all that widely recognized even by the people who eat them. Oh, good one. I don’t think I’ve ever had a Jujube, but I am aware of them and have seen them. ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Mood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@Blue\_Mood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blue_Mood)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/18 "2018-07-27T19:15:02Z")
I have them every now and then but think of it more like a treat than a drink. You take a sip and then kind of chew the tiny seeds. The rose is strangely moreish. Then again I like rose petal jam… ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-flavored-basil-seed-drink-wtf/818531/19 "2018-07-28T05:04:00Z")
Rose is a great syrup flavor for lattes/cappuccinos.