| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| whitelegg1 |
Rowan Jelly & Rose Hip Syrup?We are hoping to make some rowan jelly and rose hip syrup as we have lots of them in the garden.How do you know when they are ready to be picked/harvested? We tried one of the rowan berrys, by squishing it twix thumb and forefinger, then licking off the juice.......face like I'd just slipped onto the crosbar of my bike 
Some of the rowans are starting to shrivel up, but they are not of a uniform colour. Darker on top than below. Th rosehips a very firm, cannot squish in fingers, when cut open the flesh is firm and they are full of seeds.... Anyone got any suggetions..... |
| Naomi |
Here's a recipe from Wild Foods by Roger Phillips actual recipe was given to him by Katie Stewart.
For 3-4 bottles of Rosehip syrup. 1kg(2lb) rosehips, 3litres(4 1/2 pints) water. 450g(1lb) Sugar Remove stalks and mince or chop rosehips. Use quickly or all the Vit C will be lost. So have a pan ready containing 2 litres of boiling water and add rosehips to it. Bring back to boil,remove from heat and allow to infuse for 15 mins. Ladle rosehips and liquid into a scalded jelly bag. Allow to drip into bowl. Then return pulp to pan with the remaining litre of water and reboil , infuse as before and then strain as before. Pour the juice into a clean saucepan and simmer until it measures about 1 litre. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve,then boil for 5 mins. Pour the syrup whilst still hot into warm clean bottles within 1 inch from the top. Push in new corks (that have been previously boiled for 15 mins) and tie with string.Place bottles inbthe deepest saucepan you have either on a false bottom or on a layer of corrugated paper or newspaper,and fill the pan with cold water to the level of the syrup in the bottles. Bring slowy to the boil and simmer for 5 mins to sterlise , then remove from pan. Dry the bottles and when corks are dry drip melted wax onto corks to keep them airtight.This makes a superb sauce for ice cream or as a refreshing drink when diluted.If you have lots of rosehips here are a few more recipes that use them.http://www.kiowacd.org/Tips_Links/wild_rose_recipes.htm |
| Naomi |
From the same book a recipe for Rowan Jelly,
1.3kg of rowans 2lb juicy apples ,pale soft brown sugar. Peel,slice and core apples. Place in 2 pints of water and boil for 20 mins until soft. Add the rowans and simmer to a pulp. Strain through a jelly bag. Add 1lb sugar to each pint of juice. First warm the sugar, boil the juice for 10 mins then add the sugar. Boil for a further 10 mins and skim all the time. Pour into jars and tie down at once. Additional info; Brown sugar tends to have a very strong taste, so you can use white sugar instead.The addition of apples is fine from a taste point of view, but for a clear jelly you would have to omit them.Or click on this link for a recipe with photos of how they should look!http://www.simonthescribe.co.uk/ROWAN%20JELLY.html |
| whitelegg1 |
Thankyou,
We will not be doing those this weekend, as we have concluded that neither of them are ready. Rose hips sound like you pick them just before the first frosts, and rowan berries should be uniform in colour. Ours are definitely not uniform. Thanks again, and we look forward to doing those recipes later in the year... 
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| Naomi |
For rose hip wine they say just after the first frost (don't know why?), but for rose hip syrup you can do it when ever you have enough hips . Dont let them get too soft as rowans and rosehips should be smooth ,red and shiny when you use them .There are loads of other cookery sites with info for rowan and rosehip recipes ,just put 'rowan jelly' etc in the google bar. I found loads! |
| ButteryHOLsomeness |
does anyone know what we can do with the rose petals, recipes?
we have a place with LOADS of them still on and i'd like to make some jelly with them rowan berries shouldn't be ready until sept/oct (well in scotland at least) i would think at least another month for the rosehips too |
| Naomi |
http://www.kiowacd.org/Tips_Links/wild_rose_recipes.htm
Rose Petal Jelly 1 cup fresh, fragrant, unsprayed rose petals Juice of one lemon 2 1/2 cups sugar 1 package powdered pectin 1 1/2 cups water Rose petals are best gathered in the morning. Cut off the white base on each clump of petals as it adds bitterness. Put petals, lemon juice, and 3/4 cup water in blender and blend until smooth. Gradually add sugar. Put mixture in sauce pan and stir in pectin, 3/4 cup water and boil the mixture hard for one minute, stirring constantly. Put it all back in the cleaned blender and stir until smooth. Pour into hot, sterile jars leaving 1/4- inch head space. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath, or freeze I also have a recipe for a simple rose petal sandwich 15g of fresh rose petals, 125g unsalted butter Lightly crush the petals and put half of them into a flat dish .Soften the butter and put over the petals. Scatter the remaining petals over the top. Cover and leave overnight in a cool place. Scrape away the petals from the butter. Spread the butter over very thin slices of wholewheat bread with crusts removed. Cut into dainty triangles. A little honey may be spread over the butter if desired. Makes a very dainty tea time treat. Recipe taken from The Countryside Year Book (A cook's calendar), by Gail Duff |
| ButteryHOLsomeness |
thanks for both of those, they are now in my living cookbook!
i was thinking i might do a rose petal and cherry jam if i can get some more cherries so this will help me a lot with figuring out how much to use, cheers! |
| cab |
Most rowans don't really go the intense red of, say, whitebeam or hawthorn; they're done when they're a good shade of orange. They are really bitter raw, and you can only really make them into a jelly or something like it. Actually, when I get off here, I'm off for a look for some.
Start off with some apples; crab apples should do. Put lots of rowan berries in a pan with some chopped apples, and cook it slowly (with some water) till it's good and pulpy. Mash it a bit if you like. One good trick is to weigh the pan with the fruit in, and then when it's al pulpled add enough water to get back to that weight. Then you want to strain it; put it in a jellybag (I use two layers of muslin) and let it strain overnight. Do not squeeze it. Be patient. Next day (or the day after), take the juice and per pint add 1 pound of sugar. Cook it till it reaches setting point (104C ish), like for any jelly or jam, and bottle as normal. Rose hip syrup... Well, its ealy yet for makng that. Make it when the fruit starts to soften a bit. and make it more or less as for a jelly, don't add apples to make it set, and bottle as for any fruit syrup. If you haven't made a jelly or syrup before, say so and someone will be along to offer advice; most likely you'll get at least two or three conflicting sets of advice 
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| cab |
Well, as the rowan tree I cycled too didn't have a lot of ripe berries yet, I further scouted out the area its in (a new foraging site for me). Came home with the knowkedge of where a couple of wild raspberry bushes are and a bag full of blaclberries. Not a complete waste of time then
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| ButteryHOLsomeness |
rowans are also nice added to chutney, but don't go overboard unless you like something that makes you pucker up! (not that I know from experience or anything  )
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