Thank you to everyone who attended my herb walk this morning.
Below, as requested, for those of you who don't have access to my Facebook page, is the recipe I use to make rosehip syrup.
Rosehip Syrup
Rosehips (the fruit of the wild rose, Rosa spp) are rich in many
vitamins and minerals. Indeed, as fruit became scarce during the war
years, rosehips were collected as a vital addition to the diet, having
more vitamin C than oranges! Rosehip syrup was given to mothers for
their children, and a Ministry of Food leaflet encouraged people to make
their own syrup from the hedgerows.
Below is a traditional
recipe for a rosehip syrup. Although heating the hips leads to some loss
of vitamin C, this method serves the purpose of prolonging storage.
• Add 500g chopped rosehips to 1.5 litres water.
• Boil for 20 min's.
• Strain through double layer of muslin.
• Discard pulp, return the fluid to the pan.
• Simmer until volume reduced by half (approx will do!).
• Measure volume and add half as much sugar (eg. 500ml, add 250g sugar).
• Warm gently until sugar dissolved (stirring), then boil for 5 min's.
• Pour whilst warm into sterilised, warmed, glass bottles.
• Label and store in a cool place. Refrigerate once opened.
NB. Collect rosehips from areas where they will not have been sprayed and away from roadsides.
