earth mothers ahoy... Rosehip syrup?

[spots]

Hundreds of rosehips are about to ripen on the footpath near our house. I have memories of rosehip syrup... is this just a vitamin C rich medicine? or can it be used like a juice? other uses? and finally, who knows how to make it? thanks...

Never tried making it but here is a link for u - was quite popular during ww2

here

I used to make rosehip jelly years ago. I used the same proportions as for jam: 14oz of warm sugar for every 1lb of fruit (it should be 1:1, but I reduced the sugar to take into account the bits of fruit that would be discarded). First take the cores of 3 or 4 tart apples (eg Bramleys or Granny Smith, but any will do really) and leave to go brown. Wash the hips, trim top and bottom if necessary, cut into quarters trying to get rid of as much of the seeds as possible, but not trying too hard. Put in a pan with minimum amount of water and the apple cores and cook gently until the fruit is soft. The apple cores provide the pectin, but you could use commercial pectin instead I'm sure. Meanwhile have the sugar in a pyrex dish warming in a low oven. Add to the fruit mix, simmer gently until dissolved, then boil briefly, skimming off any scum or froth. Pour through a colander to strain out the larger lumps, and squeeze as much liquid out of the lumps as possible. Then pour everything except the lumps into a jelly bag and leave to strain overnight. The following day reboil the liquid until it reaches setting point, then pour into sterilised jars and seal tightly. Setting point is when half or a quarter of a teaspoonful or so poured onto a cool clean saucer sets and wrinkles when you push it with your finger. You need to leave the jelly to strain undisturbed - I got impatient and hurried it through with a spoon, resulting in cloudy jelly with a mushy texture. Still tasted lovely though! For extra fragrance and flavour, pick a few large sweet-smelling roses in the evening, making sure they are not past their best. Remove the petals, bruise or trim off the hard pale part at the base of the petal, and cook the petals with the fruit.

It's been some years since I made jam, so I hope I've remembered correctly!

Oh, you wanted syrup! Sorry!

try this - you've brought back all sorts of childhood memories for me now. I used to love rosehip syrup (and I wasn't around during WW2)

Prettycandles, bless you writing that all that! wonderful stuff

also spots you could make rosehip tea

Sorry Papillon - didn't see your version! Spots, if you do make it I would love to know how it turns out and if it's as delicious as I remember it

Yes it sounds quite yummy - you could make a jelly too probably which would be good

Jelly an unexpected bonus prettycandles! Shall try them both when the hips ripen, and get back to you. BTW, have heard rosehip syrup described as a 'herbal hug'... doesn't that make you want to fill yer cupboards?

Thanks all. xxx

I was so much more Earth-Mothery before I actually had children!