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fish
13-10-2012, 02:50 PM
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This week we have been very busy harvesting rosehips for our store cupboard,Rosehips dont keep long unless dried properly,by far the easiest method of preserving is to make a syrup of them,we have manges around 15 pints so far with plenty more to do.
During the world war they were harvested by the tonnes from the English hedgerows. A s citrus fruits were off the menu for the war years vitamin c had to be found and believe it or not the humble rosehip was the answer and yielded more vitamin c than oranges!
Rosehip syrup is great as cordial,drizzled over pancakes or just by the spoon full as a tonic.
Here is the recipe that i use as did my mother and grandmother during the war years:

Pick 3 lb of rose hips,ideally after the first Autumn frost,wash and then mince with a coarse mincer add to your pan and pour 4 pints of boiling water over them,bring to the boil then let stand for twenty minutes.
Next pour into a some fine muslin or pillow case and allow to drip until the bulk of the liquid has come through,then return the residue of the hips to the saucepan, add one and a half pints of boiling water, stir and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
Pour back into the jelly bag and allow to drip through. To make sure all the sharp hairs are removed, put back the first half cupful of liquid and allow to drip through again. Put the mixed juice into a clean saucepan and boil down until the juice measures about one and a half pints, then add one and a quarter pounds of sugar and boil for a further 5 minutes. Pour into hot sterile bottles and seal at once,if using corks scald them and seal with paraffin wax.

The Hedgerow Harvest, Ministry of Food , 1943

thanks for looking.

Silverback
13-10-2012, 02:53 PM
Have you been watching Wartime Farm Fish ? Some good tips on there for frugality and recycling

fish
13-10-2012, 02:56 PM
yep great series!

Howling Dingo
13-10-2012, 09:45 PM
I love to try this..

JonnyP
13-10-2012, 10:17 PM
I have never seen so many rose hips before like what out this year..!
Wartime farm is a great series..