FORAGING ROSEHIPS & ROSEHIP SYRUP "VITAMIN BOOSTER"

In hedgerows in autumn,there's an abundance of bright scarllet rosehips, the fruit of the wild (or dog) rose. While blackberries are quickly stripped from their stems, few people seem to pick rosehips any more. It,s a shame, not least because these tough, hard fruits can be made into a vitamin-rich syrup to kep winter coughs and colds at bay: they contain vitamins A, cand K, plus the B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin and niacin. During World War II,rosehips were collected by children and sold to chemists to be made in to syrup. It's easy to make at home: just follow the recipe. Strain the syrup well: the tiny hairs are irritating and traditionally used as itching powder,dropped by school children down their classmates backs.

GROWS/WHERE TO FIND> wild roses like damp, heavy soils
> fruit found in hedgerows in September - October
> take a stepladder when harvesting - they often grow high

An old-fashioned winter remmedy for boosting vitamin levels and keeping colds at bay. Gather the hips in October and November when they're ripe and soft. Children love this syrup, and it's good poured over pancakes, waffles, ice-cream and rice pudding.

Vitamin C-Rich Rosehip Syrup

Makes 284ml (approx1/4pt)

Ingredients:
250g fresh Rosehips
5 Cloves (optional)
1 Cinnamon Stick
OR
1 tsp All Spice
500ml Water
About 125g Sugar

Preparations:
1. Crush the rosehips slightly, and place in a pan. Add the cloves and cinnamon stick, if using, then add the water. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

2. Strain, then add the same amount of sugar as ther is liquid (about 125g). Stir until dissolved and bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Cool and filter into small, sterilized bottles.

USE: For children, give 2 tsp per day; dilute 1 part syrup to 5 parts water and drink as a cordial; or use instead of maple syrup for dishes suggested above.

STORAGE: Keeps for 1 week inthe refrigerator once opened. Unopened Keeps for up to a year.

NOTES: We made double the ingredients which made 2x 284ml bottles of Rosehip Syrup colled before putting in fridge to store 

Copyright (c) 2012 Lizzie & Joshua