Home Remedy for Sore Throats: Rose Hip Syrup Recipe
Rose hip syrup, a vibrant and flavourful condiment, is making a splash in kitchens and cocktail bars alike. Made from the fruit of the humble rose bush, this syrup offers more than just a sweet addition to your favourite dishes.
The Making of Rose Hip Syrup
With a simple 3:2:1 ratio of water, rose hips, and sugar (or honey), rose hip syrup can be easily whipped up at home. Sugar provides a clean flavour, while honey lends a lovely floral note. The process involves straining out the seeds and furry coating found inside the fruits, which aren't suitable for consumption.
A Versatile Ingredient
Rose hip syrup serves as a delightful substitute for maple syrup on pancakes, waffles, and French toast. It also shines as a unique ingredient in cocktails, such as a rose hip martini or a gin and tonic. For a quick and delicious dessert, pour it over ice cream, Greek yogurt, or puddings. Diluted with soda water, it makes a simple, refreshing beverage.
Nutritional Benefits
Rose hips are incredibly nutrient-dense, offering more than just vitamin C. They also provide vitamins A, D, and E, along with powerful antioxidants. During cold and flu season, taking 1-2 tablespoons of rose hip syrup per day can help ward off illness.
Foraging for Rose Hips
Rose hips appear in hedgerows and gardens during the late summer and autumn months. They are easy to spot and can be found throughout the fall, often into early winter. Rose hips are one of the most popular wild edible foods to forage in the fall, joining the ranks of chanterelle mushrooms, evergreen huckleberries, staghorn sumac berries, persimmons, pine nuts, acorns, and wild sunflower seeds.
Foragers should be cautious to properly identify these foods and harvest sustainably. Consult local expert resources or guides specific to your area for safe and responsible foraging.
Preservation and Storage
Once opened, rose hip syrup should be kept in the refrigerator for a few weeks. For longer storage, it can be kept in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.
In addition to rose hips, foraging in the fall offers a bounty of other wild edibles. Chanterelles and other mushrooms like oyster and lobster mushrooms often persist into fall and even winter in some areas. Evergreen huckleberries provide edible berries in autumn as well. Staghorn sumac berries grow in red clusters and can be eaten raw or dried; they are also used as a tonic and flavouring. Persimmons can be eaten fresh like apples or dried and are common in many U.S. regions in fall.
In suitable regions such as the Sawtooth Wilderness, pine nuts, acorns, and wild sunflower seeds are abundant wild edibles to harvest. These foods, along with rose hips, offer a flavourful and nutritious way to explore the wilderness and add a touch of adventure to your meals.
- Rose hip syrup, a popular wild edible food, is made from the fruit of the rose bush using a simple 3:2:1 ratio of water, sugar (or honey), and rose hips.
- The nutritional benefits of rose hip syrup extend beyond vitamin C, as it also contains vitamins A, D, E, and powerful antioxidants, making it a health-and-wellness and nutrition delight.
- In the realm of food-and-drink and cooking, rose hip syrup can be used as a versatile ingredient in various dishes, from sweet treats like pancakes and ice cream, to cocktails, and even as a refreshing, diluted beverage.
- For those interested in a lifestyle focused on health-and-wellness, food-and-drink, and nutrition, foraging for rose hips in the fall can be a rewarding addition to your fitness-and-exercise routine and edible wild plants knowledge, joining the ranks of other seasonal wild edibles like chanterelles, evergreen huckleberries, and wild sunflower seeds.
