Delicious. I picked them off the sand dunes at the beach yesterday and today I par-boiled them in a little sugar, whizzed them in a food processor, brought back to the boil, let sit for 15 minutes, and poured into muslin sitting over a bowl. I sterilized a jelly jar and decanted the delicious syrup.
The rose hips are called Rosa Rugosa. They have a TON of seeds in them. I forgot to take a photo of my haul but it was about a half gallon of hips. Using great care (they ARE roses after all) I pulled the stems and stalks off. I then decided not to sacrifice my Nutribullet to their leather-like skins and seeds so I par boiled them and only then whizzed them up into small pieces.
Here’s a picture of them boiling. Don’t boil for too long. Also don’t macerate for too long as the Vet C starts to die from the moment you start messing with the hips.
Then I strained them. I remember my mother used to strain this pulp through stockings but I actually had some muslin handy.
If you didn’t add sugar when par boiling, add to taste now. Feel free to add some zing with ginger and/or lemon. Pour into a sterilized container like this jelly jar, or put up conventionally.
Rose Hip syrup has twenty times more Vitamin C than oranges. And it’s awesome in martinis, or as a spoon a day for children.
For an earlier article on the wonder of Rose hips and their use during World War II, go here.
