Hello again from Scotland! I am here to share some recipes I have picked up while WWOOFing.
Scottish countryside
My hosts, Josine and JP, are all about getting the most out of their harvest. In my time here, we have made three recipes from plants that can be found growing wild in Scotland. The rowan berries are bursting this time of year, accenting the lush green Scottish landscape with sprinkles of bright red. We harvested the berries for wine and jelly from a tree in their backyard, but rowan trees can be seen everywhere. The oak leaves were collected from a grove just a few hundred feet from their home, through which we walked among curious sheep to access the tree. Finally, the rose hips were harvested from hedges planted with a practical purpose; living in such an exposed area we are very subject to strong winds, and Josine and JP wanted protective plants that would also produce an edible fruit.
My hosts are originally from Holland, and explained to me that rose hip syrup, which is extremely high in Vitamin C, is widely advertised there as a supplementary drink especially good for children. The syrup is mixed with water and drank cold, and upon tasting the finished product, my host said with a smile “Tastes just like childhood…”
Rosehip Syrup
- 1 kg rosehips, washed and chopped
- 3 liters water
- 1 kg caster/granulated sugar
1. Prepare your washed rose hips by cutting off the stem and long leafy end, then finely chopping them, seeds and all. It may be easier to use a food processor rather than chopping by hand.
2. Add rosehips and 2 liters water to a pot and bring to a boil.
3. Remove from heat and allow to steep for 30 minutes.
4. In a large bowl, push the mixture through a muslin cloth, being sure to extract all of the liquid.
5. Put the pulp and remaining liter of water back into the pot, and repeat steps 2, 3, and 4.
6. Bring your strained rose hip liquid to a pot and add the sugar. Bring to a boil, and allow to simmer for five minutes and all the sugar has dissolved.
7. Pour into sterilized bottles.
The syrup will keep for about a year, and is certainly vitamin-rich enough to get you through the winter!
A ripe rose hip
All bottled up. Notice the vibrant color!
A bottle, labeled and finished for me to take home!
Side note: My hosts like to name their home brews and other products with spins on classic movies: “In the Name of the Rosehips”, “Rowan Holiday”, “Straw Wars: The Berry Strikes Back”. A very fun idea!
Both of the following recipes are from C.J.J. Berry’s First Steps in Winemaking.
Rowan Berry Wine
- 1.5 kilos/2.25 lb Rowan (mountain ash) berries
- 280 ml/.5 pint wine concentrate (red)
- 250 g/.5 lb wheat
- 1.25 kilos/2.5 lb sugar
- 4.5 liters/1 gallon water
- 1 tablespoon citric acid
- Yeast and nutrient
Pour the boiling water over the berries and it let stand for four days, then strain. Put in the sugar, concentrate, acid and wheat and stir until the sugar is dissolved, then add the yeast and nutrient. Leave to ferment 16 days, closely covered, then strain into fermenting jar, (carboy) and fit with an airlock. When it clears, siphon into bottles, corking lightly at first.
Oakleaf or Walnut Wine
- 4.5 liters/1 gallon oak or walnut leaves
- 1.5 kilos/2 lb sugar
- 10 g/2 teaspoons citric acid
- 4.5 liters/1 gallon water
- Yeast and nutrient
Pick the leaves while they are young. They will vary in flavor based on age, and will become bitter with tannins as they age.
Bring 4-6 pints of the water to the boil and dissolve the sugar in it; when it clears pour, boiling, over the leaves. Infuse overnight, and the next day strain into the fermenting jar. Add the citric acid, nutrient and yeast and shake well. Top up to the bottom of the neck with cold water, then ferment in a warm place. Rack when it clears, and again two months later.
Note about wine-making: be sure that you read up on wine-making basics, proper equipment and sanitation before venturing on this experiment!
– Helen
I'd love to hear from you!