Rosehips, for those not familiar with them, are the fruit of the rose plant. Packed with Vitamin C & nutrients, rose hips are valuable commodities. Press them for oil to nourish & brighten the skin.
Find Rose Hips In These Products of Ours Rosehips are traditionally used to support the immune system, ease arthritis pain, & provide antioxidants. I begin harvesting rosehips after the first frost each year for best flavor. Inevitably, as the birds, deer & other foragers take their share, the available numbers begin to dwindle, although if you are diligent & persistent, you can find usable hips all through the Winter. [as always, be very careful to only harvest from plants that have not been treated with pesticides.] Our Beach Roses make enormous, cherry-tomato sized hips, which are much easier to clean & prepare. Again, any rosehips can be used for this recipe; I simply prefer to use the jumbo hips of Rosa rugosa myself. Late December - January, when the Cara Cara oranges arrive & citrus season is in full-swing, is THE time to make this treat.
Finally, watch the color of your marmalade as you cook-- If it begins to turn brown that means the sugars are caramelizing & you are overcooking. Quickly remove it from heat if you notice this happening. Okay, grab some clean jelly-jars & your thermometer & let’s get started! Easy Rosehip Marmalade4 cups Rosehips, cleaned & trimmed [roughly] 4 ¾ cups Sugar 2 Organic Cara Cara Oranges, thinly sliced 3 Cara Cara Oranges, juiced 1 Lemon, Juiced
This marmalade is absolutely delicious & pairs well with sweet or savory items. Equally lovely with roast meats as with butter on toast, or paired with a sharp cheese. Clever April from SugarSpell Sweets treated me to an amazing cake last January that she filled with this marmalade [she also brushed the cake with my Rosehip cordial <3] that was outrageously good -- the possibilities are endless & your body will thank you for the loads of Vitamin C! I do hope you enjoy this recipe--Let me know how it turns out for you & how you like to use it! Until next time--Stay safe & #StopAndEatTheFlowers
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I adore the scent of Bergamot as well as the flavor! Indeed, you'll find her in many of our best-sellers, including these items:
Earl Grey Cordial Part OneQuart Sized Jar with tight sealing lid 6 oz loose-leaf Earl Grey tea [or contents of 5 tea-bags] Peel of one Orange [or 2 clementines] Vodka to cover [about 2 cups]
Earl Grey Cordial Part TwoSteeped Tea-Vodka Base 2 cups demerara sugar [or honey or xylitol] 2 cups filtered water
The tannins extracted from the black tea leaves give it that deep, brown color & are extremely bitter on their own. Begin adding your cooled Simple Syrup to the pitcher, stirring it in as you go. I usually start off by adding half my syrup, then tasting to get a baseline. Continue adding & tasting until you get a blend that is just the right balance for your tastes. Most people will find their ‘sweet-spot’ adding all of the simple syrup, while some will like it a bit less sweet. If you add all of your syrup & still feel it is too bitter, or you wish to lower the alcohol content even further, you can add more water. Play with it until you get the perfect balance. Once you mix it up to your taste, decant it into pretty bottles. If you are feeling generous, a bottle of this is a lovely gift to any Earl Grey fan. Set your cordial aside for 24 hours to let the flavors meld together before drinking. Enjoy a small glass of cordial on its own as the perfect Low alcohol [ABV] end-of-the-day treat. It is also quite lovely to add a splash to a nice cup of Chamomile tea! You can also get creative with it & mix up some fun cocktails! I find it plays well with champagne, gin, & bourbon. I love to include it in a French 75, but am particularly fond of it in the following little number: The Caterpillar’s Kimono2 oz Botanically-Forward Gin [such as Hendrick’s] .5 oz Earl Grey Cordial .75 oz Chamomile Bar Syrup Bar Spoon of Lemon Juice Egg White [optional, but gives phenomenal mouth feel!] Orange Twist for garnish
And there you have it! I hope you enjoy this cordial & the process of making it! Do let me know if you get creative & mix up something fun with it--I love to hear from you all! Until next time--
Take care & STAY SAFE! #StopAndEatTheFlowers
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