Recipies: Berries
Rose Hip Syrup
Rose hips contain more vitamin C than any other fruit or vegetable except
walnuts, a source made use of by the government during World War II when voluntary
collectors gathered an average of 450 tons during 1943-6 for conversion into
rose hip syrup. This is a version of the recipe given by the Ministry of Food:
Coarsley mince the hips and put immediately into 1.65l (3pt) of boiling
water. Bring back to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to stand
for 15 minutes. Pour into a flannel or jelly bag and allow to drip until the
bulk of the liquid has come through. Return the residue to the saucepan, add
825ml (1½pt) boiling water, stir, allow to stand for 10 minutes. Pour
back into jelly bag and leave to drip again. Put both mixtures of juice into
a clean saucepan and boil until reduced to 825ml (1½pt). Then add 550g
(1¼lb) sugar and boil for another 5 minutes. Pour into sterilised bottles
and seal. (Make sure none of the sharp hairs from the hips are in the mixture.
Re-strain if in any doubt.)
Gooseberry Sauce
Top and tail 450g (1 lb) gooseberries, put in a pan and cover with water.
Bring to the boil and simmer until soft but not falling apart. Drain. Make
a white sauce with 25g (1 oz) butter, 25g (1 oz) flour and 415ml (¾pt)
milk. Mix in the gooseberries and a dessertspoon chopped fennel leaves and
season with salt and pepper, nutmeg and lemon juice and, if needed some sugar.
Hawthorn Jelly
Simmer the fruit with some water to release the juice, then strain it through
a coarse flannel or fine sieve. To every 550ml (1 pt) of juice add 450g (1
lb) sugar. Add the juice of a lemon and boil until the mixture sets when tested.
Bilberry Fritters
First make a batter by putting 100g (¼lb) flour with a pinch of salt
into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and break in an egg. Gradually incorporate
the flour into the egg adding up to 140ml (¼pt) milk or water as the
mixture thickens. Beat well and leave to stand for 2 hours before adding enough
bilberries to thicken the batter. Heat some butter in a pan and drop in dollops.
Turn, drain on paper, dust with castor sugar and serve immediately.
Bilberry Jam
Warm 450g (1 lb) ripe bilberries in a pan until the juice runs. Then add 450g
(1 lb) sugar and bring to the boil. Simmer until the jam is of the right consistency.
Welsh Blackberry and Bread Pudding
Put some blackberries to simmer with just enough water to cover them and throw
in torn pieces of bread until most of the liquid is absorbed. Sweeten with
sugar and, when the fruit is soft, put into a bowl and allow to cool. Serve
with thick cream.
Blackberry Vinegar Drink
Mix equal parts of blackberry juice with cider. Strain and mix in enough honey
to float an egg. Simmer for 15 minutes, then cool and put in a barrel or earthenware
container. Leave until March before bottling and then for 6 weeks before drinking.
Bullace Wine
Pour 4.5l (1 gal) of boiling water over 1.8kg (4lb) bullace. Mash and stir
in 1.5kg (3½lb) sugar and allow to cool to blood heat before adding some
previously activated yeast. Cover and leave to ferment for 3-4 days. Strain
into a jar and add 450g (1 Ib) chopped raisins. Then plug the neck of the
jar with cotton wool or put in an airlock. Leave until fermentation has ceased,
then bottle.
Elderberry Rob
Put about 2.2l (2qt) elderberries into a hot oven and leave until the juice
runs, strain off and to each 550m1 (1 pt) add 200g (½b) sugar, 4 teaspoon
cinnamon and 12 cloves. Cover and simmer until thick, about 30 minutes. Bottle
and cork. Strip 1.8-2.2kg (4-5lb) berries from their stalks with a fork and
pour on 4.5l (1 gal) boiling water and allow to stand for 3 days, stirring
and mashing the berries each day. Strain into a pan and add 50g (2oz) bruised
ginger, 12g (½oz) cloves, a pinch of allspice and peeled rind of one
lemon. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Allow to cool, then add
1.5kg (½lb) sugar. Add lemon juice and when the liquid is blood heat,
add previously activated yeast. Pour into a fermentation jar, insert an airlock
and put in a warm place. When fermentation ceases, bottle off.
Diodgriafel
'Diodgriafel is made of the berries of Solus Aucuparta (Rowen) by pouring
water over the mashed berries and setting the infusion to ferment. When kept
for some time this is by no means an unpleasant liquor. In Scotland a spiritous
liquor is obtained by distillation.' Evans, 1798.
Rowan Jelly
Place 2.7kg (6lb) rowanberries, stalked and washed, in a pan with 1.65l (3pt)
water. Simmer until the berries are soft. Strain through a muslin bag. Measure
the liquid and to every 550ml (1 pt) allow 650g (1½1b) sugar. Add the
juice of a lemon and boil for about 30 minutes or until the mixture sets when
tested.
Sloe Wine
Add 1.1l (2pt) boiling water to 1.1l (2pt) sloes and leave for 4 days stirring
twice a day. Strain and for earl 1.1l (2pt) liquid add 450g (1 Ib) sugar.
Leave for another 4 days stirring every day. Bottle and cork lightly until
fermentation has ceased.
Sloe Gin
Put 1.65l (3pt) sloes, 35g (1½oz) bitter almonds, 650g (1½lb) sugar
and 2.2l (4pt) gin in a jar and cork. Shake every 3 days for 3 months. Strain
off the liquor into bottles, seal and, thougl it may be drunk now, it will
improve with keeping.
