Not quite hedgerow but I picked a big pan full of John Downie Crab apples this afternoon, almost a shame to pick them as they looked so pretty on the tree. They have been cooked and are dripping nicely in a jelly bag, I'll make Crab apple jelly tomorrow. But I'm a bit stuck on inspiration at the moment, I'm looking for a few ideas for jams, jellies, vinegars etc that I can make and perhaps use some for Christmas pressies. Doesn't have to be hedgerow but is always good to make use of what is around us :)
Any ideas?
Quote from: Jayb on September 12, 2012, 21:15:45
Not quite hedgerow but I picked a big pan full of John Downie Crab apples this afternoon, almost a shame to pick them as they looked so pretty on the tree. They have been cooked and are dripping nicely in a jelly bag, I'll make Crab apple jelly tomorrow. But I'm a bit stuck on inspiration at the moment, I'm looking for a few ideas for jams, jellies, vinegars etc that I can make and perhaps use some for Christmas pressies. Doesn't have to be hedgerow but is always good to make use of what is around us :)
Any ideas?
Lovely - you could just throw in a few large blackberries in the jelly, nice colour contrast.
Another recipe classic is suspending a few large red rose petals in jelly, which looks pretty.
Staying with the hedgerow theme - a few elderberries in the crabapple jelly? Another good one (but a bit labour intensive) is rosehip marmelade. The labour part is removing the pithy, itchy inside of the rosehip, but with the largest rosehips it isn't too bad. The smaller rosehips can be boiled down, strained and then made into jelly. Blackberry jam is much underrated, blackberry jelly is really nice too and no pips. And then there are the sloes in a month - sloe gin or sloe jelly. Wild myrobalam (cherry type) plums also make a very good jam. Sea buckthorn is another good hedgerow fruit for super orange jellies. Happy collecting.
Like the sound of rosehip jelly, if I can find enough I'll try making some, I can't remember having tried this before :)
I haven't looked yet, hope there will be a nice lot of sloes :) I made apple and sloe gin jelly with the left over sloes last year, nice delicate taste and a pretty colour.
Rowan berries make nice jelly..good orange-yellow colour, though quite sharp but very good on rich tasting meat or STRONG cheese. Rowan berries are best picked as late as possible..cold weather will help to sweeten them a bit and cut that sharpness down..but you have to catch them before birds do.. ::)
They are easy and quick to pick and not much preparation involved before cooking neither.. ;D
Sounds great, I'll have to hunt for those as I don't have any :)
Are they easy to grow from seed?
Quote from: Jayb on September 13, 2012, 08:57:15
Are they easy to grow from seed?
I suppose so..might just take some years before they are flowering size. But Rowans are often sold as saplings or young trees by hedging nurseries. Often there is young seedling nearby fruiting trees.
http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/trees/rowan-mountain-ash/sorbus-aucuparia.asp
one of my favourite relishes is beetroot and horseradish blended together. I know you can buy it in some shops that cater for the east europeans in jars, so a recipe should not be hard to find. Plenty of wild horseradish about this time of year and your tough old beetroots will get used up. Don't blend it to a fine paste it seems better a bit on the coarse side. Keeps for ages. I have just remembered that the jewish name for it is chrain.
Quote from: goodlife on September 13, 2012, 22:23:57
Quote from: Jayb on September 13, 2012, 08:57:15
Are they easy to grow from seed?
I suppose so..might just take some years before they are flowering size. But Rowans are often sold as saplings or young trees by hedging nurseries. Often there is young seedling nearby fruiting trees.
http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/trees/rowan-mountain-ash/sorbus-aucuparia.asp
I think I'll buy a tree/sapling, although last time I planted one it didn't do well at all and just kind of fizzled out. Just thought it might be fun to have a go from seed too :)
Quote from: ACE on September 14, 2012, 09:13:59
one of my favourite relishes is beetroot and horseradish blended together. I know you can buy it in some shops that cater for the east europeans in jars, so a recipe should not be hard to find. Plenty of wild horseradish about this time of year and your tough old beetroots will get used up. Don't blend it to a fine paste it seems better a bit on the coarse side. Keeps for ages. I have just remembered that the jewish name for it is chrain.
Cheers Ace, I've not tried this before but will give it a google for a recipe. I've got a big clump of horseradish, always good to have a way to use it.
As far as Rowan berries are concerned, we found them very strong, but the ones from Sorbus edulis are far better, as the name suggests.
Chrain sounds great, would never have known about that ACE. Thanks. Might just go and dig up some horse radish. Recipe on google sounds easy.
I picked some rowans and crab apples to make some jelly soon... cant wait to try it..
Tewkesbury mustard is lovely too. Horseradish & mustard combined. I buy it but there must be recipes out there.
Oooh, does some one have a workable recipe for rosehip jelly, as the hedgerows around me are heaving...I was also thinking Rosehip wine.....maybe next year....
Quote from: grannyjanny on September 14, 2012, 16:29:49
Tewkesbury mustard is lovely too. Horseradish & mustard combined. I buy it but there must be recipes out there.
Is that what it is called, I never knew that :) I used to buy Maille mustard and horseradish and loved it and then couldn't find it anywhere, probably about 15 years ago. I'll keep a look out for some, hopefully a recipe too thank you ;D
Quote from: Spireite on September 14, 2012, 18:34:04
Oooh, does some one have a workable recipe for rosehip jelly, as the hedgerows around me are heaving...I was also thinking Rosehip wine.....maybe next year....
Not yet but I've spotted some huge and nearly ripe rosehips :) Let us know if you find a good recipe :)
Quote from: Palustris on September 14, 2012, 13:02:30
As far as Rowan berries are concerned, we found them very strong, but the ones from Sorbus edulis are far better, as the name suggests.
Thanks for that :)
I don't have a proper recipe to hand for rosehip jelly, but this is how it works. Top and tail rosehips (the small hedgerow ones) harvested just after the first frost, blitz very briefly in a food processor or chop coarsely, boil in twice as much water for about 15 minutes, let drip through a couple of layers of cheesecloth over night. Usually chopped apple or crabapple is added (peel left on) and boiled with the hips (about the same amount as rosehips) because it is difficult to collect large quantities. The juice is weighed and the same weight of preserving sugar added, reboiled to setting point and put in jars and waterbathed.
Lemon juice, cinnamon or star anise can be added for a slightly different flavour. Boiled down rosehip still retains a large amount of vitamin C.
I will look for a proper recipe.
Just been out picking for the first time today, along about a half mile stretch of path. All the apple trees that were so full last year were practically empty, bar one laden crab apple tree. We picked 10lb in about 5 mins.
Brambles are amazing this year, big and plump. Got a fair wee haul of these but I've yet to weigh as they're still steeping to drive the grubs out.
We discovered a pear tree too! Totally missed it last year. They're just wee pears that remind me of crab apples but we got 8lb after a bit of my tree climbing and shaking like hell and Mrs K risking death by falling pear, gathering them up. Got a question about these but I'll post it in a new thread to save possibly pulling this one OT.
Loads of fat, ripe rosehips too.
So, on the cards is apple and mint jelly, pear wine, rosehip wine, bramble wine and possibly apple wine. Cracked open last years bramble wine tonight in celebration of our haul. :occasion14: