Elderberries and rosehips

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Woody girl

Full Member
Mar 31, 2018
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Elderberry I'd make elderberry syrup. Realy good for coughs and colds.
Same with the rosehip.

Are they wild dog rose hips?

Rosa rugosa hips.. the nice big fat ones you see in hedges around gardens are the best for making jam. Easier to get the seeds out and more fleshy and soft.
 
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Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
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McBride, BC
I would treat the cleaned rose hip skins like Roma tomatoes.
Dry them and pack them in good olive oil to be eaten as hors oeuvre snack things.
I'm already into my latest dried Romas, need a few (6-8) for dinner prep. That's 3-4 tomatoes!
 

plastic-ninja

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Jan 11, 2011
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cumbria
I think I saw something online recently about elderberry honey. If I dreamed it I think it could be divine inspiration as there is no reason honey infused with elderberries would not be delicious (and possibly very healthy indeed). I assume that the elderberries were heated to sort out the oxalic acid but can't quite remember. I'll look for a link.
 

plastic-ninja

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Jan 11, 2011
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cumbria

Billy-o

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Apr 19, 2018
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Canada
Follow a Rosehip syrup recipe. The slight zip to the taste is good for chicken. Slather it on before roasting. Pork too.

Or, crush them up, add some maple syrup (or pomegranate syrup, or just sugar) and spread that on pork chops before roasting/grilling.
 
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MartiniDave

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 29, 2003
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Cambridgeshire
We make rosehip syrup every year and use it to supplement our vitamin C intake during the colder months, as a hot drink. Great on ice cream too.

Dave
 

DocG

Full Member
Dec 20, 2013
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Moray
I've discovered an over-burdened elder (sambucus nigra) in the local woods. Is it possible to use the berries to flavour gin or other spirits, eg vodka?

If the answer is yes, my question is then how?

Advice, insights, links welcomed.
 

TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
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Bumpo to this thread - what to do with Elderberries as I'm off to winnie-the-pooh the heckout of the elders , DocG unanswered comment is of interest -anything alcoholic you can do with them? base syrup for a Cocktail maybe??

Other than that it looks like standard syrup or a fruit leather and or vinegar
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
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You can do exactly the same with elderberries as you do with sloes: make a flavoured sweet gin. Some people consider the raw berries to be toxic but a) nearly all the toxicity is in the seed, b) very little of it gets into the gin anyway, and c) I don't know about you, but I don't drink gin liqueurs by the pint. I certainly wouldn't eat a large quantity of raw elderberries but I do eat the odd hand full.

Without doubt, the best hedgerow wine I have every made was elderberry - it comes out like a Bordeaux and can be deep and fruity. A lighter wine, but still good, can be made by half/half elderberries and blackberries. I've also made an elderberry 'port' - add sugar and a clean tasting brandy (i.e. not a cheap one but it doesn't need to be an XO).
 
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