Rose Hip Drinks for Health and Enjoyment

In my previous article on making rose hip syrup I mentioned that I freeze it in ice cubes for making cocktails and other beverages. Here are a couple of recipes I find very refreshing and redolent of Summer sunshine in the Winter months. The link to how to make rose hip syrup and also a break down of the medicinal and nutritional values of this exceptional little fruit can be found at the end of this article.

ROSE HIP KIR

Kir is a very popular apéritif drink, traditionally made by pouring white wine or champagne over a fruit liqueur, this is usually black currant. In this part of Normandie we use cider, which is readily available as the whole region (including our own garden) is covered with traditional cider apple orchards.

To make rose hip kefir, place a little rose hip syrup (around ½ to 1" or 1 to 2cm) in the bottom of a tall cocktail glass or similar and fill with chilled cider.

ROSE HIP KEFIR

We add our rose hip syrup in the form of a frozen ice cube to individual glasses of water kefir. Rose hip syrup with this amount of sugar actually freezes very well and can also be firstly frozen in a block and then cut into cubes as the sugar content keeps it easy to slice.

Our kefir recipe is as follows:
3 litres (3 quarts) of Spring water
4 dried apricots or dried figs
6 tablespoons of raw cane sugar/rapadura/sucanat
½ a lemon
2 tablespoons of water kefir grains

ROSE HIP TEA

Rose hips make a very invigorating tea. Here I'm using fresh ones as they are in season but mostly I dry them and then have a good stock for Winter. Rose hips can be used on their own or they can combine well with other fruit or flowers.

To make rose hip tea add:
2 Fresh or Dried Rose Hips per person and 2 for the tea pot.
If using fresh I would mash them up a little in the tea pot and then put them through a tea strainer, that way you will get a full bodied brew.

Another great medicinal and one which compliments rose hips well is Hibiscus which has some of the same anti-inflammatory properties of rose hips as well as other virtues of its own. Hibiscus is a flower I buy dried specifically to make tea and also to use as a superb natural colour for cakes, icing, frosting and glazes. You can get a ready-made mixture of Rose Hip and Hibiscus Tea Bags too.

With these teas and for personal taste you may need to use honey or sugar as a sweetener. I find that Hibiscus, which has a rich ruby colour, has a more pungent taste than the rose hip. It does however very much depend on how ripe the rose hips were when they were picked, In our garden, in the case of rosa rugosa I tend to pick them early as I am competing with the birds both my own and the wild garden ones who use these large fruits as a great source of vitamins and minerals in the Winter months!

ROSE HIP, HIBISCUS & KEFIR SUPPLIES

If you enjoyed this recipe then please feel free to comment and share it with your friends.

Hope to see you here again for another recipe from an old farmhouse in Normandie,

All the best,
Sue

Rose Hip Syrup - Good health from the forest garden.

I make rose hip syrup every year and as you can see I have a large amount of the raw material. The rosa rugosa roses in my garden are the easiest to use. I have to be quick though because these, large and luscious fruits...read more

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