|
|
|
|
|
Rowan Jelly (Mountain Ash - Pyrus aucuparia)
Sharp and sour but sweet and succulent all at the same time, this traditional accompanyment to cold meat is bursting with flavour, and folklore ! 'Rowan tree and red thread - have the witches all in dread' On May eve Rowan crosses used to be worn in UK and were sometimes fastened to cattle (or their barns) for protection against witches and other 'evil doers'. Legend has it that the crosses had to be made without a metal knife to work properly. Rowan branches were also bought indoors on a Good Friday as this tree had a reputation for strong protection against psychic forces. This 'mish-mash' of folklore and Christianity indicates older uses of the tree having been 'assimilated' into a religion that converted people by adapting their beliefs and practices to its own ends. 'Rowan' is the most interesting of tree names with connections to both ancient Norse and Hindu/Sanskrit culture. Spelled several ways it is connected to the old Norse word 'Runa' - meaning a charm - and being able to ward off the effects of the 'evil eye'. In even earlier times 'Runa' was the Sanskrit word for 'magician'. 'Run-stafas' were staves cut from the Rowan tree and inscribed with runes for magical (and most likely protective) reasons. The smooth bark is ideal for this purpose. The Rowan was such a sacred tree to the Celts that many churchyards in Wales still include the tree, not unlike the Yew tree in English churchyards. The berries were much used by the Celts for brewing wine, spirit, flavouring mead, ale, perry and cider. Try squeezing some of the fresh berry juice and putting it into a gin and tonic - it makes a convincing alternative to Angostura bitters. The fresh juice is mildly laxative and good for soothing inflamed mucous membranes. In herbal medicine the juice forms the basis of an astringent gargle for sore throats and in the 19th century it was used to treat scurvy - the disease of vitamin C deficiency. Rowan berries are around from July/August through to November in the UK and may even stay on a tree until January if the thrushes don't eat them. They are at their best for Rowan Jelly when they have attained full colour but are not yet mushy. They contain varying amounts of tartaric, citric and malic acid dependent on their ripeness. Cut them from the stalks in clusters and remove as much stem as possible before cooking. When made into a jelly the fruit becomes quite astringent and the tart taste makes a good 'digestif' accompaniment to meats such as venison, cold game or fowl. Take about 3 pounds of Rowan berries and two pounds of juicy apples. Peel and core the apples, slice them and place them to simmer in 2 pints of water for 10 minutes, while you are washing and sorting the berries. Add the berries and simmer to a pulp. Use a potato masher to help this process if you like. Let the mixture cool a bit and then strain it through a jelly bag, leaving it to drip overnight. Warm about 2 pounds of sugar and stir in the liquid mixture and heat to a simmer. I must admit to adding some pectin at this point as I have a problem with runny jams. You can do this and leave the apples out for a clear jelly. Add a knob of butter and stir to a rolling boil for a few minutes and put it into sterilised jars and seal. It is a most unusual taste but the thing that delights me most about this jelly is the fantastic colour. With thanks to: J. Lust, C.L. Zalewski, R. Phillips, Edward Step From an ebook called 'Wild Food' underway at simonthescribe.If you wish to republish this article (with this resource box intact) you will find excellent quality pictures to accompany it at http://www.simonthescribe.co.uk/ROWAN%20JELLY.html
MORE RESOURCES:
Recipes - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Swiss Chard - What Do I Do With That? Originally, all foods were "organic" - grown and prepared without pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, hormones, irradiation to prevent spoilage, and microwave cooking.Our food these days, whether of vegetable or animal origin, is not only deficient in nutrients but also full of pollutants and farm chemicals. Weight Loss Recipe: Apricot Chicken Just because you are watching your weight, doesn't mean the whole family can't enjoy your health enhancing meals! The kids will love "Apricot Chicken" and you will love it because it is so low in calories and fat!Long term weight loss isn't about hunger, misery and crash dieting. It's a whole new way of learning to prepare nutritious food that your body needs and enjoys. Provence Steak Recipes Want an international flair for your steaks? Try a Provence steak recipe. These are delicious steak recipes that anyone will enjoy if they like meat at all. London Broil - Garlic eRix Recipes London broil - Garlic Ingredients: ?2 lbs. London Broil beef ?1 cups cubed, peeled carrots?1 cups cubed cabbage? cup cubed Spanish yellow onion?2 cups halved, unpeeled red potatoes?1 teaspoon salt?1 tablespoon of canola vegetable oil?4 quartered cloves of garlic from bulb? cup of water Step One - take the 2 lb. Party Appetizer Recipes - So Easy And So Affordable! These are two of my favorite party appetizer recipes that I used to prepare in parties! They are quick, easy and the ingredients are available in any store.Note: Both party appetizer recipes yield 8 servings. Best Recipes: Chicken with Apples Ingredients1 cups quick-cooking rice 2 large onions, thinly sliced 250g snow peas, trimmed 1 large red cooking apple, cored and coarsely chopped, not peeled 2 tbsp curry powder 1 tbsp plain flour tspn salt 1 cup chicken stock 3 tbsp vegetable oil 1 cup milk 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice tspn black pepper 2 cups diced cooked chicken cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts1. Cook the rice according to instructions. Easy Insalata Caprese It's tomato time! If you're a gardener, you might be wondering what you can do with all those luscious tomatoes growing in your backyard right now. One of the easiest, yet most delicious, dishes to enjoy at the height of summer, when tomatoes are plentiful, is Insalata Caprese (named for the Island of Capri, Italy). Low-Carb Pastry Pizzazz This delicious treat adds only 1.9 grams of carb for a Superb Roll of any size. English Cucumber Sandwiches Have you tried English cucumbers yet? They're a little different from the regular garden cucumbers usually found in grocery stores and at farmer's markets, although they look almost the same. The main difference is English cucumbers have a thinner skin (so they're better for slicing and they don't have to be peeled) and fewer seeds than garden cucumbers. Frugal Outdoor Cooking Firing up the grill is a great way to cook in the summer! Here are a few grilling tips and a couple of recipes, too.For great grilled burgers, form the patty gently. Cucumbers with Yogurt & Mint Almost every day I eat with my energy in mind, but I don't let that be the end of it. I take what I have learned about what works best for my body and take it one step further in order to connect with the changing seasons!While there are many effective ways to get more energy and build your productivity, I've found it very important to pay attention to the seasons. Mays Featured Holidays and Recipes There are three great days in the month of May that I would like to talk about.. Mexican Recipes - World Class Dishes In Your Kitchen! Here are two **Must Try** Mexican recipes! They are HOT, tasty and so easy!Chiles Rellenos Meatballs12 small potatoes, or 2 large baking potatoes2 tablespoons vegetable oil1 pound ground beef1/2 pound Anaheim chili peppers1/2 cup yellow onions -- minced4 eggs1/2 teaspoon saltblack pepper -- to tastegarlic salt -- to taste*Anaheim chilies, roasted, peeled and diced.Peel and boil potatoes until just tender. Gyokuro Cheesecake Recipe This Gyokuro cheesecake makes an elegant dessert. Perfect for any occasion, and pretty easy to make. Low Fat Flaming Bananas Treat Nutritional Information: Serves 3, Fat: 8 g, Cal: 299, KJ: 1256, WW: 5 PointsThis is yet another one of my favourite low fat banana recipes. You can impress your guests with your culinary skills when cooking this one! (It's just amazing how a little bit of fire on your food can mesmerise your audience. Steamed Bread: Apricot-Date Nut Bread with Caramel Sauce Steamed breads are so versatile. We love the outdoors and are always looking for interesting and different foods that we can cook while camping and steamed breads can be cooked as you lounge around the campfire. Easy Trail Mixes Before you set off on your next family walk or outing, try making one of these super easy trail mixes to keep your energy up.* Quick Fix Mix2 cups mini pretzels1 cup cheese snack crackers1 cup honey roasted peanuts1 cup raisinsPlace all ingredients into a plastic baggie, seal, and then shake. Four Easy Zucchini Bread Recipes Tired of the same old zucchini bread recipe and want to trysomething new? Here is a standard zucchini bread recipe inaddition to three variations your family is sure to love.Zucchini Bread3 eggs1 cup oil2 cups sugar2 cups peeled and grated zucchini3 tsp. Rosemary flower candies (Rosemarinus officinalis) Leave your tic-tacs at home. This medicinal plant provides delicious mouth fresheners to integrate into a balanced healing diet. Cooking Instructions For Prime Rib Roast Have you been searching for cooking instructions for prime rib roast and still can't find a recipe that will give you the juicy and tender prime rib roast that you deserve? The reason may be that recipes only give you the basic ingredients for cooking and not the cooking instructions for prime rib roast.Let's start with cooking instructions for prime rib roast that begins long before the day you prepare your prime rib.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
