It’s that time, near the end of summer but not quite into autumn, when there are still some lovely warm days but a hint of the cooler weather and shorter days that are on their way. The combines are out harvesting the grain, the leaves are starting to turn and this harvest time is heralded by the first ripening of our amazing wild fruits – rowan berries. This is my favourite time of year. Don’t get me wrong I love the newness of spring and the glory of summer but September is my favourite month. I love the feeling of gathering, harvesting and preparation for the long winter months ahead – there’s a feeling of ancient connection with generations before that have done this and I love the feeling of self-reliance it brings. It’s also my birthday month and cake might also have something to do with it : )
Rowan or caorunn in Gaelic is also called mountain ash as they share similar, pinnate leaves. But whereas ash trees have hard bunches of long hard seeds called keys, rowans are bestowed with the most glorious bunches of bright red fruit. These scarlet berries, formed after small white flowers, hang in huge clusters near the end of the rowan branches, weighing down the tree like it is under a huge burden. Picking some of them to use relieves the branches a bit but please remember not to harvest too many from one tree as they are an important food source for many native birds - blackbirds and thrushes - and for our autumn visitors such as waxwings and fieldfares that fly in from Scandinavia for a feast.
Rowans are steeped in folklore and were thought to ward off evil spirits and enchantment so were often planted at the front of a house to prevent evil from entering, perhaps because the colour of the red berries was associated with protection from witches. Rowan twig crosses were also made as talismans for people and for cattle too, sewn into coats and hung around their necks to keep them safe.
The Latin name for rowan, Sorbus aucuparia, is named for the sorbic acid first found in the berries, which is a useful natural food preservative. But be careful always to cook the berries before using them because they also contain parasorbic acid, which is broken down by boiling, but which untreated, is toxic and can cause nausea and vomiting.
Rowans are most commonly associated with a rich red fruity jelly, that preserves the wild flavour all year round. Rowan jelly - recipe below - is wonderful with lamb, game and cheese. It’s easy to make but is usually a 2-day process to allow the boiled fruit to drain overnight. But the jelly is also easily transformed into a wonderful syrup to use in wild cocktails and mocktails. Dissolvng the jelly in warm water (or tea as in the mocktail recipe below) is an easy way to make the rowan flavour liquid, even if don’t have time to make your own and you are using shop-bought rowan jelly. Rowan pairs beautifully with apple flavours which are ripening at the same time - use wild crab apples in the jelly to help it set.
September also brings the Scottish Wild Food Festival on 19th & 20th September at Tir na nOg, near Balfron in the Trossachs (G63 0NF) https://www.scottishwildfoodfestival.co.uk/ . If ever there was a reason to head west for a wee trip, this event is it. Two days of foraging and wild food that will enliven your senses, reconnect you to the wild flavours of Scotland and let you meet some new friends. Of course Highland Boundary will be there too serving wild up cocktails – look out for our colourful Pictish wolf logo and come and say hello.
Rowan Jelly Recipe
Rowan jelly needs some pectin to set otherwise it won’t set. A natural source is crab apples (or cooking apples) otherwise use pectin sugar. Scale this recipe up or down depending on how many berries you can sustainably harvest – remember to leave most for the birds.
Ingredients
- 1.5kg rowan berries (washed and removed from stalks) 1.5kg crab apples (or sour apples)
- White sugar (or pectin/jam sugar) - 450g for every
- 600ml of strained liquid Juice of 1 lemon
- Steps Place the rowan berries and chopped apples in a large pan. Cover the fruit with water and bring to the boil.
- Turn the heat down and cook on a high simmer for 20 minutes. This is important to make the rowans safe to eat.
- Continue to simmer for another 20 minutes until the fruit is soft and broken down – you can help this along with a potato masher.
- Strain the juice through a jelly bag, muslin or clean cotton cloth over a sieve and leave to drain overnight in a cool place.
- Measure the volume of the juice and place back in the pan. For every 600ml of fluid, add 450g sugar.
- Add the lemon juice and bring to the boil. Boil for 15 minutes and then test for the setting point.
- Spoon a little jelly onto a cold plate (cooled in the fridge), let it sit for a minute, then push the blob with your finger. If the surface of the jelly wrinkles then it has set. If not, boil some more and test again.
- When the jelly has reached setting point, pour into clean, sterilised jars and seal.
The jelly will last for at least a year or more – store in a dark cupboard to retain the beautiful red colour.
