Hi , I have a simple question cannot find answer to! We have an endless supply of rosehips I would like to find how to dry and scent with vanilla. Do I wash first, soak in vanilla, how much vanilla all I find is oils and cream soup etc. Please and Thank you Hawkeye
What do you want to use them for? If you want to keep them whole for decoration the treatment would be different then if you are wanting to cut/clean them for teas or I hear they can be peeled and used in jam. Perhaps if you give more info on what you wanted someone could help you make it.
I found this recipe on the net. Here are some others that sound pretty good. One is instructions on drying them.
Thank-you Globalist. It sounds pretty simple, will give it a go after the frost. I am guessing the cold would make them sweet like grapes. Deb
This thread led me to dig out an old Euell Gibbons book, Stalking the Healthful Herbs. He says, "For the very best hips, they should be gathered shortly after they turn bright red, for later they develop a bothersome silkiness about the seeds."
Thanks for reply, Just joined UBC I would like to scent them with vanilla and dry , use for poporie or sache I seen them somewhere dried scented with vanilla Thanks Hawkeye. . .
I don't really know for sure how you would do this. I suggest going to a craft store, or some other place that sells supples for making potpourri. My guess is that you will need some sort of vanilla oil. Kitchen vanilla is mostly alcohol and would surely have a negative effect on the colour of your hips. honestly, it's just a guess on my part so take it with a grain of salt. Michael
Gilly Love writes in Roses (1996 Anness), Orris root is required in both moist and dry potpourri recipes. This is a powdered root that acts as a fixative in these scented blends and is available from traditional pharmacists and herbalists. Lay freshly picked rose petals and leaves on blotting paper or other absorbent paper, making sure that the petals are not touching. Let dry in a cool place where there is a good flow of air. That is the extent of her preparation before introducing recipes for potpourri including rose petals and orris root, with or without rose essential oil or brandy (for moist potpourri). I have been around rosarians for probably 15 years and have never heard of these scented rose hips, but they are sold at http://www.countrysidefarm.org/scentedrosehips.htm. You could give them a call and see if they will share ideas with you. You could start by asking if they use orris root, dried rose hips, and vanilla essential oil. I would follow the simple instructions above for drying the hips. I have seen scented rose beads, however, so perhaps if you look at the multitude of recipes and instructions online for making those, then you could make them for your potpourri, and try to make up a recipe for the scented rose hips from a combination of all of this information. Note that brandy and vanilla extract both have ethyl alcohol, so it should be okay to use the latter, but it probably would be for moist potpourri and definitely not as fragrant as essential oil.
Dry your rose hips according the recipe link that was posted. After they are dry, place them in a zip lock bag with 2 or 3 drops of vanilla fragrance oil (I have found no sources for vanilla essential oil). Gently shake the bag to make sure the frangrance oil has gotten spread around. Leave it in a cool, dark, dry place for a couple of weeks. Open the bag and take a whiff. If it is as strong as you like it, let them dry out of the bag for a couple of days. You will need to "recharge" your hips occasionally as the fragrance fades. Hope this helps.
