4 2009-11-01T03:13:40+11:00 false After cold days, with night temperatures below 0° C, the weather is now warm and sunny. It's ideal for strolling in the meadows and along the country paths, bordered with dog rose shrubs. During a walk, I've collected a basket of hips, set on preparing jam. Once in the kitchen, I've split the hips and cleaned them taking out all of the seeds and hairs (a long job). I've cooked them along with a small amount of water and white wine, then I've pureed the pulp using a sieve and simmered it again, adding sugar. The jam looks attractive: bright red, thick and velvety. As for the taste, it is rather sweet and scented: it seems to be good especially with morning toasts and bread; trying a spoonful of it, according to me, this jam appears to set a little your teeth on edge (in Italian: _"allappa"_). I've filled and canned 5 small jars, and I'm thinking of adding them to my Christmas presents. Collecting the hips, I've realized for the first time that the dog roses growing here are different: some hips are oblong, others round; some branches are full of thorns, in others the thorns are very scarce. This spring I'm going to observe the flowers: how may things to discover and learn! 5 false 4 70331 false false false Entry 2009-10-31T10:00:00+11:00 DMY 85990 Public 2009-11-01T14:42:54+11:00 9381 Sunny 11 C