Now it's summer, sun, and vacation, even here at VästerbottensSåpa, but we're still taking the opportunity to do some good.
Juice is one of those things that I'm reluctant to buy. It feels silly when the forest is full of berries and both children and adults consume far too many preservatives and various E-numbers anyway. We can easily make juice ourselves and have it in the freezer in such quantities that it lasts all year round. Previously, I've stuck to the classic blueberry juice and the slightly more acidic lingonberry drink as a table beverage.
Thanks to Facebook (which I love) and a share from one of my Norwegian friends (whom I also love), I found kjerstisandnes.blogg.no, and this handy woman had a recipe for Rosebay Willowherb juice. Rosebay Willowherb is what we here in the Västerbotten inland call Aljmecke (with a note on the spelling), and some of you may know the plant as fireweed. The names mjölke and mjölkört come from the fact that the plant has been assumed to promote milk secretion in cows. Cows, pigs, and even hens really appreciate the plant and can eat quite substantial amounts if offered. Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) is a perennial herb in the evening primrose family.
The pictures in Kjersti Sandnes's blog were simply irresistible, so a test was absolutely necessary! Now I have my first batch ready, and it turned out just as lovely as in Kjersti's pictures, and the taste is reminiscent of lingonberry drink, even though the color screams PARTY
There was another batch that goes straight into the freezer and will then be taken out in December/January when the children have birthdays.
Here is the recipe
Aljmeck's Juice
150 g flowers of Aljmecke
7 dl sugar
25 g citric acid
1 liter water
- Bring water, citric acid, and sugar to a boil in a saucepan. Make sure that the sugar and citric acid dissolve properly by stirring from the bottom of the saucepan.
- Pour the hot liquid over the flowers.
- Cover with a lid.
- Cool, preferably in the refrigerator, for 3-4 days.
- Strain and pour into bottles.
- The juice lasts for about 5 days in the refrigerator but freezes perfectly.
Keep in mind that the juice expands in the freezer, so don't fill the bottles completely.
The juice is concentrated and should be diluted with water like regular cordial.
Also, remember not to pick the flowers too close to roads, as they can then be quite dusty.
//Sara