Rose Hip Jam Recipe

4 quart rose hips with black ends
1  removed
1  (about 5 pounds)
3 1/2 cup sugar
1 x water (wine or sherry)

Gather the rose hips after the first frost. I am not sure why this is
done but I have several sources that say to do it, including my
grandmother, so I wait. Wash the rose hips well in case there is any
insecticide residue. Cover with water and simmer until the hips are
very soft and falling apart. Press through a food mill or colander to
remove the seeds and larger particles.  Press through a finer sieve
to remove the smaller fibers and seed bits.

Cook the pulp down until it is quite thick. How thick? That is hard
to say. Thicker than heavy cream.  I check the measurements at this
point. I add about a pound of sugar for every pound of pulp. The 3
1/2 cups is my measurement from the last time I made this.

Add the sugar and check the taste.  Sometimes I add a bit more sugar.
Rose hips have enough pectin to jell and enough ascorbic acid to make
it a little tart. Cook over high heat until the mixture has a thick
jam-like consistency. Put in jars.  Makes 4 half-pint jars 

Rose Petal Jam

30 large red cabbage roses
3 lb sugar
2 pint water
1/2  lemon

Take the roses and cut off the white ends.  Make a syrup with the
sugar and water.  Then add the juice of the half a lemon and the rose
petals. Boil until the roses crystallize, stirring frequently with a
wooden spoon. Turkish cooks keep this for years. 

Sherried Pear & Cranberry Jam

1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries,
1  about 1/2lb (250g)
4  (or 5) ripe pears, about 2lb
5 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sherry
1  box certo crystals fruit
1  pectin

Place cranberries in a food processor and whirl, using an on-and-off
motion, until coarsely ground. Turn into a large bowl. Peel, core and
finely chop pears. They should measure about 2 cups. (Do not chop in
food processor; they will turn to mush.) Add chopped pears to
cranberries. Stir in sugar until well mixed. Let stand for 10
minutes. Then, combine water, sherry and fruit pectin crystals in a
small saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring
constantly. Stir into fruit mixture. Continue stirring for 3 minutes.
(There will be a few sugar crystals remaining.) Immediately pour into
jars. Cover at once with tight lids. Let stand at room temperature
until set. It may take up to 24 hours. Then, store in the
refrigerator or freezer. Jam will keep well in the refrigerator for
up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for several months. Makes 6 1/2 cups.