In a few more days I guess I’ll have to pick these fiery colored fruits. In the past, around this time of the year, a friend has plucked them off the two decent-sized bushes in my yard to make her popular dulce de rosa mosqueta (rose hip jam.) This year she’s decided to take a break so, instead of them wasting away and I don’t see the birds eating them, something needs to be done. But not with jam. Personally, I can’t stand the stuff. Not jam in general and her recipe was just fine, I think. That’s what others have said anyway. No, something different.

I’ve tried numerous times to get my taste buds to conform with the buds of others I know but they’re being utterly stubborn. Jam, jelly, or syrup. Nothing overly sweet works for me. The flavor reminds me too much of tomato jam, or jelly, and I can’t stand that either. I love all things tomato, well except tomato jam/jelly. Each day I probably eat tomatoes in some shape or form but I will never coat them in sugar. That is exactly what tomato jam tastes like to me. Tomato ketchups and barbecue sauces are sweet and have loads of sugar you may say, and I agree, but there are loads of other ingredients that balance everything out. Speaking of ketchup, I actually tried a rosa mosqueta ketchup from an small artisanal operation based somewhere in Patagonia but it too turned out quite disappointing. In that case, however, I believe it was the recipe.

So, what to do? If anyone out there has any ideas, please pass them along, but be quick. For now, I’m thinking of drying some and using the rest to make some sort of puree to use in sauces. Barbecue sauce? I think I’ll give that a try.

If you are unfamiliar with rose hips, they are the oval-shaped fleshy fruits, or hip, of rose plants. Plucked off a bush and opened, there is really nothing fruity about them in the classical juicy sense. The fleshy tough skin is not unlike a hot chili pepper and the inside is filled with seeds and a hairy membrane–both of which need removing before use. Since rose hips contain very high amounts of vitamin C, they are widely used in some parts of the world for medicinal purposes. The oil from the seeds is said to work wonders on the skin. You can read more about the plants and fruits here

Throughout Patagonia, it’s not hard to find rosa mosqueta sold as artisanal jams and liquors in various gourmet or touristy shops. A good bakery may fill alfajores with the rosy stuff as an alternative to dulce de leche. Restaurants may offer tasty deserts drizzled with rosa mosqueta syrup or perhaps as a sweet-sour sauce to dress a succulent portion of lamb or pork. If you’re ever in the area, try it out in some way or another.