Easy Rowan Berry Recipes

Rowan berries, also known as mountain ash berries, are small, vibrant fruits that begin to ripen in the late autumn, making them a perfect symbol of the transition from the cooler months to the heart of the festive season. Their bright red hue and striking clusters make them a popular choice for creating beautiful, natural wreaths, adding a touch of seasonal charm to any home. As November rolls in and we prepare for the holidays, these berries mark the stepping stone to more festive traditions.

Beyond their aesthetic appeal, rowan berries offer a wealth of health benefits and can be transformed into a variety of delicious recipes. Packed with vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber, these berries have long been used in folk medicine for their ability to support immune health, improve digestion, and even help with inflammation. They are also known for their natural ability to boost circulation and maintain heart health.

In the kitchen, rowan berries can be used in a range of delightful treats, from homemade jams to soothing teas. A warming cup of rowan berry tea is perfect for cold evenings, while rowan berry compote can add a tangy twist to your breakfast spread.

Rowan Berry Compote Recipe

If you prefer a simpler, less sweet option than jam, a rowan berry compote can be made, which is perfect for serving with desserts like ice cream, yogurt, or pancakes. To slowly introduce Christmas season, we had it with rice porridge this weekend.

Ingredients:

• 500 g fresh rowan berries

• 1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)

• 1 cup water

• 1-2 cinnamon sticks

• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Berries:

   • Rinse the rowan berries and remove them from the stems.

2. Cook the Berries:

   • Place the rowan berries in a saucepan with the water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

   • Add the sugar, cinnamon sticks, and lemon juice, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

3. Simmer:

   • Simmer the compote for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries are soft and the mixture thickens into a syrupy consistency.

4. Cool and Store:

   • Once the compote has thickened, remove from heat and discard the cinnamon sticks.

   • Allow the compote to cool before transferring it to a jar or serving dish.

   • Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Rowan berry tea is a delightful, warming beverage that combines the tartness of the berries with the aromatic flavors of herbs and spices. Here’s a cozy Rowan Berry Tea Recipe that incorporates rosemary, honey, and a touch of cinnamon for an added festive touch.

Rowan Berry Tea with Rosemary, Honey, and Cinnamon

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup fresh rowan berries (about 20-30 berries)

• 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1-2 tablespoons honey (adjust to taste)

• 2 cups water

• Optional: a slice of lemon or a few cloves for extra flavor

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Berries:

   • Rinse the rowan berries thoroughly. If using fresh berries, crush them lightly with the back of a spoon or a muddler to release their flavor.

2. Boil the Water:

   • In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer.

3. Add the Ingredients:

   • Add the crushed rowan berries, rosemary, cinnamon stick (or ground cinnamon), and any optional spices like cloves or lemon slices to the water.

4. Simmer the Tea:

   • Let the mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld together, and the water takes on a deep, reddish hue from the rowan berries.

5. Strain and Sweeten:

   • Remove from heat and strain the tea into a cup, discarding the solid ingredients (or keeping the rosemary sprig for decoration).

   • Stir in honey to taste, adjusting the sweetness to your preference.

6. Serve:

   • Enjoy the tea warm, and if desired, garnish with a small sprig of rosemary or a thin slice of lemon.

Tips:

• If you prefer a stronger flavor, you can let the tea steep for a longer time or crush the rowan berries more to release more of their juices.

• Rowan berries are naturally quite tart, so the honey will help balance that out. You can also experiment with other sweeteners like maple syrup or agave if you prefer.

• The cinnamon and rosemary complement the rowan berries nicely, but feel free to adjust or add other spices like cloves or star anise for a more festive, spiced aroma.

This rowan berry tea, with its mix of herbs, spices, and natural sweetness, is perfect for warming up during the colder months and can become a comforting ritual as you get ready for the holidays.

Rowan Berry Wreath

How about these antique candle holders? They are my newest find from our Italy trip to Puglia. 

This beautiful Rowan Berry Wreath is a celebration of nature’s bounty, carefully foraged from the wild during the crisp days of November. The vibrant red berries, framed by their delicate autumn leaves, make for a stunning and natural decoration that brings warmth and color to the home as the seasons shift. Rowan berries, known for their striking appearance, have long been cherished for both their beauty and their practical uses. Beyond adorning wreaths, these berries can be transformed into delicious homemade goods like jam and tea, offering a delightful taste of the season. Whether displayed on your door or hung inside, this wreath serves as a reminder of nature’s generosity, adding both festive charm and a touch of rustic elegance to your November decor. I feel this wreath is a natural stepping stone to start thinking about the festive season.

I collected fallen twigs from trees to make the base of the wreath. The key is use bendable twigs that easily form a circle. I bend them around into a circle and tie them together with florist wire. You can make this as thick or thin as you wish. 

Wreath base

You need bendable young branches or thick florist wire to create the base. If you can forage young branches that bend easily, collect a bunch and bend them into a circle. Secure the circle with florist wire that is twisted around the branches so it stays in place.

If you do not have branches- you can simple twist thick florist wire into a circle and repeat this process a few times so it create strength into the base.

Materials Needed:

1. Florist wire or a sturdy wire frame

2. Pruners or scissors

3. Foraged goods; rowan berries and green branches

green branches from an evergreen bush from our garden

Make the Wreath

Step 1: Gather Your Materials Collect a variety of foraged goods from your garden, local park, or nearby woods. Look for items like evergreen branches, twigs, pinecones, dried flowers, and berries. Ensure they are in good condition and free of pests. This wreath needs twigs for the base, rowan berries and green branches.

Step 2: Prepare the Base: If you're using a wire frame, shape it into a circle or any desired wreath shape. If you don't have a wire frame, you can create a base by bending a sturdy wire into a circular shape. Ensure the base is strong enough to hold the weight of the foraged materials. You can also make the base from bendable twigs, like I did.

make small bouquets that are attached to the base

wrap the bouquet with florist wire around the base. repeat process

Step 3: Create Small Bouquets- Take small bunches of foraged goods, in this case a rowan berry twig and some grenery. Arrange them in a way that looks pleasing to you. They can either be wild or more structured. Hold the bundle together that will then be attached the base.

Step 4: Secure with Florist Wire- Use florist wire to tightly bind the ends of the bouquet. Wrap the wire around the stems a few times and twist the ends together to secure the bundle.

Step 5: Attach to the Base- Place the secured bouquet on the wire frame and use additional florist wire to attach it securely. Wrap the wire around the stems and the base, ensuring it's tight and stable.

Step 6: Repeat the Process- Continue creating small bouquets and attaching them to the base. Overlap each bouquet with the previous one to ensure full coverage and a lush appearance. Vary the types of foraged goods to add texture and interest to your wreath. You can be creative here, by making the bouquet wild and effortless or create a more full and manicured look.

Step 7: Fill Gaps As you work- fill in any gaps or sparse areas by adding smaller pieces of greenery or other foraged items. This will give your wreath a more polished and cohesive look.

Autumn Apple Pie

The end of August brings apple season as summer slowly begins coming to an end. The heatwaves have ended and it’s been raining exceptionally much for August and it feels like autumn is slowly making its way into the horizon. The air feels a tad crisper in the morning and at 9pm, the sky gets dark, which means our beautiful endless white nights are in the past. Give Autumn also brings apples, which means pie.

We took another trip to the summer place but this time around we didn’t swim as much, but we enjoyed the warmth of the sauna almost on a daily basis. Once again, I let nature inspire me, picked fresh apples from the trees, ate outside as much as possible and enjoyed the last of the summer days.

I made apple pie one day as I couldn’t resist on picking some fresh apples from the trees. I didn’t scout for any recipes and just went with the ingredient’s what we had at the cottage, and honestly everyone seemed to like it a lot. The filling is really moist as it is made from quark with chocolate wafers inside, so it is nothing like a traditional apple pie. I dressed a little iron table with flowers and candles that I had my husband carry down to the lake. I took some lovely images of it and after all the pictures, had my parents come down to eat the remaining of the pie. Everyone loved it, including Siena. Ps. I am officially in the third trimester already and tomorrow I enter week 29 already.

Ingredients

• 2 whole small apples, washed

• 1 packet of vanilla flavored quark (about 250g)

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 2 teaspoons brown sugar

• 2-3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour

• Pinch of salt

• 1 teaspoon of melted butter

• 1 egg

• A few chocolate wafers or chocolate pieces

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

In a bowl, mix together the quark, the cinnamon, sugar, salt and flour. Then add in the egg and melted butter. Take your little cake tin and line it with parchment paper.  Place the two little apples in the center and pour the batter on the sides. I wanted to leave a little of the apples showing from the surface as this is visually rather appealing. Press the wafers into the batter. Brush the apple surfaces and stalks with a little bit of the melted butter so they do not burn in the oven and lastly, add a pinch of brown sugar on top. Place into the oven for about 30minutes until the batter is cooked throughout.

I served the pie with more vanilla quark and freshly picked blueberries from the ground.

Savoury Pumpkin & Fig Pie

Pumpkin pie does not always have to be sweet, a savoury version is beautifully salty, a bit tangy with a hint of sweetness from the pumpkin and figs. Now that autumn is in full bloom, there is nothing more enjoyable than pumpkin pie with a hot cup tea overlooking the kaleidoscope of fall colours. All the leaves have turned a vibrant yellow in Finland and slowly they will begin to drop as we get closer to colder more darker days. This morning the temperature was zero degrees, so it seems that winter is near us.

To make the crust, I use the same staple recipe that I mostly use, that requires butter, flour and a bit of water. It really is so easy to make and after this, you will not buy store bought dough anymore. For the pumpkin filling, I roast some pumpkin in the oven and mix it in with a little bit of garlic, onion and feta cheese. Eggs give the filling some solidity and it is topped with luscious figs. Figs are my favourite during this time of year all the way until winter, as I think they give that decedent festive feeling to nearly anything.

Pie crust ingredients 

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• Pinch of salt

• 6 Tbsp cold unsalted butter cut in cubes

• About 4 Tbsp cold water

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter melted (for brushing)

To make the butter crust, add the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. This can also be done without a food processor, by hand. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse about 20-30 times, until the butter is incorporated and the mixture is crumbly. Drizzling in the cold water while pulsing again until a dough is formed. If the mixture looks too dry, add a little more water. Turn out onto a floured surface and form it into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour. This process can be done a day in advance as well.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface as thin as possible and place over the buttered cake tin. Press on all surfaces until even.

Pumpkin Filling

• Pumpkin Slices (small pumpkin)

• Pinch of salt/pepper/ thyme twigs

• 1 red onion

• 2 garlic cloves

• Crumbed feta cheese ( about 1 dl)

• ground nutmeg

• 1-2 tablespoon butter

• 2 eggs

• pinch of honey

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Slice the pumpkin (do not need to remove the crust) and place onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Drizzle some oil on top along with a pinch of salt. Place into the oven for about 45min or until the flesh is cooked.

Once the pumpkin is cooked. Take out the flesh (remove the skin and sides) and place in a bowl. Then, heat a sauce pan with a bit of butter and add in the chopped onion and garlic. Stir gently so them soften (not burn) and add in a few twigs of thyme. Then mix in the pumpkin flesh, along with some ground nutmeg. Let it gently simmer on low heat and add in the crumbled rich feta. Check for flavour in case it needs more salt or pepper. After a few minutes, remove from the heat and place the filling into a bowl to let it cool a bit. Once a little cool, mix in the eggs. Pour the filling on top on the crust in the cake tin. Slice some fresh figs and add them on top. Meanwhile, in a little pot over medium heat, melt a little butter that will be brushed on top of the figs. Allow the butter to brown on the stove and add in a pinch of honey. Remove from heat and brush over the figs and the sides of the crust.

Place into an oven of 180C for about 40 minutes until the sides begin to golden.

Autumn Spice Yogurt

These caramel apples work wonderfully on toast, porridge and even as a base for apple pie. You can essentially use whatever spices you please, but I wanted to highlight the flavors of autumn that maximise ze warmth and comfort. These apples are also from our neighbours apple tree at the countryside, which are lovely and small with a tangy slightly sweet flavour vor to them. I prefer to leave the skin on, but you can either peel and also use which ever apples you prefer. This little breakfast spot is by the corner of our shed at our country house. I just love the distraught wood and the dark backdrop it provides during autumn. After summer when everything is bright, airy and light, I crave for more darker spaces and moody imagery when autumn is upon us. Now, let’s begin by making the easiest sweet apples that are dressed in the most delightful spices.

Caramelised apples in Autumn Spices

• 2 cloves

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon cardamum

• 1 teaspoon honey

• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• Pinch of salt

• Apples slices

• 1 tablespoon of butter

Yogurt bowl

• Cashews

• Gooseberry

• Yogurt of choice

• Herbs for garnishing (optional)

Place a saucepan over medium heat and add the butter to it. Once melted, add the apple slices, honey and spices. Gently mix and let it cook for under 10 minutes with a lid on. If the consistency looks too dry, add a little bit of water so it steams and realizes all the spices from the bottom of the pot.

Add some yogurt into a bowl and drizzle the apples slices (and juices) on top. Add some gooseberries (or whatever berry is in season where you live) and some toasted cashews. I added a few twigs of herbs in the end to add a bit of freshness and color.

To toast the cashews, add some cashews (gently broken) onto a dry pan with a little bit of salt flakes. Cook for a few minutes until the receive a bit of color and remove to the side.

Rosemary Wreath & Fall Golden Milk

As October gracefully bids adieu, a cascade of vibrant leaves flutters down from the trees, heralding the imminent arrival of winter. Today, a gentle Friday rain outside my window serves as a prelude to Sunday's official transition to winter time. In sync with the changing seasons, I've transformed my garden, swapping out summer blooms for the warm hues of autumn and winter. Alas, this shift required bidding farewell to my towering rosemary tree, yielding an abundance of fragrant branches. I wanted to share an easy rosemary wreath tutorial and a golden milk recipe.

With a surplus of rosemary, I embarked on a creative venture — freezing some, gifting others to my parents, and fashioning a collection of charming wreaths. These botanical creations, adorned with the essence of rosemary, hold the promise of infusing my kitchen with festive aromas when brought indoors during the Christmas season.

Anticipating November's arrival, I sought to complement my autumnal ambiance with a comforting cup of golden milk. While the concept isn't novel, my twist involves a hint of black pepper and the subtle inclusion of bay leaves, imparting a delightful punch to this sweet elixir. Meanwhile, for those inspired to craft a rosemary wreath, the process is elegantly simple – winding the flexible branches around a sturdy base with floral wire, a festive DIY project detailed in my blog.

As the stores gradually unveil their Christmas embellishments, the air is ripe with the promise of festive cheer. Soon, we'll be immersed in the magic of the season, guided by the fragrance of rosemary wreaths and the warm embrace of golden milk.

Autumnal Golden milk

• 1 cup oat milk

• 1 pinch cinnamon

• 1 pinch black pepper

• 1-2 bay leaves

• A few slices of fresh ginger

• 1 pinch cardamom

• 1 pinch turmeric

• 1 teaspoon honey for sweetening (optional)

Mix all ingredients together in a small saucepan and gently heat over a stove for a good 15-20 minutes.

Creating a Rosemary Wreath: A Simple Guide

Materials Needed:

1. Thick florist wire (for the base)

2. Fresh rosemary branches

3. Floral wire (thin and flexible)

4. Scissors or wire cutters

Steps:

1. Prepare the Base:

   • Cut a length of thick florist wire to your desired size for the wreath. This will be the foundation.

2. Secure the First Rosemary Branch:

   • Take a long rosemary branch and align it with the base wire.

   • Use floral wire to tightly secure one end of the rosemary branch to the base wire. Make sure it's snug.

3. Wrap and Seal:

   • Start wrapping the rosemary branch around the base wire, creating a coil.

   • As you reach the end of the first branch, use floral wire to secure the other end to the base wire. This seals the first loop.

4. Repeat the Process:

   • Take another rosemary branch and repeat the wrapping process.

   • Secure both ends with floral wire to the base wire.

5. Continue Building:

   • Keep adding rosemary branches, wrapping and securing them with floral wire until the entire base wire is covered.

   • Ensure each new branch overlaps the previous one, creating a lush and full wreath.

6. Finishing Touch:

   • Once you've covered the entire base, use scissors or wire cutters to trim any excess wire and tidy up loose ends.

7. Secure the Last Branch:

   • Ensure the last rosemary branch is tightly secured to the base wire to complete the wreath.

8. Hang and Enjoy:

   • Your rosemary wreath is ready! Hang it on your door, wall, or anywhere you desire. The fragrance of rosemary will add a delightful touch to your space.

Remember, rosemary is flexible, so feel free to bend and adjust the branches as needed during the process. Enjoy your charming and aromatic DIY rosemary wreath!