Kiss the Earth

I don't think I knew was a rose hip was till fairly recently, though, as they say, I'd seen them around. On vacation last week I saw them all over the beach - covering the ancient Rosa rugosa or "beach rose" bushes that grow in pure sand and unfiltered sun. I picked a few to bring home to remind me of those languid days at the beach, days of long walks along the water and hours spent indulging in that rarest of luxuries: unhurried reading.

These rose hips are the size of cherries and a bright orange-red color. Were I feeling adventurous, I'd had picked many more and started cooking when I got home. Did you know you can make a ton of delectable-sounding goodies from these little nuggets that are high in vitamin C?

You can dry them and make rose hip leather. You can puree them to add to apple sauce. You can make rose hip soup and pudding, syrup and bread, tea, candy, jelly and pie. I've had rose hip jelly, which is light and delicious, and rose hip tea, which is fruity and spicy, a bit like cranberry.

Before we all get carried away with recipes, it's important to remember that first and foremost, rose hips feed the birds. And I'm for that.

So my handful of hips will be all I'll save. They're in a large clam shell, also salvaged from the beach, here on my desk, reminders of a lazy vacation that's already fading. If I really get hard up, though, all I need do is take a walk in Center City. Rosa rugosas positively covered in rose hips line the cross streets over the Vine Expressway.

Tea, anyone?