Posh restaurants serve sea buckthorn berries to garnish savoury dishes, so it’s time to investigate and harvest some.
First to find a female bush which produces the orange berries and where better place than Seaford sea front. Then research on Wikipedia.
The raw berries are sour and sharp so I’ve cooked some with sugar and pickled others in a sugar and rice vinegar syrup.
Germany and Scandinavian countries seem keen on sea buckthorn juice as it’s rich in vitamin A, C and E, so a useful winter supplement. Sea buckthorn oils are made from the seeds and used in dietary supplements and skin care products and the orange berries get their colouring from carotenoids, so maybe I will be able to see in the dark – based on my ancient vitamin A teaching.
Fermentation – the fruits should have a pleasant sour taste but not taste as if they have gone off. They should hold their original shape – so if mushy or smelling bad, start again.
Equal amounts of sugar and berries then place in a jar. Leave space at top of jar and replace lid. Bubbles appear on the fruit as the yeast converts sugar to alcohol.
Fermented syrup – one cup sugar 2 cups water baking yeast – stir until sugar dissolves, let ferment at room temperature 3-4 days then add fresh fruit
itaughtthemtocook.com 