The days before, I saw DouNiuTX post on her blog about making homemade hawthorn skewers.The sour and sweet hawthorn skewers made me start to feel hungry.Just the other day, at the market, I found some fresh hawthorns available.hawthornsmisoaremyWhen eaten raw, the sourness of the hawthorns really makes me want to cry.After coating them with syrup and sesame seeds, they taste different; the sourness mixed with sweetness is very enjoyable.I rushed to buy fresh hawthorns from the market, following DouNiu’s method to wash, de-seed, fill, and skewer them. Everything was ready for the crucial step—boiling the syrup. I was excited, thinking about how soon I could enjoy these.

Water was put in a pot, followed by sugar; on high heat, it boiled, then switched to low heat with constant stirring.However, after some time, white crystals began appearing in the syrup, gradually drying out and finally forming lumps.What’s wrong? Was my heat control incorrect?I washed the pot and tried again carefully controlling the heat and stirring, but the result was the same—crystals appeared again!Was it due to the wrong ingredients? Shouldn’t white sugar be avoided and replaced with rock or yellow sugar?After seeing online that rock or yellow sugar should be used, I tried using the last bit of rock sugar available at home. The result was still disappointing—crystals appeared again!？Does boiling this syrup require high technical skill?Is there something wrong with my level?I wasted nearly 1 kg of white sugar and was still not satisfied, reading DouNiu’s method carefully once more.Looking for information on the internet about how to boil the syrup, I found detailed methods that didn’t work. Finally, a very authoritative recipe succeeded after repeated attempts.I summarized my mistakes in boiling the syrup and listed points to pay attention to when making them.Content of 2:1 sugar-to-water ratio.Only use white sugar for preparation; if using 200 grams of sugar, add 100 grams of water. Adjust according to the amount of ingredients.Must use a stainless steel or enameled pot; avoid iron pots.After adding sugar and water into the pot, heat on high until boiling. Do not stir when bubbles appear; shake gently instead to prevent uneven heating and sticking.

My electric stove heated at 180°C for opening, then reduced to 150°C as yellowish-bubbles appeared; further lowered to 120°C.To check if the syrup is ready, dip a piece in cold water. It should be brittle and not sticky when bitten into.Once done, remove from heat immediately.

When dipping with sugar, act quickly to prevent it from cooling and solidifying; avoid hand burns. Place on a greased board or plate for cooling.Sprinkle sesame seeds in the syrup if desired for extra flavor.

Do refer to DouNiu’s method, which is quite detailed, but pay attention to my above points.hawthornsalso known as "mountain red" and "lipstick fruit."

Not only are they round and deep red like rubies, making them beloved, but they also have high nutritional and medicinal value.In 100 grams of fresh hawthorn flesh, vitamin C content reaches up to 89 mg, second only to jujubes and persimmons in the fruit world.hawthorns

are rich in fiber and protein.They are especially beneficial for calcium intake, suitable for children, pregnant women, and the elderly.Hawthorns contain iron, niacin, and other nutrients such as proteins, fats, carbohydrates.

As a fruit, hawthorns have been famous in Beijing's ice hawthorn skewers. The bright red skewers are both sour and sweet, captivating many people.

hawthorns

not only taste good but also aid digestion by stimulating the secretion of digestive juices.They help to increase appetite and digest food well.

The most important effect of hawthorns is to strengthen the stomach and resolve accumulated food.milletThese medicinal effects are part of a traditional formula called "Three Charcoal."muttonhawthorns excel in digesting meat.For indigestion due to meat, one can drink 100-150 grams of hawthorn decoction.hawthornshave potential benefits for cardiovascular diseases.mangosThese ingredients enhance and regulate heart muscle function, increase coronary artery blood flow, prevent arrhythmia caused by electrolyte imbalance, lower cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure, and have diuretic effects.hawthornsalso combat various bacteria like dysentery bacilli and green pus bacillus.They are commonly used to treat dysentery, intestinal inflammation, and infantile diarrhea.Hawthorn is also effective for gynecological issues. 60 grams of hawthorn decoction with 30 grams of red sugar can help resolve menstrual blockage.

hawthornsalso aid in uterine contraction, making them the first choice for postpartum lochia retention and promoting uterine recovery.hawthornsand meat accumulations. For indigestion without meat, one can use 100-150 grams of hawthorn decoction.According to research, hawthorns have good prevention and treatment effects on cardiovascular diseases.Hawthorn contains triterpenes and flavonoids that enhance heart muscle function, increase coronary artery blood flow, prevent arrhythmia due to electrolyte imbalance, lower cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure, diuretic effects, and sedative properties.

hawthornshave strong inhibitory effects on various bacteria like dysentery bacilli and green pus bacillus. They are commonly used for bacterial dysentery, intestinal inflammation, and infantile diarrhea.hawthornsare also a key herb for treating gynecological issues. 60 grams of hawthorn decoction with 30 grams of red sugar can resolve menstrual blockage effectively.

hawthornspromote uterine contraction, making them ideal for postpartum lochia retention and promoting uterine recovery.hawthornsalso contain flavonoids that have strong anti-cancer effects. Fresh hawthorn can drive out ringworms. Its quercetin, hyperoside, etc., promote blood vessel dilation, facilitate airway mucus drainage and asthma relief, making it helpful for bronchitis.hawthornsshould be consumed in moderation as overeating may damage stomach qi.

People with weak digestive systems should avoid hawthorns. Even healthy individuals should consume them moderately, especially children whose teeth are developing.hawthorns

are beneficial but not suitable for everyone. Overconsumption can harm the stomach and hinder tooth development.After eating hawthorns, it is advisable to rinse your mouth to prevent dental issues.Therefore, those with weak spleen and stomach should avoid eating hawthorn.Even healthy individuals should consume hawthorn in moderation.Especially children, who are in the process of teething, should not excessively eat hawthorn or hawthorn products such as hawthorn candies.Excessive consumption is detrimental to tooth development.After eating hawthorn, one should also pay attention to rinsing their mouth promptly to prevent damage to teeth.