Made my own elderberry syrup for the whole winter and it tastes so much better than the store one made with suger. It is fast and simple.
2 cups dried elderberries 4 cups boiling water 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup lemon juice
Place berries in an uncovered saucepan and pour boiling water over them. Cover and let soak overnight. The next day, simmer the berries for30 minutes. Puree the warm berries in a blender, adding remaining ingredients as you blend. Pour the syrop into a clean bottle, and store in the refrigerator.
We almost never have any colds or flues. I have also dried elderberry tea. It really works and we take it the whole winter.
...We almost never have any colds or flues. I have also dried elderberry tea...
Dried Elderberry or Elderflower Tea? Both are good for colds really - just wondering which one you mean is all.
Also, curious to know what colour your berries are? Bluish-Black, Red, or White...
Herr Schlüggell -- Establish a Garden; Cultivate Community. "To see things in the seed, that is genius. He who obtains has little. He who scatters has much. The way to do is to be." -Lao Tzu Bruno Manser, Ned Lud, August Sabbe, Richard St. Barbe-Baker, Eddie Koiki Mabo, Masanobu Fukuoka
I've never eaten "Burgundy Red" berries...only Bluish-Black and Red. Possibly Sambucus racemosa or S. tigranii.
I've never been clear on the edibility of White. My opinion on the US Red vars. is the seeds are questionable so juicing them or spit the seeds out.
Herr Schlüggell -- Establish a Garden; Cultivate Community. "To see things in the seed, that is genius. He who obtains has little. He who scatters has much. The way to do is to be." -Lao Tzu Bruno Manser, Ned Lud, August Sabbe, Richard St. Barbe-Baker, Eddie Koiki Mabo, Masanobu Fukuoka
I heard that the red ones were not good to eat and to only eat the purplish blue elderbarries.
As above to clarify for Alek, et al. Sambucus sp. contain Cyanidic Compounds - generally in the sap. Thus, children and teenagers have died from using the green wood (the stems can be hollow).
Back to "Red Elderberries" in US: They are/were a food source for various Indigenous Americans. In fact, some books reference some tribes eating Red over the Blue-Black. I suspect more of a survival food. It is because the seeds have a very 'strong' flavour. So the modern literature, in my opinion, refers to eating the "whole berry" - but if you juice them or spit the seeds out they are fine.
Now for Alek's Red Elder we must be talking of a different genus of Red than the common Red in USA - However, I've only seen Blue-Black so far in UK.
Herr Schlüggell -- Establish a Garden; Cultivate Community. "To see things in the seed, that is genius. He who obtains has little. He who scatters has much. The way to do is to be." -Lao Tzu Bruno Manser, Ned Lud, August Sabbe, Richard St. Barbe-Baker, Eddie Koiki Mabo, Masanobu Fukuoka
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Alek it is the same variety I use :Sambucus nigra when I make sirup- Ihave never used honey- but I really ought to- beeing a bee keeper So Thanks for your recipe- I make it with 75 % elderberries- fresh in september- and 25 % mixed fruits; sour cehrry, raspberry and blueberry- it is so good. You can also use it in sweet desserts- like boil pears in a mixture of elderberry concentrate and water- they turn wonderfull red-boil down the liquid- with some extra suagr/honey untill it gets sticky sause - serve with cold whipped cream or greek yoghurt 10 % fat - yum.....
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Henriette_Bsec - Saturday, December 2, 2006, 4:01pm
Thank you Schluggell for such a detailed explanation. What we have on the island is Sambucus nigra [Family; Caprifoliaceae] and it is the same type as British elder but more redish than black. There is one more species of the plant here Sambucus ebulus. It differs grom Sambucus nigra in the odour, which is absolutely unlpeasant.
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