With a have a huge elderberry bush in the corner of the property, every summer I always enjoy making preserves and syrups.
Elderberries are extremely high in vitamin C. The berries contain more vitamin C than any other herb except rosehips and black currant. The bush and berries are steeped in folklore and offer many a remedy for a slew of ailments. Not only growing your own food but "pharmacy" too!
The syrup is great to take during the flu season and there's no need for a "spoonful of sugar" to help this "medicine go down!"
Elderberries are known to have "antioxidant activity, to lower cholesterol, improve vision, boost the immune system, improve heart health and for coughs, colds, flu, bacterial and viral infections and tonsilitis." - HerbWisdom.com
This year, I tried a more "European" style preserve that doesn't require straining out the seeds and skins (I believe the skins are the healthiest part!). And with our very own small orchard of apple trees, I used homegrown apples instead of pectin.
ELDERBERRY PRESERVES
Ingredients
450g (1lb) elderberries, stripped from stems
225g (8oz) cooking apples, peeled and chopped
150ml (1/4 pt) water
juice of 2 lemons
2 sprigs of lemon balm (I substituted Lemon Verbena)
675g (1 1/2 lb) sugar
Put all the ingredients into a pan and simmer until a small quantity, put on a plate, wrinkles when cold. Remove balm. Pour into hot sterilized jars and cover.
Recipe courtesy of
http://www.grouprecipes.com/85273/elderberry-jam.html
9 Comments: "MIND YOUR ELDERS!" »
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Sounds delicious!!! I think I must try some!
I wonder if this would work for red elderberry as well? We have hundreds of them growing wild in the park near our house.
Red Elderberries a toxin and should not be eaten
Thanks for the new elderberry recipe. I can't wait to try it. We have a large elderberry thicket on our property and also forage for more in the wild. I love to make jelly, syrup and wine from those lucious purple berries. I used to make the jelly for two of my Scottish great-aunts, who said it reminded them of home. It's amazing how many people in this country that have no idea that those funny looking trees have such wonderful fruit on them.
What Species of elder is this? Is it the European or the local Mexican or Blue Elderberry Bush
European. Though we have loads of the Mexican one growing wild in the hills
Since I am old and my last name is Berry, does that make me an "elder" Berry?
I am sooo inspired by the DERVAES Endeavor.
I do an IONS Honolulu Community Group and we have a group called, 'GROW WHERE YOU ARE'....I was in Cuba last Oct., inspired by their Power of Community film, www.
communitysolution.org. This is the story of how Cuba has become 70% organic farming as a result of Russia's fall which took Cuba's source of oil and fertilized.
I think the Dervaes Story is a very positive model for the planet.
The flowers of the European elder make a wonderful drink. Don't forget you are supposed to ask Mother Elder's permission before you take her flowers or fruit.