As you are looking for plantings to fill in empty spaces in your garden this might be one to consider. Earlier in the season Sugarbush was carrying these bushes. Tickled to have special guest Nan Reinert, of Chubby Pickle Farms, who is sharing her recipe for Elderberry Syrup. I don’t have any elderberry growing on my property and I’m told it’s something folks love to forage for. I need to find a bush because I’d really like to make this syrup come this fall. Without further adieu… here is Nan’s recipe. “Elderberries are easy to forage in fall. I identify areas of elderberries in the spring, when they are in bloom, then return in the fall to pick and dehydrate them. If your going to purchase these berries, Mountain Rose Herbs carries organic ones.” – Nan Reinert, Chubby Pickle Farms
- ⅔ cup black elderberries
- 3½ cups of water
- 2 tablespoons fresh or dried ginger root
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ½ teaspoon cloves or clove powder
- 1 cup raw honey (I like to make sure it's local)
- Pour water into medium saucepan and add elderberries, ginger, cinnamon and cloves (do not add honey!)
- Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce to a simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour until the liquid has reduced by almost half. At that point, remove from heat and let cool enough to be handled. Pour through a strainer into a glass jar or bowl.
- Discard the elderberries ( I compost them!) and let the liquid cool to lukewarm.
- When it is no longer hot, add 1 cup of honey and stir well. If you add the honey before the mixture cools it destroys the healing properties of the honey. It's important to cool the mixture to lukewarm.
- When honey is well mixed into the elderberry mixture, pour the syrup into a pint sized mason jar.
- Store in the fridge and take daily. Boosts the immune system. Elderberries have antibiotic properties.
[…] Elderberry Syrup by Nan Reinert […]