Autumnmnmnmnmnmnmn

Go on, just do it!

I''m just catching up with the fact that elderberries now ripen late August/September, rather than September/October, as I'm sure they used to. In the good old days. Once again this year, I nearly missed them. Just in time, phew, to make this wonderful syrup.

(if there are still some berries around in our micro-climate of London, there will probably be plenty where you are).

This is delicious diluted with water, with/without lemon added - also good with sparkling water. LG loves it. Also v. good with hot water as an alternative to mulled wine. Will substitute quite nicely for cassis, to make kir.

And additionally - a traditional medieval remedy for chest problems, this is excellent for coughs, colds and sore throats with hot water, with/without added honey, lemon, booze. Its very very high in vitamin C.

What more could you ask? Its dead easy to make, and you can make any amount - just do at least a little, before its too late and I'm sure you'll want to make more.


Elderberry syrup

from Roger Phillips Wild Food book, Pan 1983.


Pick ripe elderberries (recipe says on a dry day - I've picked them in the rain, and not suffered obviously bad consequences).

Any quantity. (see - you can just try a very very little bit, and see if you like it)
Wash and drain.

Strip fruit from stems (a fork is useful for this - and I don't usually worry about all the tiny little bits of stems. Otherwise it would take all day.) (well... hours anyway)

Put into a pan and add just enough water to cover the fruit. Simmer for about half an hour. (or boil rather too rapidly, if like me you are a bit neglectful).

Strain through a jelly bag or muslin. (or a tea-towel, so long as you don't mind the new colour it will gain) (or even a seive, which I've used this year.)

Measure the juice, and for each pint of juice add 1 lb/450g of sugar and 10 cloves.
Heat gently, stirring till all the sugar is dissolved. Boil/simmer for 10 mins, leave to cool - and then bottle.

As easy as that.

This will freeze in plastic bottles, but I usually use bottles with good stoppers (french cider bottles, Grolsch bottles, port bottles) or screw-tops (some olive oil bottles are quite nice) and it keeps perfectly well in a cool dark cupboard - we are just finishing the last bottle from last year.

I had a pic. of my satisfying shining dark bottles, but Blogger says NO. This year I had about 2 pints of juice, and after adding sugar etc. this ended up giving me about 3 litres of syrup.

Off today to see if there are still some berries left, more would be even better.