Black Elderberry (Sambucus nigra)
You can make herbal medicine with the flowers and fruits of the Black Elderberry bush/shrub. According to Gaia herbs, elderberry, ‘the bush has been referred to as “the medicine tree of the common people“.’ The berries offer antiviral and immune stimulating properties during these winter months plus elderberry syrup tastes divine! My son Soren loves it!!!!
Last night I began preparations for todays Elderberry syrup making. I am following a recipe by Richo Cech of Horizon Herbs. Here are pictures of my own experience making Elderberry syrup.
Measuring 2 cups of dried elderberries
2 cups of dried elderberries with 4 cups of boiling water to sit overnight
Elderberries the next morning (today 1/2/12)
Elderberry water mix in blender
Blended with vitamix
Pressing through a fine mesh sieve: note, it is important to continue stirring the seeds and pressing. It takes a while to press all the juice out.
Measuring the finished juice. Was a bit short of what I should have but realized in the future I will use a pressing bag and press.
Simmering the elderberry mix: will simmer for about 1-2 hours until I have just over 1 1/2 cups. Then we will move on to the next step.Here is our final images for the Elderberry syrup making.
Removing Elderberry syrup from pan after reducing to half (it ended up a little more than half reduced)
Measuring reduced liquid (NOTE: I took out a bit to make one cup and made a little syrup with honey I had but had to wait to the next day to get honey and complete the larger amount.)
Next day: added one cup of honey to elderberry syrup. (I prefer honey over glycerin as it has its own therapeutic properties.)
Stirring honey and elderberry syrup…mmmmm!
Pressing through cheesecloth (not sure how well this method worked, next time will just pour into cheesecloth and squeeze out!)
Pouring into sterilized jar for storing.
Be sure to label jar. I am storing this in the fridge although it may not last too long. My son and I love it!
I hope you enjoy making this wonderful delicious immune supportive syrup this winter! If you need dried elderberries you can order them from Mtn Rose Herbs at: http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/
You can learn more about Elderberry here:
Gaia Herbs About Black Elderberry
For those of you who don’t wish to make Elderberry syrup, I highly recommend purchasing it from Gaia Herbs at: http://www.gaiaherbs.com/products/detail/95/Black-Elderberry-Syrup-
Great and inspiring writing on Elderberry Elixir and here with Kiva Rose.
Additional resources
Great picture of the berries http://www.panoramio.com/photo/12531256
Another way to make the syrup with John Gallagher and Learning Herbs at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOYzWyFGkqM
