Pick the berries of the elderberry bush, these must be mature (dark blue to black). They can be picked in the fall, late August and September. Note that you have to wear dirty clothes because the elderberry easily make stains and these are very difficult to wash away.
Green, unripe berries can give you cramps. So let hang the immature berries. Do not eat just picked elderberries, because they contain toxic substancess. You can remove the toxins during the cooking process. Always wash the berries, especially if they have been sprayed.
Furthermore, the berries contain a lot of acids and vitamin C. Vitamin C is good against viral infections, especially in the winter period.
Recipe
Press the berries in a food mill.
Take 1 liter of juice.
Add a pound of cane sugar and some honey.
If you want some acidity you may add the juice of one lemon.
Let it all cook for about 15 minutes. Cooking is necessary because this way the toxic substances can be boiled to dead.
Take away the dross from the juice and divide the elderberry syrup over a number of bottles.
Store them in a cool place, preferably the basement.
Bottles that have been opened are best preserved in the refrigerator.
Elderberries as an addition to recipes
Elderberry syrup can add value to appetizers and other drinks.
Elderberry Syrup can be combined with many things.
Try adding a scoop to the Glühwein.
If you make vanilla pudding first put some elderberry syrup in the ramkins with a spoon before you add the vanilla pudding.
You can also make elderberry jam. To do that you have to replace the cane by sugar jelly.
