Elderberry Syrup - Winter's tasty medicine!

We are fortunate to have two Elderberry bushes in our yard that yield approximately 10 or more gallons of berries each fall. Not only do the berries produce an incredible purple/pink color when it comes to dyeing wool, it has the highest vitamin C content than almost any other berry. So whether I am making jelly or syrup, I know that I am also making a delicious medicine that I can use through out the winter months. This year I made several jars of jelly and several more bottles of syrup. Usually I make a cough syrup that I add honey, yarrow and other immune supporting plants. I didn't necessarily find that my family used it as often as I would have liked. I think because it was more of a medicine and was only sought after when they didn't feel well. This year I made syrup and put it in maple syrup bottles. We use it on our pancakes and waffles and I like to sweeten my tea with it or mix it in with my plain yogurt. It's really tasty either way and is still a "medicine" that is good for my family. Here are a few tips for making Elderberry Syrup.

Frozen Elderberries (being such a small berry, they are easiest to work with when frozen)

Scrape frozen berries off their branch using a fork and place in a pot.

Add water to just barely covering the berries.

Boil while stirring and mashing the berries.

Once cook

ed, remove from stove and strain through a wire mesh.

Measure out juice and add equal amounts of sugar or honey. Unfortunately, making syrup or jelly does require a fair amount of sugar.

Return to stove and cook until it has been reduced and is thick like syrup.

I made a really large batch this fall and put in a little pectin to thicken it but you can also accomplish reaching the right consistency by boiling it down.

I poured the syrup into maple syrup bottles and sealed them so that I could store them with out refrigerating.

When I am making more of a medicine, after straining the berries, I will return the juice to the stove and infuse it with yarrow, echinacea, fresh nutmeg, ginger root and cinnamon.

Hope you enjoy this recipe and blessings on a healthy winter for you and your family!