Monday, October 11, 2010

Elderberry Syrup

Here's a recipe for elderberry syrup, without cooking it to death!
Yum!!




My favorite elder syrup includes the berries and flowers, plus stimulating, warming spices to improve absorption and circulation.  I prefer not to overcook my elderberries by boiling for extended periods of time, and have found that excessive cooking weakens the potency of theelderberry medicine.  This syrup uses a strong 1:2 infusion of the herbs, which is preserved with honey and alcohol.  This syrup is delicious and strong medicine for the cold and flu season for the whole family!  I have also found elderberry preparations to be an excellent ally for shingles, chicken pox, and other herpes viruses.  Take 1-3 tsp per day all season long, or 1/2 tsp hourly in acute illness. 


1 cup dried elderberries
1/2 cup dried elderflowers
2 tbsp ginger chips
1 tbsp cinnamon chips
16 oz water
4oz vodka or brandy
1 lemon, juice
16 oz honey or sugar

1. Mix all the dried herbs together in a jar.  
2. Pour 16 oz boiling water over the herbs, and 4 oz of vodka or brandy
3. cap and let infuse 8 hours or overnight.
4. In a muslin, jelly bag, or cheesecloth strain the herbs from the liquid.  Squeeze gently to get as much fluid from the herbs as possible.
5. Add the juice of 1 lemon.
6. Measure out exactly how much liquid you have in a glass measuring cup.
7. Add an equal amount of raw honey or sugar to the liquid.  Mix well until sugar dissolves.
8. Bottle and store. It will keep best under refrigeration.  If you wish to keep this in the pantry, you will want to use more alcohol in step 2 (8 oz of 50% vodka) to preserve.

6 comments:

Titus Family Blogs said...

Looks delicious! But here I am in Botswana with no elderberries! Do you have any recipes for fresh mulberries or sour oranges? We have those in abundance! :)
Thanks for such a nice blog!
Priscilla Titus

Nourishing Words said...

I finally got around to making this last night. I'm so excited to have my own supply of such beautiful, healthful syrup, and it's extra special that I made it myself. Thank you!

Celticlass said...

Doing elderberry syrup myself. The berries came from a mystical weekend drive near Mt. Hood and a magical older woman. Loved your blog found thru Kiva Rose. Many Blessings, Anam Cara Erin

elderyogini said...

Hello, thanks for the great recipe. I grow elderberries and continue planting more because they taste good (I make wine, jam, and syrup),and are such a fantastic anti-viral food.

I'm looking forward to trying your syrup recipe next year.

By the way, my dad, who grew up in Buffalo NY in the 1920-30s said that his mom used to give him a glass of warmed elderberry wine every time he got a cold or other sickness. The family picked the elders along Lake Erie shoreline and always had a supply of elder wine in the house.

thanks again for your beautiful blog.

Simchah said...

Darcey,
Are ginger chips thin slices of ginger, or do they need to be cooked first and if so, how? Thanks for the recipe!
Simchah

Rodger said...

Great recipe! We've never seen anyone include the flowers before...usually it's just the berries.

"The mother of us all, the oldest of us all, Hard, splendid as rock, Let the beauty you love, be what you do. There are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the earth"~ Rumi ~