Elderberry, the queen of herbs?

I need another lifetime to optimally utilise everything I have planted in our garden. This weekend, I was reminded once again of the potential that is growing in every corner. Years ago, I planted an Elderflower. I had wanted to make Elderflower ‘champagne’. The romantic sound of Elderflower champagne seduced me into having the plant in the herb garden.

I might not have made the ‘champagne’ correctly, but clearly the idea of making Elderflower champagne was a superior notion to the experience of drinking of it. I will try it again when I have time to dedicate myself more purposefully to the process. Luckily, the products that one can produce from Elderflowers are endless. The lacy white caps look lovely on the tree and in ice cold Elderflower cordial and cocktails made with Elderflower liqueur. Both of which I can make and serve with confidence.

For the first time, the Elder tree is covered with elderberries. I did what I always do, I explored what I can possibly make with elderberries. In the exploration, I discovered that the Elder is a very beneficial plant. In the Middle ages it was believed that the elderberry could restore and keep good health. Some believed that it was an aid to longevity. With my interest piqued in this magical plant, I decided to make elderberry gin and elderberry cordial.

The Elder tree is steeped in Folklore. Anglo-Saxons, the Danish, and other old European cultures believed the Elder tree to be sacred. This sanctity emanated from the spirit or goddess believed to live within the plant. In Danish she is known as Hylde Moer, or the Elder Mother. She had the power to protect and to harm. The Elder Mother had the power to turn the plant’s natural gifts (flowers, berries and wood) into blessings. The leaves could protect a home or a person from evil spirits when dried and hung in a doorway or around the neck. The part that I like is that it was a particularly good omen if an elder grew near a dwelling, as the tree’s proximity to the home would protect the household.

The Elder tree is best known for its fragrant flowers and berries that are rich in antioxidants. With twice the Vitamin C of oranges and three times the antioxidants of blueberries, elderberries are also high in polyphenols and bioflavonoids. It is believed that the use of elderberry can assist in the treatment of flu. Studies show that the use of elderberry compounds can inhibit the virus's entry and replication in human cells and can help strengthen a person's immune system.

In my efforts to put to best use every herb, vegetable and fruit in our garden, I might have stumbled upon a readily available natural remedy for familiar and less familiar diseases doing the rounds. With elderberry gin and elderberry cordial fighting the viruses, life might become an even more enjoyable experience.

Elderberry Gin

Ingredients:

400g of elderberries

750ml of gin

Lime peel

Sugar syrup

Method:

1.      Carefully remove the berries from their stalks making sure to discard any green or unripe berries. Note: Using a fork to comb through them is a quick and effective way to remove the berries. Be careful not to squash the ripe berries though.

2.      Rinse the berries in cold water, remove any bits of leaf and stalk that rise to the surface of the water. Drain the clean berries and place them in a 1 litre jar with the lime peel.

3.      Add the gin to the berries and lime peel. Close the jar and leave too steep for at least 4 weeks in a dark area. Turn the jar ever so often.

4.      After the 4 weeks of steeping, strain the gin through a sieve into a bowl and add the cold sugar syrup made with equal parts sugar and water.

5.      To make the sugar syrup use equal parts sugar to water, I used 150ml of water to 150ml of sugar. Put the sugar into a pot with the water and set over a low heat, stirring until it has dissolved into a syrup. Allow to cool completely.

6.      Add the syrup to the gin bit by bit, tasting along the way until you are happy with the sweetness.

7.      Pour into a bottle using a muslin lined funnel.  Leave for at least a month before serving. Serve straight or add tonic for something more refreshing.

After picking an enamel bowl full of berries, I spent the whole morning stripping berries off stalks. I did regret picking so many after a while. But the promise of the new taste experience awaiting us, made me soldier on. After weighing off the required berries I realised I had enough berries left for some elderberry cordial.

Elderberry Cordial

Ingredients:
500g Elderberries

500ml Water

350ml Sugar

1 Lime

Method:

1.      Put the elderberries and water in a pot.  Bring to a simmer and let cook for 30 minutes.   Strain the elderberries through a muslin cloth lined strainer, reserving the juice.  Press the berries gently, squeezing all the juice from them.

2.      Pour juice back into a clean pot.  Add the sugar and juice and zest of the lime. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 15 minutes, stirring regularly (to ensure all the sugar is dissolved).  Let the syrup cool while you prepare the bottles.

3.      Pour the cordial into bottles using a muslin lined funnel. Store the cordial in the fridge. 

With the temperatures soaring to 40°C outdoors, I spent the time in the cool house making new items for cocktails and drinks. Who knows? Drinking to one’s health may take on a more appropriate meaning using elderberries. With everything one can make with elderberries and elderflowers, the Elder truly is the queen of herbs.