This black gold is elderberries: the dark purple gems that are currently abundantly adorning the Elder trees (Sambucus nigra). The berries are produced after the aromatic white summer flowers, typically beginning to fruit in central Scotland around September, and last up until the end of the month/beginning of October depending on weather, foragers and animals’ consumption. The berries start out green and go through the whole spectrum of reds until they’re at the most ripe as a deep purple. As I’ve experienced this week some of the berries are hard to reach because the way the tree grows. The best I’ve found is a gangly bushy-like patch of what looks like several trees, or at least multiple stems growing loose and long. This made it easy to gently pull down each stem to gather the berries. I also remember from living in the countryside south-east of Edinburgh that the hedgerows were laden with easily-accessible berries. The thing is, you have to get to know your area and to find some good patches of trees that you can return to year after year.
Elderberries are highly anti-viral making them one of the best natural remedies for COLDS, FLU and COUGHS. You can take the syrup as a preventative, boosting and supporting your immune system to be ready for lurking bugs. This is the perfect time of year to start this preventative treatment because the weather is changing from summer to autumn. With the beginning of school, children bring a wide variety of bugs with them which, seems to get passed most easily to parents. Parents then go to work with lots of other people and you’re exposed to different bugs to which your immune system will start to respond. In addition, we may be feeling a wee bit tired from all the expansive, energetic activities of the summer, and during this transition period when we should start to slow down we are most susceptible to illness.
Here’s what you need to make syrup:
- Fresh elder berries
- Organic raw honey
- Muslin cloth
- Potato masher
100g of fresh berries (off stalks)
250g organic honey
- Pick berries, scrape the berries off the stork using a fork into a pan
- Wash berries removing debris and green berries
- Cover with cold water (all berries covered)
- Put on stove, bring to a boil then reduce to a gentle simmer, with lid on pan. Simmer for 45-60 minutes. Liquid should reduce by 25-50%
- Take off the stove and leave to cool
- Over the jug peg on the muslin cloth
- Pour all contents of pan through muslin cloth, squeeze out all the juice, discarding the remaining plant matter (compost if possible)
- Add honey to the dark red liquid, giving it a really good stir so that all the honey and liquid are evenly mixed and dissolved
- Decant into sterilised jars, or bottles. Put on the lid and a label stating date made, what it is and dose
- Refrigerate to keep longer
Children (3-15 years) ½ teaspoon (2.5ml) daily as a prophylaxis, or up to 3 times daily in acute illness
Adult (15 years and above): 1 teaspoon (5ml) daily as prophylaxis, or up to 3 times daily in acute illness
For children under 3 years please seek the advice of a medical herbalist. Find your local herbalist here.
These instructions do not replace that of the professional advice of a medical herbalist practitioner
I like these websites for additional info about elderberry syrup: