Comments on: Elder (Sambucus nigra) – Elder Lore and Elderflower Recipes

By: tel1943

tel1943 — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:12:19 +0000

Hi guys
Can anyone tell me how hard or easy it is to grow an elderberry tree and how much room is required
Thanks

By: Fraser Christian

Fraser Christian — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:55:10 +0000

Hi,

I think most of the folklore comes from the fact that the elder is such a great healer, and that if burnt in a ire place or wood burner, the deposits in the smoke build up and catch fire easily, or a witch will sit on your chimney.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:58:12 +0000

I am a big fan of elderflower syrup – and have a webpage on how to make it.
http://www.jeremytaylor.eu/elderflower_syrup.htm Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

By: sooty

sooty — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:43:56 +0000

Oh this website is just great, found it accidentally! I have a few elderberry trees in my “wild” garden so i am going to attempt the recipes offered, thank you!

By: amanda

amanda — Wed, 28 May 2008 20:10:30 +0000

try typing in autumn fruits….this has some great recipes.

By: Suzanne Garner

Suzanne Garner — Wed, 28 May 2008 11:17:19 +0000

Hello there, Here’s a recipe for Elderflower Wine;
Pick 2-3 pints of fully opened elderflowers, pushing them gently down into the container as you pick them. When you’ve got them home, gently shake off any insects, then rub the flowers gently, to remove them from the stalks into a large container; a clean bucket is ideal, enough to hold a gallon of water;(I trim off the top of the florets – don’t include too much stalk) Add the zest and juice of two lemons and 3 pounds of sugar (1.5 kilos). Boil up 1 gallon of water and pour over the flowers, lemon juice ,zest and sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved; Allow to cool to about blood heat, add a sachet of yeast (bread yeast from the supermarket) or 1 once (28g) of fresh yeast. Stir, leave 24 hours until fermentation begins, covered with a clean t-towel, then put into a demijohn and insert an airlock. When fermentation slows (sometimes, this can be quite vigorous!) and a sediment is thrown, (about 3-4 weeks) rack the wine off the sediment, into cleaned demijohn. Allow to clear and bottle into bottles that have been cleaned with boiling water. You can add a 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of sugar before you cork, but if you do, you must put champagne corks and wires on the bottles or tie the corks down, as this can be a very sparkling wine!!!(I recommend you try the basic recipe first!) The longer you keep the wine, the better, but, as with most flower wines, they can be drunk quite soon after bottling. You get 6 x 75cl bottles per demijohn and it is well worth the effort!! Suzanne.

By: ma martin,deborah

ma martin,deborah — Sat, 24 May 2008 16:29:34 +0000

dear Jade,loved reading about Elderflowers,i love them.Ive just been out this morning picking some heads to make Elderflower cordial,but ive made it with White Wine Vinegar?Do you know why?Can you make it with Apple Cider Vinegar,does it keep longer with vingar and out of the fridge.And i would love a jam recipe….theres a real buzz picking what God has provided.

By: Trudie Roberts

Trudie Roberts — Sat, 24 May 2008 12:12:56 +0000

does any one have a recipe for elderberry cordial including cloves, used as a treatment for colds? – my great aunt used to make it but the recipe has got lost with time! Trudie

By: Tracy Pepler

Tracy Pepler — Fri, 02 May 2008 14:53:27 +0000

Thanks Jade, I am going to have to try that!

Tracy