Elderberry is a wonderful native local plant that has fantastic medicinal qualities.
Elderberry syrup is a great remedy for coughs, colds, and flus during the cold winter season. Elderberries are known to support a healthy immune system. Here is my favorite recipe that I want to share with you. This is a syrup that will help minor illnesses and help to ease sore throats.
Ingredients
– Elderberries
– Raw organic honey
– Raw or powdered ginger
– Spritz of lemon juice
– Brandy (optional)
Directions
- Destem all the elderberries. An easy way to do this is by using a fork to pull the berries off the stem. Another easy way is to freeze the berries. This causes them to literally fall right off the stem with almost no effort.
- Put the berries in a bowl or pot and smash them up into a juicy mash. Add about twice the amount of water to the pot and turn the heat on medium. When the mix begins to simmer, lower the heat so as not to boil the mix.
- When the mix has cooked down a bit and the water has simmered off, strain out the mush. Sometimes I add a minimal amount of water to the mush and squeeze out any more juice I can. Add all the liquid back into the pot to continue the simmer, stirring occasionally.
- When the mix has decreased by at least half, and starts to thicken, add the honey. The best honey to use is local organic honey, as this will have the most medicinal benefit. Honey will help with a sore throat and with coughs, which will act in combination with the elderberries to strengthen the final product. The mix should thicken substantially at this point.
- Add a pinch of ginger to taste. Ginger also helps with colds and coughs. The acid in a spritz of lemon juice will also aid in preservation. Brandy is also a good preservative. Add just a bit to taste, it doesn’t take much. Adding a preservative will ensure the cough syrup lasts through the winter season when you need it most.
- Store your cough syrup in the fridge until ready to use. Simply take a spoonful when you feel sickness coming on.
