Christy

Warning, it may cause cramps so perhaps not suitable for pregnant women or infants. We never had them but apparently you need to put a disclaimer.

I use dried elderberries as well as fresh ones. Just bring to simmer and leave them overnight to get all the working ingredients out. Then proceed to the next stage. Make sure to never boil!

You will need a ratio of ¼ cup of dried elderberries for every two cups of water. You can make more than this amount, but try to maintain this ratio. To help promote maximum extraction, I like to soak the dried berries in water for a few hours first. Overnight in the refrigerator is even better.

Cover the pot loosely with a lid, enough to allow steam to escape, but not too rapidly. Gently simmer the water and berries together over medium-low heat until the liquid volume is reduced by about almost half of the original volume. For a large pot, this make take a few hours. Don’t allow the brew to come to a full rolling boil.

When elderberries are decocted in hot water, you may see a few very small ‘oil slicks’ form on the surface of the water. This is a good thing! The longer the berries cook (over low heat), the more medicinal resin is extracted. To increase the extraction process, stir and mash the berries against the side of the pot with a large spoon from time to time. Don’t try to skim it the oily stuff off, you want it to stay in the brew.

After a few hours, when the liquid in the pot has been reduced by about half of the original volume, allow to cool a little before straining the berries out.

Strain the berries through a colander, taking care to squeeze all the juice and goodness out of the berries. I don’t like to use cheesecloth or any other fabric for straining elderberries because the resins and other medicinal goodies will stick to the cloth.

At this point, if you have opted for the sugar-free preparation you will need to preserve the juice it by freezing it (use within six months), or you can refrigerate it if you can use it within 3 or 4 days.

To make a shelf-stable and self preserving 65% sugar syrup, add 2 1/8 cups of sugar to every cup of elderberry juice. Reheat and stir until all the sugar is completely dissolved.

Pour the hot syrup into hot canning jars that have been sanitized first by boiling in water for at least ten minutes. Jar lids need to be hot, as well. Simmer, do not boil the canning lids. Overheating the canning jar lids at a higher heat than a simmer (about 180*F. or so) may result in a seal failure. After pouring the hot syrup into the hot jars, wipe the jar rim with a clean damp paper towel to ensure nothing is there to interfere with sealing. Fill the jars to about ¼ - ½ inch from the top. Wipe the rim with a piece of a wet paper towel before positioning the lid. Screw on the band firmly and allow the jar to cool slowly. From time to time, you may hear ‘pings’ as the jars cool and a vacuum forms, pulling the lids down tighter.

For longer term storage, I prefer to bump up the sugar concentration a wee bit more to 70% . This translates into adding 2 ¾ cups sugar to every cup of elderberry juice. It may be overkill, but I have never seen a batch of elderberry syrup go bad at this rate.

Although elderberry syrup can last for years, I like to rotate my stock on a 6 month basis for maximum freshness. Store in a cool, dark location.

This copyrighted material may be reprinted by you for noncommercial use, if the following credit is given: This article and recipe is an excerpt from Mrs. Tightwad's Handbook #2: HOW TO MAKE HOME REMEDIES THAT REALLY WORK.

I have a good reply to the original poster. Starting a new thread about it in fact.

CG, normally elderberry works a treat for us. Flu is shorter and less severe.

This time around.. not so much.

Current flu is a monster. Just when you think you're recovering, it comes back again.

We're upping the dose of elderberry from 3 to 5 times a day now.

Hello all, hoping to find you well in the run towards Christmas 2012.

Here we're all down with the flu that's going round. Nasty one and I'm back to bed in a minute.

Just wanted to let you know that I'm in no mood to send Christmas cards this year. Flu being a hinderance, deaths and upcoming deaths in the family another.

You will be in our thoughts and hearts but just not getting a card

Catch ye later Hugs

Hello Miki, good to see you back online again. First Christmas on your house will be special.

Looking forward to hear all about it. xxx

Christy! Good to 'see' you!

The inventor lives in Maryland, not exactly the warmest, sunniest part of the country.

I'm planning to move to Kentucky as soon as my place here in Texas is sold.

Yeehawwwwww, Kentucky here she comes

Btw, so that solar warm water thing would really sit you there.

Looks like a fantastic device. Sure would work in sunny areas.

Kinda missed the you moving part

Oh poo, resurfaced too late and missed this one. Never mind, a few people on my "they're lovely and good uns" will get something anyway.. If I can work up the time to get things made.

sulk sulk

Just been one of those weeks again. Didn't manage to get here, sorry.

Having the dreaded eye surgery again this afternoon, same as in january.

So will probably not be online for a while either.

No worries, things are under control, just won't be able to see much for the first week or so, it's cool.

Am thinking of you all, just too much happening lately. It'll get better, promise

Luv xx

Have fun Mt R.

Happy Belated birthday and wishing you good days all year round.

(((Miki)))

Hiya, good to see you again.

That's a challenge and a half! Sounds as if your life is filled with finding out what to eat, prepare it and see it gets eaten.

Got my own fair share of intolerances but this sounds truly difficult!

Thank you all, it is good to hear I've been missed.

Thanks Linda for posting this.

If in any way, shape of form I can scrounge the funds together, I'll be there.

((((Buddy)))) Bet it scared the Dickens out of you Miki. Your furbaby shaking and ill.

Good to hear you are tackling it where you can.

Give Buddy a careful snog from Nima and me please.

Hazelstone, one keyboard down here. Dangerous to drink your first cuppa here while reading

The Mars bars and Snickers announced they will stop producing candy with a caloric value of over 250 calories. In short, the large bars will disappear.

Bet you a shiny new nickel once people get used to not being able to compare the prices will go up unnoticed. Cos the larger ones are gone! What a clever ruse this one.

Em yes...

The Mars bars and Snickers announced they will stop producing candy with a caloric value of over 250 calories. In short, the large bars will disappear.

Bet you a shiny new nickel once people get used to not being able to compare the prices will go up unnoticed. Cos the larger ones are gone! What a clever ruse this one.

Yeah, wtg CGA. You made yarn and it's a good feeling innit?

It's really cool to be able to make the basics you need to produce materials (if this makes sense in English).

The possible future perhaps maybe mr Christy has a birthday coming up the 11th of march and is getting socks. Made by yours truly.

Hope he'll think of me when he has warm feet.

Now a matter of choosing yarn and finding out his shoesize. Gazing in one's eyes leaves a girl a bit hazy about the man's feet

Thanks for the info-I checked on stretchy sock yarn but it was $5.00 here and it makes only one sock? Thats $10.00 for one pair?

Does it have to be stretchy sock yarn? Cos that is a price that would put me off.

I get either wool that's rather thick for winter socks or sock yarn that is a bit stronger than average. And my socks keep for years on end and any holes are repaired cos you have a bit of wool left always.

Sometimes I knit in a thread of sewing yarn in the heel and toes to make it longer lasting. Great trick that helps to not wear it down so quickly, just not the easiest thing to juggle, wool and thin thread together.

Oh dear, that is such hard news. There are no words to comfort, nothing to take away the pain.

Let us just hold your hand and wrap our arms around you, your sister and your families.

Just goes to show how inventive and resilient people can be dunnit? Whatever the source, we can learn a thing or two about making do with practically nothing there.

Thanks for posting Windmorn.