Winter will be here soon, and one of my favorite herbal remedies from fall through spring is Elderberry Syrup. Elderberry Syrup, made from the dried berries of the sambucus nigra plant, is full of naturally-occurring immune boosting compounds. My grandmother swore it shortened the life of colds and the flu, and elderberry syrup has been found in herbal recipes dating back to the earliest settlers in North America. Elderberries are also high in vitamins A, B, and C which we all run short during the long winter months.
In ONE DARK WISH, the second book in my Deadly Force romantic thriller series, the heroine Sarah Munro (who is also a historian specializing in the 17th century) has a side hobby of reformulating herbal remedies she’s collected from colonial-era sources. Below is her modern recipe for Elderberry Syrup. While herbals are not substitutes for modern medicines, I’ve found they can often ease the symptoms and shorten the length of time my family is sick.
The syrup can be taken by a teaspoonful, every day. Or added to an herbal tea, poured over pancakes, or mixed with sparkling water. The price of the dried berries fluctuates through the year and I try to buy them in the summer to make the syrup in the fall. It’s always so disheartening, as the flu season ramps up, to watch the price of these berries skyrocket. One day I’ll have a bush and will be able to dry my own!
Sarah Munro’s Elderberry Syrup
INGREDIENTS
- 3½ cups filtered water
- 2/3 cup dried elderberries (sambucus nigra)
- 2 Tablespoons grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon dried orange peel
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rose hips (optional)
- 1 cup honey or maple syrup
DIRECTIONS:
- In a medium saucepan, combine water, elderberries, ginger, cinnamon, orange peel, cloves, and rose hips (if using).
- Bring to a low boil. Cover and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. (about 40 minutes to an hour, depending on the heat of your stove)
- Remove pot from heat and place on a towel on the counter. Cool for 15 minutes.
- With a slotted spoon or a small potato masher, carefully crush the berries.
- Strain the liquid into a 4-cup glass measuring cup. Let the liquid sit, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until it’s cooler.
- Toss the berries onto your compost pile (or trash). Sometimes, when the berries are really expensive, I’ll make another 1/2 batch of syrup with the used berries. It’s not as potent but better than nothing!
- Add the honey or maple syrup and stir well.
- Pour the syrup into a mason jar or 16 ounce glass bottle.
- This recipe makes about 2 cups of syrup.
- Store in the fridge. It keeps for up to four weeks. But if you take it daily it won’t last that long.
Important disclaimer about wild plants, foraging, and making herbal remedies:
I am not a medical professional and nothing written on this blog is medical advice. None of my statements have been evaluated by the FDA (I am legally required to give you this disclaimer).
It is important to do your due diligence before foraging, harvesting, and/or consuming any type of medicinal plant.
- If you are taking any medications, talk to your doctor about any potential drug interactions.
- If you are allergic to anything, make sure whatever you are foraging is not in the same family. Example: While dandelions are typically considered safe, those who are allergic to ragweed, latex, daisies, or any other plants in the same or similar families, may not be able to consume dandelion.
Always research potential side effects, dosage recommendations, and how to properly prepare and consume each medicinal plant.
Always make sure you are foraging what you believe to be. Fully prepare and study the anatomy before harvesting wild plants.
Always make sure your kitchen/work area is clean and that all materials are sterilized.
Do not forage plants from areas that have been sprayed within the past 2 years at the very least.
I am not legally or morally responsible for the health of any of my readers. Please do your own research!
