Need a winter pick-me -up for the ol’ immune system? Here is one of our go-to recipes for just that purpose.
What you’ll need:
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1 quart jar with lid.
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2 c. destemmed elderberries. Fresh, frozen, even dried will do. We use wild blue elderberries (Sambucus caerulea). If you happen to grow black elderberries (or black currants), those are great, too. Don’t use red elderberries (Sambucus racemosa), as they can cause nausea.
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1-2 drupes red sumac berries, dried or fresh. Smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) grows wild here and staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) is sometimes found in home landscapes. I include it because it’s high in vitamin C. You can also substitute rose petals/hips or leave this step out entirely, as elderberries have their own vitamin C, too.)
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Honey (Local and raw if you can get it. We buy ours at Bees a Bunch on Washington Ave.)
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1-2 cups or so of 80ish proof (40% alcohol) booze. (Pretty much any kind will do. I prefer whisky, brandy or vodka.)
Process:
1. Prepare elderberries, cover with water and simmer gently for 15 mins. Strain and place juice in clean, sterilized quart jar. (To aid in the destemming process, we freeze berries, knock or roll them off their stems, then submerge and skim to further remove small stems.)
2. When juice has cooled, add sumac berries. I drop the whole drupe in. It won’t hurt anything. Roll the little berries off the stem if you prefer.
3. Pour 1 cup honey over berries in jar. If your honey’s too stiff to pour, warm it just enough to loosen. You don’t want to kill the good stuff.
4. Top off with 1.5-2 cups alcohol of choice.
5. Store on a shelf in a warm place (70-80 degrees) for at least two weeks. Shake occasionally. Strain before use.
To use, add a few spoonfuls to hot or cold tea or water. Or just sip it from a spoon, Mary Poppins style. (Rrrrrum punch. Hic!)
Notes:
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Both honey and alcohol are preservatives. Your elixir should last indefinitely in the fridge, and for a long long darn time on a shelf at moderate room temp. Mine’s never been around for long enough to go bad.
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If you don’t do alcohol or you want to give a lot of this to children, consider turning this recipe into an oxymel by substituting vinegar for the alcohol. It is a less powerful menstruum for extraction, so leave it on the shelf for four weeks or so before straining.
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Poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix or Rhus vernix) has white berries. Don’t use it! Like mangoes and pistachios, sumacs are in the cashew (Anacardiaceae) family. If you are allergic to cashews, use any sumac with caution.)
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Sumac and elderberry grow well in our area. If you’re inspired to used them regularly, do consider growing your own. Both plants reproduce readily. Watch the conservation district for availability, or get a young plant from a gardening buddy.
To your health–
Maria
Bonus: You’re invited to join us this Wednesday from 6:00-7:30 as we make this recipe at our guest house (261 Ehler Rd in Naches Heights). All you need to bring is the 16oz jar and 2 cups of alcohol (vinegar if you don’t consume alcohol). Free for our Seasonal Living Club Members. $20 for non members. RSVP below or email yakimabeach@gmail.com. (Note: It won’t take 1.5 hours to make this, so feel free to drop in anytime between 6 & 7.)
Sources and links for further reading:
http://www.wildflowers-and-weeds.com/Plant_Families/Anacardiaceae.htm
http://www.eattheweeds.com/elderberries-red-white-and-blue/
