I'm posting my elderberry recipe, because Sambucol, an elderberry tonic, has been shown by research to be effective in preventing and treating flu. I make no claims for my recipe. I take no responsibility for anyone finding and using elderberries properly. This is just what I do--I don't even recommend it, just decide for yourself if you want to do this or not.
Sambucol is a commercial elderberry preparation available online. You may prefer to use it instead of making it. No problem.
My recipe is for fresh elderberries. They are getting ripe right about now, and can be found in many parts of the US.
Gather as many elderberries as you can. Remove them from their stems with a fork (fingers will mash them). Use only ripe (black) elderberries, the green ones will give you a bad bad bellyache. Do NOT use leaves or stems. Use only ripe berries removed from the stems.
Mash the berries and strain them through a cheesecloth to extract the juice.
Make the tonic:
Take 2 cups elderberry juice.
Add 1 cup water.
Add 1 cup 100 proof alcohol--use ONLY the kind you can drink. Do NOT use rubbing (or isopropyl) alcohol.
Add 1-5 tablespoons lemon juice (adds to the taste and adds vit. C.
Add enough sugar to make it palatable to you.
Store in the refrigerator.
Directions: Take 1 tablespoon each morning and each evening to help prevent flu. If we have a cold or flu, we take 2 tablespoons every 6 hours.
This is a home remedy. Assess it's usefulness for yourself. Again, I make no claims except that my family uses it.
Additionally, picked and sorted elderberries can be frozen and stored for several months.
This is the part I just don't get:
Remove them from their stems with a fork
How do you remove stems with a fork?
Huck's Perfect Remedy
Start with a chilled or frosted martini glass. Mix 1oz dry vermouth.
Swill this around entire surface of inside of glass several times. Pour out the vermouth.
Use Absolute Vodka kept in freezer, pour in 4 oz., add on a large green olive to bottom of glass and serve.
Your mileage may vary....
Got any huckleberry or gooseberry recipes? We have lots of those this year.
Drunk all the time, feelin fine on elderberry wine
Those were the days, we lay in the haze, forget depressive times
Not bad for 32 years ago.