Elderflowers are blooming! I've been wanting to try an elderberry syrup recipe, but I didn't want to use the flowers from the elderberry patch that I have foraged berries from in the past because once you pick the flowers, berries won't grow from those plants for the rest of the year. Since I'll be wanting berries later this summer, I needed a separate flower picking spot. Much to my surprise while coming back home from fishing the other day (no fish) I saw a big patch of blooming elderberries in a row of trees between two empty lots in town. Score! The flowers are ALL OVER the country right now in ditches and along fences, but this recent find saved me a trip out of town.
If you're wanting to pick elderflowers or elderberries, be sure to properly identify what you are picking (like anything else of course). There are some great resources online to keep you from eating something like the deadly water hemlock. You don't want to be canning Death Syrup, no no no.
If you're wanting to pick elderflowers or elderberries, be sure to properly identify what you are picking (like anything else of course). There are some great resources online to keep you from eating something like the deadly water hemlock. You don't want to be canning Death Syrup, no no no.
If you have ever picked elderberries you know it is time consuming but also a time for you to zone out or ponder those philosophical questions you had as a late teen that you never seemed to have time to figure out. Picking elderflowers is like that times 5. I'm so in tune with my existence right now.
Elderberry Syrup recipe:
Elderberry Syrup recipe:
- Pick 15-20 large elderberry heads, shake out any bugs or dirt.
- Combine 5 and 2/3 cups of sugar and 6 and 1/4 cups of water in a pot, bring to boil, stirring, to make a simple syrup. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Pick all the elderflowers off their green stems. I hold the large flower heads upside down and roll the flowers off between my fingers...same as for when picking the berries. Put the flowers in two 1-quart jars.
- Finely grate 4 lemons and add all the zest to your room temperature syrup.
- Cut the lemons into thick pieces and place in equal amounts on top of your flowers in the jars.
- Pour your syrup over your flowers and lemons to the tip-top of the jars. Seal and store in the fridge for two days.
- After two days, pour your mixture through a fine sieve to remove flowers and lemons.
- Seal in containers and store in fridge or water bath can in sterilized jars with 1/2" headspace for your altitude.
The mulberries are singing their last song of the season, but I managed to collect a final quarter of a pound to freeze this morning. It might not sound like much, but "it's a serving" as I have been saying. And the servings add up. I'm starting to think of this whole project in servings. I think it's a way for me to wrap my head around what I have and what I need. I've got an idea for a little project to help me visually with my preserved items. I'll post more about that once I get started on it.
Image credit: Cale Ruiz
Image credit: Cale Ruiz