Monday, September 18, 2006

On elderberry cordial

Thanks for leaving a comment about the elderberry cordial, could not reply directly as there was no email address to get back to, but here is the recipe:

Elderberries (still on stalks)
Sugar
Cloves
Cinnamon sticks (1 per each pint of liquid)

Pick the fruit on a dry day ,stew with the stalks in a large stainless steel saucepan, with just enough water to cover.

Strain through muslin squeezing to get all the juice.

To each pint of juice add 1 lb (450g) of white granulated sugar( or brown sugar), 10 cloves and 1 cinnamon stick.

Boil for 10 minutes.

Cool ( syrup is very hot) and bottle in sterile bottles with good quality plastic screw-on tops making sure you distribute the cloves evenly amongst the bottles (they act as a preservative).

The cordial can be used immediately, and will keep well for a year or two. I also keep some in the freezer ( leave some room at the top of bottle for liquid to expand)

Taken with hot water it is renowned as a guard against colds, and a glass a day through winter is a wise precaution..

Original recipe is from paul's elderberry page ( http://www.patch-work.demon.co.uk/elder.htm#H)

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