Magical Cooking #136 - 28th May 2025

Elderberry Syrup - A Winter Tonic

I use this syrup every year during the coughs and cold season, it is packed with vitamin A&C and tastes so good too. While foraging the berries, do it with meaning and love, nurture the fruit and fill it with magic and compassion.

You will need -

3kg of ripe elderberries
Jam sugar or honey
300ml or 1/2pt of water
6 cloves and a piece of root ginger and 1 level teaspoon of allspice

Strip the elderberries from the stalks, wash them and discard any that are shrivelled up or green.

Put the water and berries in a large bowl and break up the fruits by mashing them.

Heat the mixture in the bowl over a pan of boiling water and then mash again.

Strain the pulp through a piece of muslin or a coffee filter.

Add 375g of sugar to each 1 pint/600ml of liquid.

Put the sweetened mixture into a pan and simmer for 10 minutes.  Whilst it’s simmering add the cloves and ginger or ginger and allspice.

Pour into sterilised warmed bottles and seal.

Label and keep refrigerated.

Every part of this making process should be done with love and with magic in your thoughts for a healing remedy at the end.