The devil's berry or a great addition to your larder?

Elder (Sambuca nigra)

 

Although the passing of summer is sad, autumn is one of my favourite times of year. September and October often sees beautifully sunny and unseasonably warm days perfect for long strolls through the countryside to take advantage of nature’s bounty. Blackberries, mushrooms and even elderberries find their way home with me to be preserved for the coming winter.

Like many of our native plants, Elder (a member of the honeysuckle family) is associated with many superstitions, once regarded as one of the most powerful magical plants. Grown by the house it was said to ward off the devil but if you burnt it you would see the devil. In the days of horse-drawn hearses, the drivers favoured elder wood for their whip handles, presumably another reference to elder’s devil-defying powers but also taking advantage to the hard, pale, easily carved outer wood.


As a child I remember an old horseman advising me to poke some of the foul smelling leaves through my pony’s bridle to deter flies. It was highly prized in the 18^th century due to its quick growing habit and was described in one farming encyclopaedia of the time as ‘the immediate fence’. Its flowers and berries could be sold at market and the timber of old stumps was valuable to wood turners.

How times change. Many landowners now view elder as an irritation; its speed of establishment and large sprawling nature means it can overwhelm slower-growing neater species such as hawthorn and it is never included in new hedgerow planting schemes. I think it’s time we gave it another look. Overlook it at your peril! Its creamy flowers give us the base for delicious elderflower cordial and provide a great nectar source for many insects.

(At this point I had helped to upload some lovely pictures of elderberries but Blogger isn't working properly and won't let me, sorry)

Elderberry is now creating much interest in herbal remedy circles as its thought to have powerful anti-viral properties. One way of consuming it is as a syrup or vinegar. In my opinion elderberry vinegar surpasses balsamic for taste with added health benefits, so why not make some? Take some bags and scissors and choose a dry day for collection. The bushes with their dark clusters of tiny berries can be found in hedgerows, on waste ground, in churchyards and are unmistakable. Bushes growing along busy roads are best avoided.

 

Elderberry Vinegar

1. Strip the berries off the stems with a fork into a large bowl and weigh them. Carefully remove any insects back to the garden.
2.  Add 500ml vinegar (distilled or white wine but not malt) to every 350g fruit. Cover the bowl and leave for  around 5 days. Stir occasionally.
3. Strain off liquid and measure before pouring into a large thick bottomed saucepan.
4. For each 250ml liquid, add 350g white sugar and boil for 10 minutes.
5. Decant carefully into sterilised bottles, label and store.

 

It’s amazingly versatile, I add a tablespoon to smoothies, use for salad dressing and in casseroles. I recently found a bottle at the back of the cupboard labelled 2011. It has mellowed wonderfully and makes a lovely drink when added to sparkling water. The only limit is your imagination!