Elderberry Syrup

In the midst of an illness it is easy to forget the remedies you know.

My poor little guy keeps having coughing fits at night making it hard for most of us to sleep.

In the middle of the night I found myself reading my favorite herb book for children:

First thing this morning we removed the last of the elderberries from the freezer and made our 3rd bath of 

Elderberry syrup.

Elderberry Syrup:

Elderberry Syrup Recipe:

1 cup frozen elderberries

3/4 cup honey

1. Remove as many of the stems as possible. (The thick stems are toxic if eaten, mine have many of the small stems but I strain them out of the juice) Cover with water, about 2 cups. Simmer for 30 minutes.

2. Strain juice through a sieve pressing the berries to remove all the juice.

3.Let cool until wrist temp and mix in honey.

4. Bottle and store in refrigerator.

5. Take a teaspoon once a day or when needed.

I read many recipes in the fall that added other herbs or spices for colds.  My first batch I added 2 tsp cinnamon.  Elderberries have so many health benefits that I just keep it simple like above.  It doesn't last long enough in our house to worry about preservation.

I have a really hard time getting little guy to take anything like a decongestant, but he will happily eat a spoonful of elderberry syrup.  Children are so smart!

as they went into the freezer

dye bath with a few elderberries for fun

Our Elderberry bush in the garden.