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· By Monisha Dajee
ENCHANTING ELDERBERRY ELIXIR
In Spring, Mama Elder provides luscious green leaves for making bruise balms and to soothe aching muscles. In Summer, her fragrant, lacey blossoms are perfect for cordial and champagne making. Lastly her rich clusters of dark, purple berries, are ideal for tinctures and syrups to warn off those colds attempting to creep in this winter. She is truly a generous, magical plant with a plethora of medicinal uses.
Today we went foraging nearby our home for these hauntingly dark berries to make an Enchanting Elderberry Elixir.
Rich in vitamins A, B and C, Elderberry is a long-established, traditional remedy for both immune and antioxidant support. For all you sceptics - this is backed 100% by science!
The Elder is a scary plant. She is a powerful protector. She is hauntingly beautiful. She is enshrined in tales of mystery and lore. She is magical. She is an extraordinarily valuable plant.
Us mere humans should be cautious when harvesting from the sacred Elder. Always seek her permission. Forage wisely, with consideration and with good intentions.
With our bucket of foraged elderberries, we opted to make an Elderberry and Thyme Tincture. I am not the biggest fan of sugary syrups. Although I must wait longer for my Elder Tonic to be ready, I much prefer alcohol based tinctures as they have a longer shelf life.
ENCHANTED ELDERBERRY ELIXIR
(ALCOHOL BASED TINCTURE)
- Wash the berries. Separate all the tiny stems affixed to the berries.
- Cooked the berries for 20 minutes on a slow simmer. We added some thyme for extra medicinal benefits.
- Fill up the jar halfway with the cooked elderberries and cover it with 96% alcohol. I know some of you may not be able to acquire this, so use the strongest alcohol you have. Minimum 40-50%. If you are in the US, you can use Everclear.
- Close up the jar. Label and date the tincture. Place in a dark cabinet for 4+ weeks.
- When ready, strain and pour the elderberry infused liquid into glass jars or bottles.
TO USE: Take 1–2 teaspoons in water or a hot drink, 2–3 times a day, especially when you feel the start of a cold creeping in.
SHELF LIFE: Due to the high alcohol content, this should keep for at least 2 years.
Other herbs to accompany elderberry in your tincture could be lemonbalm or sage.
A wonderful remedy to keep stocked in your medicine cabinet all year round.
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ENCHANTING ELDERBERRY ELIXIR
Her rich clusters of dark, purple berries, are ideal for tinctures and syrups to warn off those colds attempting to creep in this winter. She is truly a generous, magical plant with a plethora of medicinal uses.
