Sherry's Food

Makes about 1 quart. Prep Time: 30 days 1 pint fresh elderberries - NO stems, as they are slightly toxic. 1 quart vodka 3 one-inch pieces of lemon rind, white pith removed Sugar Put elderberries into a quart jar and pour over the vodka. Add the lemon rind (make sure the rind has no white pith, as it is bitter.) Seal and put in a dark cupboard for at least a month, or up to 6 months. The alcohol will extract flavor from the elderberries over time, so the longer you let it sit, the inkier it will get. When it is the color you want – anything from a Pinot Noir color to downright black — pour the vodka through a strainer lined with cheesecloth into another jar and add sugar. How much sugar? At least 1/4 cup, but to your taste; I go with 1/3 cup. Shake to combine and put back in the cupboard. After a few days or weeks, the sugar will completely dissolve and the elderberry liqueur is ready to drink. It keeps forever.

Elderberries (Sambucus nigra) are abundant this year. Apparently, world renowned Israeli virologist Dr. Madeleine Mumcuoglu has established a clinically proven treatment against flu (including swine flu and avian flu) using elderberries. They also stain everything blue. Ingredients Bucket of Elderberries Granulated sugar Cloves Lemons Instructions Use a fork to remove the Elderberries from the stalks into a saucepan. Add enough water to nearly cover them. Add a few slivers of lemon zest (no pith). Simmer for 20 minutes. Mash the Elderberry mixture up a bit and strain it through a muslin, squeezing to make sure you get all the juice out. Squeeze in a bit of lemon juice, to taste. For each pint of juice you get, add 1lb of granulated sugar and 12 cloves. Boil the mixture for 10 minutes. Allow the Elderberry mixture to cool, and then bottle in sterilised glass bottles, making sure that the caps have a plastic seal. Add an equal amount of the cloves to each bottle you