Blackberries are a good one to start with because they are recognisable. Ripe blackberries will be shiny black and come away easily from the plant when you pluck them. They are high in vitamin C — one g serving is over a quarter of the recommended daily allowance. They can eaten raw — although do wash berries which grow by busy roads and avoid picking ones that are pesticide-sprayed.
Slowly heat sugar and berries, stirring regularly to stop the pan burning and until the fruit has virtually melted about 15 mins. Turn off heat, mash then strain overnight through a fine-meshed sieve.
Store the syrup in clean airtight jars. Eat the leftover berries with muesli or yogurt. These small purplish-black berries hang in clusters from elder shrubs or trees which had bloomed in spring with tiny white flowers. Once you have picked the hanging berries, you can remove them from their stalks by stripping them with the prongs of a fork.
Elderberries are a natural dye so wear protective clothing to avoid staining. Unlike blackberries, elderberries must be cooked before eating. The branches, bark and leaves of the elder tree should never be eaten. Make an immune-boosting cordial by covering with water and boiling for 15 minutes. Nothing says summer like a fizzy glass of elderflower cordial also delicious added to a gin and tonic! Here are three easy recipes to make using elderflowers — do you have any to add?
The floral taste of this traditional syrup is great with water, but also complements pastries, cakes, ice-cream and champagne or prosecco. Enjoy a fresh and fragrant drink with this easy and delicious elderflower cordial recipe — the perfect summer drink. Elderflower gin has a subtle flowery flavour, soft, sweet and refreshing. Learn a new way of using the elder tree to make something delicious with this elder shortbread recipe , by horticulturist David Hamilton, on the BBC Wildlife Magazine website.
This delicious and refreshing sorbet goes well with lightly poached gooseberries, hot apple pie or summer berries, but is perfect on its own as a refreshing end to a summer barbecue. Carys is the Group Digital Editor of countryfile. Carys can often be found trail running, bike-packing, wild swimming or hiking in the British countryside. Sign up to receive our newsletter!
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In more orthodox medicine, the flowers have been included as ingredients in skin ointments and eye lotions. As with many ancient and native plants, elder is steeped in superstition.
Right now, that sounds quite appealing. For wild garlic and elderflower recipes, go to wildfooduk. This article was scheduled to appear in our May edition.
Special thanks to our regular wildlife writer Pete Dommett. Our new Weekend Edition Newsletter is landing in subscriber inboxes across the city. If you haven't signed up yet then you can read it here:. I only realised the other day that we have 2 elderflower trees in the garden, and now the blooms are nearly all disappeared :- now looking for elderberry recipes.
I know of one elder tree in Winterbourne, at least I think it is - is that anywhere near you? I changed my signature because it was rubbish; I like what you said.
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