Elderberry Cordial for Immune Support
Nov. 9th, 2014 09:03 pmI use this to keep pretty much everything unfriendly in the microbe category away. I make it in November and take it until March, usually. Refrigerated, the mix can last two months or so, and then seems to go off slightly. If you cut the honey, it doesn't last as long. If you live in a warmer climate, refrigerate it. So I make 2-3 batches a winter. If you are taking it only for preventative purposes and are quite healthy, you probably need only a teaspoon a day. If ill or immune compromised, or everyone else at work is ill, you may choose to take up to a tablespoon a day. When ill, if you can keep it down, a half teaspoon an hour might help.
Yes, this could be the base for an alcoholic version, but the honey benefits will probably die gasping under the alcohol. Check with your herbalist, or your books. I never add alcohol to mine, but alcohol could make it shelf stable.
Use good honey, not mixed from all over the world pasteurized junk. Honey has curative properties, but you don't want the honey to get too hot. So do NOT add before boiling, add after the mix has cooled down quite a bit.
Accordingly, if you use real honey, do not give this to a child under two years of age. Research honey.
1 cup dried elderberries (organic if possible.)
4 cups filtered water.
1 square inch peeled organic ginger, slivered up or grated.
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. allspice
sprinkle ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Ceylonese cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Saigon Cassia cinnamon
Up to one cup unpasteurized local honey.
Bring water, berries, ginger, and spice mixture to a low, rolling boil. Cook at a roll for fifteen minutes, mostly covered but not sealed as boil-over could happen. Then set aside to cool down a bit.
Set strainer in 4 quart Pyrex measuring cup; strain mixture. Gently press berries and ginger to get last of juice out. Compost berries, if you compost. Let juice cool some more. You may have up to 3 cups of liquid.
Add one cup of unpasteurized honey. I sample until desired sweetness is reached, but do not add more than one cup. Stir until dissolved, then carefully pour into a clean one quart wide mouth ball jar. Sample and refrigerate. Always use a clean spoon each time you dip into the jar. You've got enough for 1 tsp. a day for three people, with a full recipe. I take more when I don't feel well, so I made the entire recipe this time. I have halved this in the past to keep it fresh.
The ginger is a new addition from my friend Becky Kyle!
Yes, this could be the base for an alcoholic version, but the honey benefits will probably die gasping under the alcohol. Check with your herbalist, or your books. I never add alcohol to mine, but alcohol could make it shelf stable.
Use good honey, not mixed from all over the world pasteurized junk. Honey has curative properties, but you don't want the honey to get too hot. So do NOT add before boiling, add after the mix has cooled down quite a bit.
Accordingly, if you use real honey, do not give this to a child under two years of age. Research honey.
1 cup dried elderberries (organic if possible.)
4 cups filtered water.
1 square inch peeled organic ginger, slivered up or grated.
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. allspice
sprinkle ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Ceylonese cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Saigon Cassia cinnamon
Up to one cup unpasteurized local honey.
Bring water, berries, ginger, and spice mixture to a low, rolling boil. Cook at a roll for fifteen minutes, mostly covered but not sealed as boil-over could happen. Then set aside to cool down a bit.
Set strainer in 4 quart Pyrex measuring cup; strain mixture. Gently press berries and ginger to get last of juice out. Compost berries, if you compost. Let juice cool some more. You may have up to 3 cups of liquid.
Add one cup of unpasteurized honey. I sample until desired sweetness is reached, but do not add more than one cup. Stir until dissolved, then carefully pour into a clean one quart wide mouth ball jar. Sample and refrigerate. Always use a clean spoon each time you dip into the jar. You've got enough for 1 tsp. a day for three people, with a full recipe. I take more when I don't feel well, so I made the entire recipe this time. I have halved this in the past to keep it fresh.
The ginger is a new addition from my friend Becky Kyle!