Elderberries

[Bakersdozen]

It's elderberry time!  Nice crop this year because of all the rain.  I picked on 8/8 and 8/10.
I like to removed the berries from the stems, wash, and freeze for later use.  Usually, I make jelly but I think I need to learn how to make elderberry mead. 

[crazy8days]

Don't know if I have tasted and elderberry.  I've been a canning fool this year.  Can you make jam?  I made peach jam a week ago.  Oh, sweet Jesus! 

[Bakersdozen]

Drool, crazy8.  Peach jam, drool.  Yes, I make jelly from the elderberries.  We are hooked on elderberry jelly.  I like to make it real dark, not diluted down.  They are supposed to help prevent colds and are high in vitamin c.

[apisbees]

Are the seeds hard and gritty making it necessary to run the pulp through a jelly bag?

[Bakersdozen]

I strain it through cheesecloth.  I simmer on the stove top in enough water to cover.  Using a masher, I try to mash the berries.  I am not sure about a jelly bag, but that should work too.  I try not to squeeze as sometimes that makes a cloudy juice. 

[Bakersdozen]

I have pulled some elderberries out of the freezer and am going to make another batch of jelly this afternoon.  I will do this after I make deviled eggs for my husband to take to a work pot luck.

[efmesch]

Deviled eggs---Oh  Boy!   That brings back wonderful memories from many many years ago and reawakens my taste buds.  WOW!

[Bakersdozen]

efmesch, I made deviled eggs with cheddar cheese and crispy bacon bits.  I understand they went over well.  I considered making them with wasabi and pickled ginger, but chickened out.  I don't know how adventurous my husband's co-workers are.
Tonight I made elderberry jelly with honey.  I believe it is setting up nicely.  We will see.

[efmesch]

Sounds great-- but for me it will have to stay in the imagination.  I assume you realize that bacon    is off my ingredients list. 

[Bakersdozen]

  

[Lburou]

Sounds great-- but for me it will have to stay in the imagination.  I assume you realize that bacon    is off my ingredients list. 

Yes, but you are at the top of our preferred poster list Ef. 

[efmesch]

 

[riverbee]

...............

you all crack me up.....funny stuff!

ef, bacon is off my ingredient list too, for a different reason...... it makes too many fat cells and may add to flat tire syndrome...........

love elderberry, love deviled eggs, we just picked a ton of raspberries and black caps (black raspberry, my favorite).

[Lburou]

...
ef, bacon is off my ingredient list too, for a different reason...... it makes too many fat cells and may add to flat tire syndrome........... ...

Too late for me... 

[Riverrat]

I remember picking elderberries and goose berries along the roadside with my grandmother growing up in Ottawa.  Been a long time since I had the jellies or pies.  We dont have the berries down here in south central Kansas or at least I haven't seen them along the roadside

[riverbee]

"Too late for me...  "

lee, ...........
it might be too late for me too, but i still try to keep the semi inflated flat tire off the middle section...............

[Bakersdozen]

I remember picking elderberries and goose berries along the roadside with my grandmother growing up in Ottawa.  Been a long time since I had the jellies or pies.  We dont have the berries down here in south central Kansas or at least I haven't seen them along the roadside

Riverrat, Memorial Day weekend I spotted a gold mine of elderberries out south of Rock Creek Cemetary.  That is SE of Wellsville.  I made mental notes so that I can go back in mid-August to pick.  It's so easy to spot them when they are in bloom.  Just remember where you saw them and beat the birds to them.  I know one beekeeper that keeps a spreadsheet on picking locations.  He helped me figure this out.

[Bakersdozen]

My sister sent me a picture of elderberries up around the Trenton, MO area.  They look great, but that area has had a lot more rain than us.  She plans to pick up there.  The elderberry bushes in my back yard look terrible.  I have to water them today, or I might lose them.