To Canadians everywhere I wish you well and remember where ever you break bread and who ever you break bread with be thankful for the bread and the company.

Do what you will but harm none

Shelagh Drew

Well you get the picture. I just found something delicious, and most likely very good for you. A “Herbal Tea Of The Month Club” and it is from my favorite place online to buy herbs and herbal remedies “Botanic Choice”.

There are 3 plans available, 3 month, 6 month and yearly. Every month you will get 36 tea bags each of three teas from around the world delivered right to your door.

I think it is worth further investigation and if you do too then here is a link:

 Do as you will but harm none

Shelagh Drew

About the nutritional value of elderberries I thought you might like some recipes to try. I found these using google search (keyword; “elderberry wine recipes”). I have tried a couple but I already had the juice made and most of these start with the berries. So there was some trial and error experiments happening.

Elderberry Jam Recipe 2 quarts crushed elderberriesÂ

¼ cup vinegar 6 cups sugar or honeyÂ

  Combine berries, vinegar, and sugar. Bring slowly to boiling, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Cook rapidly until thick. As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking. Pour boiling hot mixture into sterilized jars. Adjust lids. Process in boiling water for 5 minutes Remove jars; cool and store Yield: 6 half-pint jars.Â

  Note: Elderberries should not be eaten raw. All parts of the plant contain small amounts of the toxin hydrocyanic acid, which is completely destroyed by ordinary cooking.Â

  ——————————————————————————–

Elderberry Cordial Elderberries (still on stalks)Â

Sugar ClovesÂ

  Pick the fruit on a dry day and stew with the stalks in a large stainless steel saucepan, with just enough water to cover.Â

Strain through muslin squeezing to get all the juice. To each pint of juice add 1 lb of white granulated sugar and 10 cloves.Â

Boil for 10 minutes. Allow to cool and bottle in sterile bottles with good quality plastic screw-on tops making sure you distribute the cloves evenly amongst the bottles (they act as a preservative).Â

The cordial can be used immediately, and will keep well for a year or two.Â

Taken with hot water it is renowned as a guard against colds, and a glass a day through winter is a wise precaution..

I made this one and I have been drinking a cup a day since. The recipe I use is 2 Tbs Elderberry cordial and 1 of lemon juice or to taste. I use 1 Tbs of lemon juice but it really depends on how tart you like it. Experiment a little but don’t use to much more than 1 Tbs of lemon juice because it will get very tart very quickly.Â

The elder flowers in June in large, flat plates of flower heads (called umbrells) made up of many tiny cream-white flowers. If you make sure they are clean of bugs, they can be eaten straight off the branches on a hot summers day. The berries can be considered ripe when the clusters begin to turn upside down. Avoid picking berries that have become over-ripe. Wash well and strip from the stalks using a dining fork. The berries can be added to apple pie (40 elderberries:60 apple) or blackberry jam (50:50). The elderberry is often known as the Englishman’s grape, and it’s nutritional values show that it is similar to the grape and more so…Â