Herbs from our garden and surroundings: #5 ELDERBERRY
Today we are talking about elderberry (Sambucus nigra), a plant that we often see around us and that is incredibly rich in its uses and history. Right in this period you can see its white flowers blooming, so let’s see what you can do with them!
This plant takes its name from the Anglo-Saxon ‘aeld’, which means fire, probably because hollow stems were used to blow air into the center of a fire. Findings show that this plant was cultivated already in 2000 BCE and we can find writings about its medical properties already in the Greek civilization.
The long story shared by humans with this plant led to the creation of many myths and legends, especially in the English and Scandinavian folklore. In this area, it is believed that this tree is inhabited by a fairy spirit called ‘Elder Mother’ who has the power to protect and harm. Chopping down parts of the tree was considered to enrage the spirit who would curse you, that’s why it was common practice to ask permission and thank the spirit before doing that. If you’re curious about legends connected with ‘Elder Mother’ try to browse it and you will find plenty!
It was also believed to protect from witches, that’s why its leaves were affixed on doors and windows to protect from spells. It was also discouraged to build cradles with its wood, otherwise fairies would come to steal the cradle and the baby.
We find a connection between elder and the magical world also in some native american population, where sacred pipe made out of elder were used to blow special energies into herbal healing formulas. But this connection with magic also comes all the way to the present days. In the famous Harry Potter saga elder wands are the rarest ones and the trickiest to master.
Culinary Use
The unique taste and smell of the flowers and fruits (cooked) of this plant make them a great ingredient for several recipes. From the berries it’s possible to make tasty wine, jams, pies and syrup. But also the flowers have many uses, starting from tasty fritters, syrups and more. You can find some of them in the sources at the end of the article.
Here we’ll share two home-made recipes we tried with elderflowers, one for making halva and one for a refreshing beverage called Šabesa.
For Halva you have to melt 100 g of butter in a pot together with 80 g of brown sugar and 500 ml of apple juice. Then add 200 g of kamut semolina and cook over low heat until the semolina starts to pull away from the side of the pot. Before the end of the cooking, add 5 elderflowers without the stem. To finish, turn the halva into a round dish and serve it!
For preparing Šabesa the first thing to do is to collect the elderflowers (around 10 for 5 liters of water) and it’s better to do it during a sunny day. Then wash and cut 2 lemons and put them in a pot with 5 liters of water, 400 g of brown sugar, 10 ml of wine vinegar and the elderflowers. Let everything rest for three days, preferably in the shade. After three days you can pour the drink into liter bottles, being careful not to close them completely so that the fermentation doesn’t continue. Your Šabesa is ready!
Medical Use
Elderberry has been used for its healing properties for a long time, already in the indigenous american people that used it to treat fever and rheumatism or egyptians that used it to treat burns. There are several uses for this plant, for example studies have shown that flower infusions or berry extracts can reduce the length and severity of flu symptoms. The inner bark of the plant has been historically used as a diuretic and purgative. The flowers are the most used part for healing purposes, both internally as we mentioned before for the flu, but also externally to make an ointment that can be used to ease pain, inflammations and burns.
Many other uses and properties are associated with this plant, take a look at the links in the sources to find out more!
Useful sources
History:
https://boldbotanica.com/blogs/news/elderberry-folklore-a-case-for-sustainability
Medicinal:
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Sambucus+nigra
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/elderberry#health-benefits
Culinary:
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2022/09/elderberry-recipes
https://www.twineagles.org/elderberry-recipes.html