Featherweight Shop Talk: Elderberry Syrup + Other Fun Ideas
Hi there, Featherweight Friends!
First, we would like to thank you all for your kindness and beautiful attitudes during these trying times! As we navigate our days, we find the most creative ways to make the most of our #sewcialdistancing. Although we are not able to spend our time together in our quilt guild meetings and other sewcial events, this does not mean we are not able to keep up the fun! Please join The Featherweight Shop as we all share the ways that we are coping, and rejoicing in these times. We have fun quilty patterns that we are sewing, baking delicious recipes, gathering gardening tips, and more!
For a little while, each weekday we will have a new story, tip, recipe, pattern or new idea for you to peruse, enjoy or even try!
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The Featherweight Shop + Elderberry Syrup
With all the talk of viruses, we have been discussing ways to stay healthy at the shop. One thing is certain; The Featherweight Shop LOVES Elderberry Syrup! The first time I had this delicious, aromatic, sweet liquid was during a winter visit with April and the crew! I came down with a nasty bug the day before, and desperately needed something to knock out the cough I had! April came to the rescue, roped in Ruthie, and whipped me up a batch of "Elderberry Syrup!" At the time, I had never heard of it before, but would soon come to adore this sweet concoction! After drinking my share of Elderberry that night, I was feeling right as rain the next morning! I had my order of dried Elderberries placed on my way into work the next day!
Delicious, Homemade Elderberry Syrup
Elderberry has been used for centuries to treat the cold and flu. Although Elderberry does not prevent you from contracting an illness, it dramatically reduces the length and severity of the virus. You can read more about the health benefits of Elderberry here.
After trying out a few recipes, I found a straightforward one from Wellness Mama that tastes almost as good as April and Ruthie's batch, and is a blast to make! (Please note: This is the recipe from Wellness Mama, with a few notes from our household!)
Ingredients:
3 1/2 Cups Water
2/3 Cups Dried Elderberry
2 Tablespoons Fresh Ginger Grated (we use powdered ginger and cut the portion down to 2 teaspoons.)
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
1 Cup Raw Honey (we ALWAYS use more!)
Directions:
1. Pour the water into a medium saucepan and add the elderberries, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
2. Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce to a simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour until the liquid has reduced by almost half.
Notes From Our Kitchen: Before covering your pot and reducing to a simmer, notice where your water line is. I always take note of where my "spice rim" is compared to the handle. This will come in handy later on.
Covered our pot and is now simmering for 45 minutes! These aromas remind me of autumn.
After the 45 minutes have passed, I go back to check my "spice rim" to see if my water has halved. It looks good to me!
3. Remove from heat and let cool until it is cool enough to be handled.
Mash the berries carefully using a spoon or other flat utensil.
While my liquid is cooling, I grab my favorite bowl. I have found that containers with this little "spout" work best for making Elderberry Syrup and the like.
Best size for "smooshing" the Elderberries!
4. Pour through a strainer into a glass jar or bowl.
We are wlowly pouring in the Elderberries into the wire strainer.
"Smooshing" the Elderberries against the sides of the wire strainer until there is little to no juice left in the berries.
5. Discard the elderberries and let the liquid cool to lukewarm.
6. When it is no longer hot, add the honey and stir well. (This is our favorite step!)
Adding in the first round of honey.
We are stirring in the honey!
Product tester Sayley stopped by to make sure we had in enough honey!
This was an obvious NO!
Sayley now approves after a few extra "tests."
7. When the honey is well mixed into the elderberry mixture, pour the syrup into a mason jar or 16-ounce glass bottle of some kind.
8. Ta-da! You just made homemade elderberry syrup! Store in the fridge and take daily for its immune-boosting properties.
We love to take the "extra" syrup that does not fit into a mason jar, put into a glass, and sip on throughout the rest of the day!
Another fun project to go along with your new jar of Immune Boosting Elderberry Syrup is new quilt blocks by Burlap and Blossom! Have you seen these adorable Nurse and First Aid Quilt Blocks? So darling and fun!
Even more exciting, these are digital download patterns! If you have extra scrap fabrics, download a pattern and work on a quilt block today! Don't forget to tag us in your #featherweightshoptalk projects. We can't wait to see what you are working on.
"See" you tomorrow!
~The Featherweight Shop