AUTUMN MEDICINE MAKING
Rosehips, elderberries & hawthorns, it is such a rich time of year here in the UK with all of these beautiful berries dripping from our hedgerows. No sooner have the blackberries finished, these new arrivals make their way onto the scene keeping us in plentiful supply for the autumn months ahead.
Syrups, juices and tinctures are all so easy to make at home, once you know how! Here, I share a couple of basic recipe that can be used for any of the berries I have mentioned above. For all the syrups, I use raw honey, which means they won’t last as long as when you use regular sugar. However, there is no comparison from a health perspective and I would rather make smaller batches using a sweetener that also serves my immune system.
ELDERBERRY SYRUP/JUICE
3/4 cup of fresh or dried elderberries
3 cups of water
3/4 raw honey
Ginger root, star anise or cloves (optional)
METHOD
Begin by sterilising your jars and bottles, washing them in hot soapy water and then placing them in an oven at 150c for 10 minutes.
Prepare the elderberries. Using a fork, strip the berries away from their stalks and measure them out using a cup or measuring Jug.
Place them in a saucepan with the water, bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes, if using fresh berries, or 45 minutes, if using dried berries, so that the mixture thickens and reduces by approximately half.
Allow the mixture to cool slightly before straining through a fine sieve or muslin cloth.
Once the liquid is body temperature (test with your finger) add the raw honey and gently mix it through. Don’t add raw honey when the liquid is hot or else you will ruin the live enzymes and medicinal properties of the raw honey.
This recipe yields approximately 300-400ml of liquid.
The difference between a juice and syrup is that a syrup is thicker. When I make the juice, I simply simmer the berries for less of a time, which yields more liquid.
Once the bottles are sealed, they will last about 3-4 weeks in the fridge. Once opened, they last about 1 week.
ROSEHIPS & HAWTHORN SYRUP
You can use the recipe above to make this syrup too with a couple of differences:
Before you begin, place your berries in a food processor to chop them up. These berries are tougher and in order to extract the sweetness and goodness, it’s better to crush them.
Place the crushed berries in a saucepan and follow the guidelines above.
Strain through a double or triple layer of muslin cloth. This is really important because rosehips contain tiny little hairs that can be an irritant if they get into the mouth and catch in the throat.
ROSEHIPS & HAWTHORN TINCTURE (USING GLYCERITE)
Tinctures are stronger herbal medicines than syrups. Over several weeks, the herbs are left to macerate, in order to extract their healing properties. I use glycerine instead of alcohol, as alcohol in tinctures detract from the properties of the herbs and hurt the liver.
Begin by crushing your herbs using a food processor.
Fill a jar three quarters full with the herbs, leaving enough room for the glycerine liquid.
Fill with glycerine. I use this one https://www.akomaskincare.co.uk/products/glycerine-organic
Make sure all the berries are covered by the liquid. I tend to turn the jar upside down for easier coverage.
Label and date your jar before placing in a dark cupboard for 3 weeks.
Each day, give your jar a little shake. Sing to it, speak to it, fill it with your love, and make sure to keep an eye on the liquid levels, adding more glycerine of needed.
After 3 weeks, your tincture will be ready. Strain through double layered muslin and bottle into sterilised bottles.
And there you have your medicines, all made with love by you!