elderberries: an antioxidant favorite

I picked the elderberry bush clean today, which also means pruning it for next year. I hope we didn't cut off too much, but it's getting way too tall for me to reach.

I have a bush that I planted several years ago. My brother, the garden expert, (he really is) told me I needed two bushes of different varieties so they could cross pollinate. So, I planted two....and one promptly died.

But, mine must be 'pollinating' with one in the wild...cause I get berries every year. The birds get a lot of them, but at the end of the season, I take what's left.

After 'rolling' the berries off in my hands and getting pretty purple fingers and nails....I'm hoping to have enough for a small pie.

If not, I'll make jam with the same formula I used for black currant jam earlier this summer: equal weights of berries to sugar. Cook till thick...and you have jam. No pectin needed for these babies, either. They have lots, naturally.















If I make the pie, I'll post photos later.
Here's the recipe, if you have any elderberries laying around.....

1 c. elderberries
1 c. brown sugar
1 small c. sour cream
2 T. flour.
Mix and pour into pie shell, top with second crust.
Bake. My recipe doesn't say what temp. I guess 400....for about 35-40 minutes.

This is a family recipe from a long time ago. I never have it more than once a year so it's always a treat.