Topic: elderberries-can i eat them?

[Nathan]

i dont know whether elderflower berries are eatible or not. i ate some and they didnt give me a tummy ache,so??? does any1 know if u hav 2 turn em into wine or not... :) thank you, Ruth

[Svea]

yes, absolutely!

you can eat them fresh, freeze them (for later use, like hot with sugar over some vanilla ice cream), make jam, make sweet soup, make jelly etc etc
i wish i had some near by because the jelly/jam and soup are my absolute favourites - and jampacked with vitamin C too!

[joji]

Both me & OH were always told that elder berries had to be made into wine as they are poisonous to eat raw. The fermentation process makes the poison harmless. :)

[Derekthefox]

According to google, the seeds are toxic, hence in winemaking they would not be a problem, as would drinking the juice ...

Derekthefox :D

[jennym]

You can't eat any green part of the elderberry, or the seed.

De-stem them by running a fork  through the bunches to pull off the berries.
Crush the berries to get the juice.
Then do what you will with it - elderberry jelly, or better still elderberry wine.

[Nathan]

thats strange-none of you agree!!!! ??? i didnt think they were poisinous,they didnt do me any harm!!!
  ruth

[Hot_Potato]

 :oooo er.... I've eaten them on several occasions - mostly raw on my porridge sprinkled with sugar for the crunch!!.....or very slightly warmed thru in the saucepan with some sugar and had with ice cream or still on the porridge....no ill affects as far as I can remember!

[amphibian]

There seems to be a lot of disagreeance on this. Some say teh ripe fruit and flowers are okay raw, others say only if cooked. The rest of teh plant is always poisonous raw.

I have eaten the berries since I was knee high to a grass hopper.

[Hot_Potato]

well in that case amph......I shall carry on eating them when I get the chance, which isn't often  :( cos I like em!

[Robert_Brenchley]

I have an elder in my hedge (ideal for keeping witches off), but I've always left the berries for the birds. maybe I should try some myself.

[undercarriage plan]

Well, I used to make magic potions out of them when i was about 7.......now make wine, think i prefer the wine... though squishing them up with ivy leaves, mud and rose petals did hold a kinda je ne sais quoi......;D ;D ;D
Lottie

[jaggythistle]

  Can still smell the b l oo dy perfume n all lottie.....eeeeeeeewwwwww
   ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[undercarriage plan]

Well, that's what you get for removing peg provided....... ::)
Lottie  ;D ;)

[jaggythistle]

  Or could it be your home made soup..??? rofpml
   ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o

[undercarriage plan]

Jags, you really should know better by now....... ::)

[Derekthefox]

MMM some mention home made soup?

hehehe

Derekthefox :D

[powerspade]

Elderberries ARE posioness they contain prussic acid which if taken in quantiy will kill you. I use tye berries to make wine  which is ok because the prussic acid is heavy and falls top the bottom of the dimijohn in the form of a sluge. I rack of the top leaave to clear bottle let to mature for about 6 months

[daisymay]

Make pretty excellent jam too, am tucking into toast with elderberry and apple jam on right now - delicious! the recipe is on here - search the recipes thread.

[amphibian]

Elderberries ARE posioness they contain prussic acid which if taken in quantiy will kill you. I use tye berries to make wine  which is ok because the prussic acid is heavy and falls top the bottom of the dimijohn in the form of a sluge. I rack of the top leaave to clear bottle let to mature for about 6 months

The Prussic acid is in the pits, like with apples, if you spit out the seed you're fine.

Incidentally prussic acid (Hydrogen Cyanide) is in scores of pitted fruits, as well as a major element in tobacco and polluants.

I used to eat apples whole, core and all, without any negative effects, now I ensure I don't eat them.

[undercarriage plan]

Well didn't know that about apple pips! Have been eating them core and all for years....may explain a few things though ::) ;D Lottie