Are Whitebeam berries edible?

are whitebeam berries edible

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Are Whitebeam Berries Edible?

Whitebeam trees, or Sorbus aria, are commonly found lining our city streets and avenues, parks and gardens with their white-bottomed leaves, their fluffy white blossoms, and their autumnal mass of orangey-red berries. But, the question is, are they edible?

The answer, is yes and no. Whitebeam berries are indeed edible, but like rowan, must be harvested at the right time and prepared in the right way. 

When should you harvest whitebeam berries?

If picked and eaten before they are ready, whitebeam berries can be terribly astringent and really pucker up the insides of your mouth. However, if they are allowed to remain on the tree or hang around until after the first frosts, they lose a lot of their astringency.

Additionally, if they are allowed to hang around until almost about to rot, they become quite sweet to taste. A little like the persimmon fruits.

There is one catch however... if you leave them hanging around for too long, the birds will beat you to it. Since whitebeam berries are a highly loved and highly coveted food source for migrating and visiting birds.

For this reason, it is also important to remember, if you do decide to harvest whitebeam berries, to make sure you take only what you need and leave plenty for our feathered friends.

How are whitebeam berries prepared?

Much like any wild berries, the first steps involved in preparing them for use, are to wash them thoroughly and pick them over - removing any rotting, damaged or suspicious fruit, and then remove their stalks.
 
Next, remember how I said that whitebeam berries lose their astringency and sweeten up after being hit by the frosts? Considering this, the next step in preparing whitebeam berries is to pop them in the freezer for 48 hours to stimulate a good hard frost.
 
After this, they are ready to use! (Just, as with all wild foods, please make sure you are 100% certain about their identity before you consume them. If in doubt, leave it out!)

How to use whitebeam berries

In days gone by, whitebeam was used in a variety of ways. A good source of vitamin C, its fruits were dried, a bit like raisons and eaten as a snack. Or it was combined with other fruits and made into a jam.
 
In addition, it was used as a fall-back food in times of hunger and starvation when the dried fruits were pulvarised to help bulk out foraged grain flours like plantain, or the seeds inside were ground and used as a sort of flour. (It is worth noting that like apples, whitebeam berry seeds contain small amounts or cyanoglycosides, so should be avoided or eaten in moderation).
 
In fact, the German name for whitebeam is mehlbeere, meaning meal berry and even today you can find avenues of whitebeam in many older towns and cities in Germany and across Scandinavia where they were grown specifically for this purpose.
 
But these days (and then, of course) a nicer way to use it was to make whitebeam jams or jelly by combining it with other fruit, such as hawthorn, cooking apples or crab apples.

How to make whitebeam berry jelly

To make whitebeam jelly, you will need:

  • 1kg whitebeam berries
  • 1.5kg cooking apples
  • 3.5ltr water
  • 1.2kg sugar
  • Strainers, jelly bag or muslin
  • A jam pan
  • Sterilised jars

Start by cleaning and preparing the fruit as discussed above. (Don't forget the freezing part!) Then add them to 2.5 litres of cold water and allow to come to a gentle boil.

Simmer gently for about 10 minutes to help the berries soften, then add your chopped up cooking apples. Then allow it to simmer, stirring regularly, for about 35 minutes until everything is nice and soft. To help this along, you can use a potato masher to gently squash it.

When it is ready, strain it through a small-holed strainer or sieve to remove the larger bits, then pour the remainder into a muslin or jelly bag and allow it to filter through. (This may take a while...) Then return the liquid you have collected to your pan, mix it with 1 litre of boiling water, and re-filter it again.

Next, measure out your filteres liquid before pouring it into your pan and reheat it to a gentle simmer before adding some sugar. You will need to add 800g of sugar for every 1 litre of liquid you have collected. Then stir regularly while bringing the sugar-liquid mixture to the boil.

Boil your mixture for about 30 minutes, then start set-testing it. For this, you will need a nice cold plate. Take a little bit of your bubbling mixture and put it onto the cold plate. Let it cool for a few minutes and see if it sets (the surface should wrinkle up if you push it). If it has not set, continue boiling the mixture for another 5 minutes and then try again.

Once you have reached the setting point, remove your pan from the heat and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before pouring it into some clean, sterilised jars.

 

Summary

Well, there we go! I hope you enjoyed this little guide to our whitebeam berries. If you try using them, I would love to know how they turned out. Or, if you know of any other lovely recipes, let me know in the comments below.

In the meantime, don't forget to subscribe to this blog x

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The Benefits Of Mindful Foraging

the benefits of mindful foraging

Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links, so I may recieve a small commission if you choose to purchase any item. This will not affect the price you pay, but it will help me keep this site going x

The Benefits of Mindful Foraging

Have you ever stopped by a hedgerow or patch of scrubland in late summer or early autumn to enjoy some wild blackberries, or stooped to savour the taste of a sunripe wild strawberry? If you have, then you have enjoyed a spot of foraging!

Sometimes there is a tendancy to think of foragers as electic, rebellious folks who tramp around the countryside with baskets, trowels and pruning scissors to return with their baskets and pockets overflowing with leaves, nuts, seeds, fruits, roots, shoots and fungi...

But even little moments like nibbling a blackberry in passing straight from the bush, can be considered foraging. And if done with mindfulness, can give us as many, if not more benefits than tramping with dogged and single-minded 'foraging' intention.

So, I thought it would be nice to pause a moment and consider some of the many benefits of foraging.

Foraging is enjoyable, relaxing and meditative

For me, I think one of the best reasons to engage in mindful (and spontaneous) foraging, is the sheer joy of finding something deliciously wild and edible and having been given the gift of that opportunity to enjoy its wildness and flavour.

Mindful foraging with intention is also enjoyable in a different way - it is fun and thrilling. A bit like playing a treasure hunt, where you must pay attention and use all your senses to find what you are seeking.

Once you find your treasure, whether it be sought after or spontaneous, touching and reaching out for the gift offered to you is therapeutic, relaxing and meditative in itself; requiring rapt concentration and focus to nose out the healthiest leaves or the biggest, juciest berries.

Foraging connects you to nature

When you forage, you connect. You recognise the plant, touch it, smell it and taste it and in this way you get to know it. In fact, often this is the closest we get to interacting with and getting to know our wild trees and plants.

Over time, if you are mindful, you get to know the plants throughout their life cycle and in the different seasons of the year. You see how they grow, mature and develop... How they change from seedling to young plant, to flowering plant and to seed heads.

If you are very, very mindful, you will find you knowledge growing as start getting to know their particular quirks and habits, dislikes and preferences too! You will begin to notice which plants like the sun and which like the shade, or which enjoy really damp soil.

Not only is it nice to connect so deeply with trees and plants by getting to know them in this way, but it also makes your future foraging experiences easier - you either know exactly where a particular specimen in growing, or you know what habitats you should be looking for to find the species you are after.

A few considerations when foraging

While it can be tempting to rush out and start foraging, it can be helpful to keep a few things in mind:

When first starting out, only aim to forage one or two specimens which you know you can identify with complete confidence. And, if you have any doubt about a plant's identity whatsoever, seek the advice of someone who has botanical or foraging knowledge - it is better to be safe than sorry.

Always make you sure you have permission to forage on the land you intend to forage upon - sometimes foraging on public land such as nature reserves is forbidden. And remember not trespass upon private property. Also, before you pick anything, make sure there is no restriction or prohibition about picking that particular plant. Sometimes it might look like there is a lot of it - but there might only be a lot of it in that one location and it is actually scarce elsewhere.

Take only as much as you need for your own use and where possible, only harvest the parts of the plant that you need to use. For example, do not pull up the whole plant just to use the flowers, seeds or leaves. Follow the foraging rule of only harvesting from one in ten plants (for common plants) or one in one hundred plants (for less common plants).

Lastly, be aware of your surroundings and try not to foraging in dirty or polluted areas. If you are near running water, think about what might be upstream of that water... And, always be mindful of your plant's neighbours too - you do not want to end up scratched or stung by briars or nettles while intently engrossed upon your target.

Would you love to learn more about foraging?

There are many ways to turn your interest in foraging into reality and sustainably harvest and use wild-foraged plants, trees and fungi.
 
Books are a great way to start learning more about our most common edible fungi or plants, but until you become confident in identifying what you find - and knowing they are in fact truly edible and not a poisonous look-a-like, it is best to find a guide or mentor.
 
If you are looking for online courses with experienced, friendly mentors, The Herbal Academy is a fantastic place to check out. They have some fabulous courses all about botany, foraging, mushrooming and wild-crafting, with in-depth videos, books and recipes to help you learn about, identify and use our most common edible plants.
 
Curious? Why not check them out by clicking the links above or below - and don't forget to subscribe if you enjoyed this post and would love to receive updates about future posts and tutorials x
Botany & Wildcrafting Course by Herbal Academy

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8 Delicious Rowan Berry Recipes

Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links, so I may recieve a small commission if you choose to purchase any item. This will not affect the price you pay, but it will help me keep this site going x

8 Delicious Rowan Berry Recipes

I love trying out new foraging recipes and where we are at the moment, the rowan berries are ripening up and turning a beautifully tempting shade of red. So, I thought I would round up some of my favourite rowan berry recipes from around the internet for you to try out and enjoy too! Jump to recipes...

Now, rowan is a bit of a love it or hate it berry. Mostly because it is quite astringent and a little (okay, very) bitter. But, there are ways to reduce this bitterness and enjoy a wonderfully nutritious and underrated berry. (Did you know that rowan berries contain almost twice the amount of vitamin C as oranges do? Plus they are rich in vitamin E, potassium and beta carotenes.

One of the best ways to enjoy a mellowed down rowan is to wait and pick them after the first frosts. But, well, sometimes that is just too long to wait... So, you can put them in the freezer for a day or two before using them to simulate the mellowing effects of frost. Alternatively, they can be mixed with apples, spices, herbs or lemon juice. Or, you can counter the bitterness by using a lot of sweeteners and sugars.

Rowan trees can be found growing in hedgerows, woodlands, city streets, parks and garden. Just remember to ensure you have correctly identified your tree and never strip it entirely of berries - they are a very important over-winter food source for the birds. I would recommend taking only as many berries as you need.

To prepare your rowan berries, strip them off their stalks and swirl them gently in cool water to remove any bugs and insects. Then, as suggested above, place them in the freezer for a day to two to help mellow their astringent bitterness before trying to use them.

P.S. If you are looking for a way to help grow your foraging confidence, check out this online foraging course by The Herbal Academy.

Rowanberry Chutney

A lovely, chunky and winter-warming rowan and apple chutney from Emi's Good Eating.

Ingredients:
  • 400g Rowan berries
  • 2 Cooking apples, chopped
  • 1 Onion, chopped
  • 2 Shallots or 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1tbsp molasses
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 1 or 2 star anise
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or malt vinegar

Instructions:

  1. Mix all the ingredients together in a large pan and just cover with water (about 400ml), then bring to a boil.
  2. Once boiling, reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for about 30-40 minutes until most of the water has evaporated.
  3. Bottle the chutney once it has cooled down and enjoy!
 

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Rowanberry Jam

Rowan Berry Jam recipe from Adagio Blog Nordic Foraging.

Ingredients:

  • 800g Rowan berries
  • 800g Apples
  • 1kg Sugar
  • 1 Cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 Lemon juice
Instructions:
  1. Mix the rowan berries, apples, sugar and cinnamon in a large pan.
  2. Once it begins to boil, add the lemon juice and cook until the apples are completely softened
  3. Strain the mixture through a cheese cloth or sieve into glass jars, then seal and allow them to cool.
  4. Store in a dark place at room temperature.
  5. They should last for a few months.

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Rowanberry and Apple Jelly

This tart and smoky recipe comes from Sarah Raven, who recommends it to be enjoyed with wenslydale cheese or game.

Ingredients:

  • 2kg Rowan berries
  • 1 1/2 kg Apples
  • Sugar (1 pint sugar: 1 pint juice)

Instructions:

  1. Mix the rowan berries and apples together in a large pan and just cover with cold water. Then allow the water to boil, reduce and simmer gently until the fruit is soft. (About 30-40 minutes)
  2. Strain the mixture through a cheese cloth or muslin overnight, then measure the amount of liquid collected.
  3. Add the same quantity of sugar as the quantity of liquid collected and heat the mixture gently until the sugar has dissolved. Then, bring it to a rolling boil.
  4. Test whether the jam is ready by placing a small amount on a cold saucer or plate. The jam should wrinkle when pushed with a finger once it has cooled.
  5. Once the jam is ready, remove any scum from the surface and pour it straight into warm, sterilised jars. Seal them and allow them cool, then keep them in a cool, dark location. They should last for up to a year if un-opened.

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rowan berries

Rowanberry and Apple Jam

Recipe from the Forager Chef.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Cups of rowan berries
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 4 cups of apples, diced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions:

  1. Mix all the ingredients together in a large pan and simmer until they are soft (about 30 minutes).
  2. If the mixture starts looking to dry, add a spoon of water.
  3. Blend the mixture together, then bottle up and keep in the fridge or freezer.

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Spiced Rowanberry and Orange Jam

This recipe also comes from the Forager Chef and is the same as the recipe above, with the addition of:

  • 1/8 tsp toasted ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/8 tsp allspice
  • Grated zest of 1 orange

Instructions:

  1. Follow steps 1 and 2 from the recipe given above for rowan berry and apple jam. However, add in the ingredients above and mix them well before continuing to step 3 and putting the mixture into the blender.

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Rowanberry and Orange Curd

This delicious recipe comes courtesy of the delightful blog, Havoc in the Kitchen and is a lovely idea to use up some of your frosted rowan berries.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of rowan berries
  • 1/3 cup of water
  • 125g butter
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1 large orange (1/2 cup juice)
  • 2/3 cup sugar

Instructions:

  1. Combine the rowan berries and water in a large pan and bring to the boil. Then, simmer for 10 minutes, pressing the berries occasionally to break their skins and release their juices.
  2. Remove from the heat and strain the berries through a sieve or cheesecloth (reserving the liquid). Then combine 2/3 cup of this liquid with the orange juice.
  3. In another pan, melt the butter then add the juice, sugar and egg yolks.
  4. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently until thick (about 10-15 minutes).
  5. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Then sit back and enjoy!

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Rowanberry Turkish Delight

I cannot wait to try out this recipe for rowan berry Turkish delight by Eat Weeds forager and author, Robin Harford once I find some veggie gelatine. In the meantime, why don't you have a go?

Ingredients:

  • 140g rowan berries
  • 500ml water
  • 1 tsp butter
  • 450g sugar
  • 300ml rowan berry juice (see instructions)
  • 1tsp lemon juice
  • 25g gelatine
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
  • 1tbsp rose water
  • 1 tbsp pistachio nuts
  • 1oz arrowroot or cornflower

Instructions:

  1. Make the rowan berry juice by covering the rowan berries in a large pan with 500ml of water. Then, bring them to a boil.
  2. As they are boiling, try to crush the berries using a potato masher to break them down as much as possible. Then, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes.
  3. Then, mash the berries again and allow to strain overnight through a muslin cheesecloth or strainer.
  4. This should yield about 400ml of liquid. Next, ass an extra amount of water to make it up to 500ml.
  5. To make the Turkish delight, butter  baking tin and set aside.
  6. Then, mix the sugar, rowan berry juice and lemon juice in a large pan and bring to the boil.
  7. Continue boiling until the liquid thickens and forms a hard ball if you drop some into a bowl of cold water.
  8. Once it is ready, remove the pan from the heat and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
  9. Dissolve the gelatine in 120ml of hot, boiled water, then add the vanilla and mix well before adding it to the rowan juice.
  10. Mix thoroughly, then pour half of the liquid into your baking tin. Then, cover the surface with chopped up pistachios.
  11. Next, stir the rosewater into the remaining rowan liquid and mix well before pouring this into the baking tray too.
  12. Allow the mixture to cool before placing it into the fridge overnight.
  13. The following day, gently tip the Turkish delight onto a lightly dusted surface, cut into cubes and roll each piece in arrowroot powder or cornflower.
  14. Finally, taking a big bite and enjoy!

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Rowanberry Sorbet

This recipe comes from the Swedish website, Naset Marcusgard and is an interesting and rather different idea which I have not come across before, to make rowan more palatable by turning it into a sorbet. I have not tried this one yet, as we do not have an ice machine, but I thought it sounded intriguing enough for me to share with you x

Ingredients:

  • 1 litre of water
  • 500g sugar
  • 500-700g rowan berries
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 egg white

Instructions:

  1. Make a syrup by combining thr sugar and water and warming gently until the sugar is dissolved.
  2. Next, pour this syrup over the berries and heat until it reaches 70C, then add the cinnamon stick.
  3. Allow the mixture to cool down, then blend and add the lemon juice.
  4. Strain the mixture through a cheese cloth or strainer and pour it into an ice-machine.
  5. Finally, blend in the egg white half a minute before your sorbet is ready.

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Browse more delicious autumn fruit and berry recipes:

Wild Garlic - Your definitive guide

wild garlic

Wild Garlic - Your definitive guide

Hello! In this tutorial, I thought I would share my definitive guide to wild garlic. Including what it is, where it grows, how to identify, harvest, store and use it and a few good-to-know look-a-likes (plus how to tell them apart). Are you ready? Lets get started!

What is wild garlic?

Wild garlic, or Allium ursinum, is a beautiful, perennial spring and summer herb found across Ireland and the British Isles (as well as Northern Europe, Canada and North America) that can often be smelled long before it is seen, thanks to its decidedly oniony-garlicky scent.

While not actually a 'garlic' per se, it is a member of the Allium family, which includes garlic, onions, leeks and chives. It is also known by many local and common names, including ramsons, buckrams, wood garlic and bear's garlic.
 

Wild garlic can be found growing wild in damp, often shady woodland corners and alongside streams and brooks. It is frequently found carpeting the forest floor alongside cuckoo's pint and lily of the valley (more about these later).

It is well known as a forager's delight, being one of the first herbs to arrive in the spring and being easy to locate and identify. However, as with any wild harvest, it should only be picked with the landowner's permission (and digging up the roots (in the wild) is illegal.)

How is wild garlic used?

Wild garlic can be eaten both raw and cooked and the entire plant is edible. This includes the roots (although illegal to dig up in the wild), young shoots, leaves, flowers, flowering stems and seeds. (Please note, while edible for humans, it is harmful for dogs.)

The best time to harvest wild garlic depends on the part you intend to use. Young leaves and shoots can be picked from early spring (around mid-February onwards). Flowers can be collected from around mid-April and the seeds can be gathered in early summer.

The easiest way to gather wild garlic is to carefully snip the bits you want with a small pair of scissors, then lay them gently in a bag or basket. Following a good wash in cold water, it can then be stored in the drawer of your fridge.

Leaves and shoots will stay fresh for around 3-4 days after you have picked them, while flowers are best used on the same day. The seed pods can be pickled and preserved like capers, making them a useful addition to your winter pantry.

You can find some great wild garlic recipes here (Great British Chefs) and here (Delicious Magazine)

How do you identify wild garlic?

Wild garlic can be identified by its leaves and smell in early spring and by its leaves, smell and flowers later in the season. Its habit of growing in large swathes also helps in identification. However, there are a few look-a-likes, which you should be aware of.

Its leaves are wide along their length, but pointed at the top, dull rather than shiny and soft to touch. Their veins run parallel to each other along the width of the leaf and are relatively spaced out. Each leaf grows singly on its own stem from the base of the plant.

The flowers are smallish, white and star-shaped. They grow together in globe-like clusters at the top of a single stem rising up from the middle of the plant. The seed heads are green and look like three little marbles joined together in the middle.

Before you collect or consume any wild garlic, it is important to rule out its two main look-a-likes - cuckoo's pint and lily of the valley. (And in the USA, snowbells and crow's poison or false garlic). Not least because they are poisonous!

how to identify wild garlic

How to tell apart cuckoo's pint and wild garlic

The most obvious difference between cuckoo's pint and wild garlic, is the smell. Wild garlic has an unmistakeable onion-garlicky scent, which cuckoo's pint does not have. So, gently crush each leaf to double check its identity (Make sure to wash your hands after).

The most dangerous time for mixing these two plants up, is early in the spring, when the shoots have not fully emerged to show the shiny, arrow-like appearance of its leaves, and the peripheral veins, which radiate out from the central vein.

Later in the year, it is easier to distinguish, with its central spadix surrounded by a light-green, hood-like sheath, and its beautiful, bright red and orange berries. It is important to note that all parts of this plant are poisonous and can cause irritation of the mouth and throat if eaten, leading to swelling and difficulty breathing.

how to distinguish between cuckoos pint and wild garlic

How to tell apart lily of the valley and wild garlic

Lily of the valley also looks uncannily like wild garlic in the spring, with the same shaped leaf and growth habit. Again, smell is the most reliable method to test it. So, gently crush a leaf to ascertain the presence of the garlicky smell. (Make sure to wash your hands after).

There are also other ways to tell the leaves apart. Lily of the valley leaves are shinier than wild garlic and their parallel veins lie much closer together. They also grow in pairs of two or three, unlike the single leaves of the garlic.

Later in the season, they can be distinguished by their flowers. While the wild garlic flowers are white, star-shaped and grow in clusters, lily of the valley flowers are white, bell-shaped and grow one-by-one along the length of the stem (like white bluebells).

Again, all parts of lily of the valley are poisonous and can cause nausea, flushing, hallucinations, arrhythmia, coma and death. So please seek help immediately if you are worried about accidental ingestion of this plant.

how to distinguish between lily of the valley and wild garlic

Summary

Well, there we go! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and have learned all sorts of useful information about what wild garlic is, how to identify it and how to use it. Before I say goodbye though, I would just like to remind you to...

Please, please, please, never eat any plant unless you are completely certain of its identify and its edibility. If in doubt, leave it out! Also, never pick more than you need for your personal or family use. A rule of thumb is to only harvest one plant if there are seven more beside it.  Remember, our wild plants are food sources for bees, butterflies and other insects and animals too.

If you did enjoy this tutorial and would love to be notified about new tutorials, you can join the Nook by clicking the button below. Thank you for staying till the end and happy nature walking x

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Autumn Cordial Recipes

autumn cordial recipes

Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links, so I may recieve a small commission if you choose to purchase any item. This will not affect the price you pay, but it will help me keep this site going x

5 Autumn Cordial Recipes

Hello! Today I have decided to share some of my favorite autumn cordial recipes from around the web (links to the original are attached to each recipe). I know it is a little late for some of the berries now, but I have been a bit too busy with my little ones to have posted this earlier. They are definitely delicious though, so make sure to bookmark this page for next year! Are you ready to dive in? Here are some quick links to the recipes:

(P.S. If you would love to learn more about foraging and grow your foraging confidence, check out this online foraging course by The Herbal Academy.)

To make this blackberry and vanilla cordial, you will need:

  • 1 kg blackberries
  • 1.5 litres cold water
  • 500g sugar
  • 1 vanilla pod

To begin with, prepare your blackberries by rinsing them thoroughly. Then place them into a large pan and cover them with the water. Bring this solution to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes.

Next, strain the mixture through a fine sieve or muslin cheesecloth and return it to the pan (do not squeeze or it will make your cordial cloudy). Add the sugar and vanilla heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then bring it up to a boil and boil vigorously for about 10 minutes, skimming off any scum that rises.

Finally, remove from the heat, remove the vanilla pod and pour into a clean, sterilised bottle. It should last about 3 months if kept in a cool, dark place.

To make this blackberry and vanilla cordial, you will need:

  • 1 kg blackberries
  • 1.5 litres cold water
  • 500g sugar
  • 2 whole star anise

To begin with, prepare your blackberries by rinsing them thoroughly. Then place them into a large pan and cover them with the water. Bring this solution to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes.

Next, strain the mixture through a fine sieve or muslin cheesecloth and return it to the pan (do not squeeze or it will make your cordial cloudy). Add the sugar and star anise and heat the mixture gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Return it to a boil and boil vigorously for about 10 minutes, making sure to remove any scum.

Finally, remove from the heat, remove the star anise and pour into a clean, sterilised bottle. It should last about 3 months if kept in a cool, dark place.

To make elderberry cordial, you will need:

  • 500g elderberries
  • 500ml water
  • 350g sugar
  • 1/2 a lemon rind and 1tbsp lemon juice

To make the cordial, first strip the berries from their stalks using a fork and rinse them, then place them into a saucepan with the lemon rind. Next, cover them with water and simmer gently for about 30 minutes until the berries are soft and mushy.

Next, strain the liquid and place it back into the pan. Add the sugar and lemon juice, then bring to a gentle boil and simmer, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. You can then add more sugar or lemon juice according to your taste, before allowing the cordial to cool. Once it has completely cooled, pour it into a clean bottle to store.

If sealed and stored correctly in a cool, dark place, your cordial should last about 2 years. But, keep it refrigerated once opened.

P.S. Check out this amazing elderberry, elecampane and liquorice cough syrup by The Herbal Academy.

To make hawthorn berry cordial, you will need:

  • 400g of hawthorn berries
  • 2 tsp fresh, chopped ginger
  • 3 crushed cardamom pods
  • 1 cinammon stick
  • 3 cups of water
  • 1 cup of honey or sugar

To begin with, prepare your hawthorn berries by removing their stalks and rinsing them, then pour them into a pan along with the ginger and cover them with water. Bring this to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes until the berries turn to mush. (You can mash the berries every 10 minutes or so with a potato masher to help them along.)

Next, strain the mixture through a fine sieve or muslin cheesecloth, mashing it to extract as much liquid as possible, then measure it before returning the liquid to the pan. For every cup of liquid, add an equal cup of sugar or honey, then return the mixture to a boil. Allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes, then remove it from the heat and pour it into your bottle.

This should last for about 3 weeks in the fridge.

You can find another great hawthorn cordial recipe here. (External link)

To make your rowan berry cordial, you will need:

  • 1 kg of rowan berries
  • 1 kg of tart apples (e.g. crab apples)
  • 1 1/4 litres of cold water

To begin with, prepare your rowan berries by removing their stalks and rinsing them, then put them in a container and into the freezer for about 1 hour. This helps to mellow down any tart, astringenty bitterness. Meanwhile, chop up the apples and once the rowan berries have sufficiently mellowed, add them both to a large pan.

Then, cover them with the water, bring to a boil and simmer until the berries have turned mushy. Next, strain the mixture through a fine sieve or muslin cheesecloth by allowing it to drip for about 30 minutes (try not to squeeze too much, or the cordial will turn cloudy), then measure the liquid before returning the liquid to the pan.

For every litre of liquid, add 2 cups of sugar (or honey), stir the mixture and allow it to return to a boil, making sure to remove any scum. Then, remove it from the heat and pour it into your clean, sterilised bottle.

This should last for about 3 weeks if kept in a cool, dark place.

Summary

Well, there we go! I hope you enjoyed being inspired by these delicious autumn cordial recipes. I would love to know which you tried and if you also enjoyed them. You can share a comment below.

P.S. If you would love to be notified about new Nature Nook tutorials, you can subscribe to my blog and newsletter by clicking the button below x

What next?

Check out these related links and resources:

Hawthorn berry recipes

hawthorn berry recipes

Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links, so I may recieve a small commission if you choose to purchase any item. This will not affect the price you pay, but it will help me keep this site going x

Hawthorn Berry Recipes

Hello! Today I have decided to share some of my favorite hawthorn berry recipes from around the web (links to the original are attached to each recipe). Why? Because I love, love, love hawthorn and am getting really exited that it is almost time to harvest them. How about you? Do you love hawthorn? Here are some quick links to the recipes:

(P.S. If you would love to learn more about and grow your foraging confidence, check out this online foraging course by The Herbal Academy.)

To make hawthorn ketchup, you will need:

  • 500g hawthorn berries
  • 300ml cider vinegar
  • 170g sugar
  • Salt and black pepper

To begin with, prepare your hawthorn berries by removing their stalks and rinsing them. Then pour them into a pan and cover them with the vinegar and with 300ml of water. Bring this solution to a boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes, until the berries change colour and split.

Next, strain the mixture through a fine sieve or muslin cheesecloth and return it to the pan. Add the sugar and heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then bring it up to a boil. Again, simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, then remove from the heat and pour into your bottle.

Your ketchup should last about 1 year is sealed and stored correctly in a cool, dark place. But, it should be kept refrigerated once opened.

To make hawthorn berry syrup, you will need:

  • 1 kg hawthorn berries
  • 200ml lemon juice
  • 500g sugar

To begin with, prepare your hawthorn berries by removing their stalks and rinsing them, then pour them into a pan and cover them water. Bring this to a boil for about 10 minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 hour, until the berries change colour and become tender.

Next, strain the mixture through a fine sieve or muslin cheesecloth, mashing it to extract as much liquid as possible, then return it to the pan. Add the sugar and lemon juice and bring the mixture back to a boil and simmer until the sugar has dissolved and the solution forms a nice, clear syrup. Then remove it from the heat and pour it into the bottle.

Your syrup should last about 3 months if kept refrigerated.

To make hawthorn jelly, you will need:

  • 500g hawthorn berries
  • 500g sugar
  • 1/4 cup of lemon juice

To begin with, prepare your hawthorn berries by removing their stalks and rinsing them, then pour them into a pan and cover them water. Bring this to a boil and simmer for about 30-40 minutes, until the berries turn to mush.

Next, mush them even more with a potato masher, then strain the mixture through a fine sieve or muslin cheesecloth, mashing it to extract as much liquid as possible, then measure it before returning the liquid to the pan. For every cup of liquid, add an equal cup of sugar, then pour in the lemon juice. Bring the mixture back to a boil and simmer until the sugar has dissolved and the solution forms a nice, thick gel.

Test its readiness by adding a small dollop onto a frozen plate. If it leaves a skin as it cools, it is ready. If not, simmer for a further 5-10 minutes, then try again. Once it is ready, remove it from the heat and pour it into your clean jars.

Hawthorn berry cordial

To make hawthorn berry cordial, you will need:

  • 400g of hawthorn berries
  • 2 tsp fresh, chopped ginger
  • 3 crushed cardamom pods
  • 1 cinammon stick
  • 3 cups of water
  • 1 cup of honey or sugar

To begin with, prepare your hawthorn berries by removing their stalks and rinsing them, then pour them into a pan along with the ginger and cover them with water. Bring this to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes until the berries turn to mush. (You can mash the berries every 10 minutes or so with a potato masher to help them along.)

Next, strain the mixture through a fine sieve or muslin cheesecloth, mashing it to extract as much liquid as possible, then measure it before returning the liquid to the pan. For every cup of liquid, add an equal cup of sugar or honey, then return the mixture to a boil. Allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes, then remove it from the heat and pour it into your bottle.

This should last for about 3 weeks in the fridge.

Summary

Well, there we go! I hope you enjoyed being inspired by these delicious hawthorn berry recipes. I would love to know which you tried and if you also enjoyed them. You can share a comment below.

P.S. If you would love to be notified about new Nature Nook tutorials, you can subscribe to my blog and newsletter by clicking the button below x

What next?

Check out these related links and resources:

Five great elderberry recipes

five great elderberry recipes

Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links, so I may recieve a small commission if you choose to purchase any item. This will not affect the price you pay, but it will help me keep this site going x

Five Great Elderberry Recipes

Hello! Autumn is here and the hedgerows are bursting with nuts, seeds, fruits and berries. So, today, we are going to discover five really great elderberry recipes. Elderberries are a really common hedgerow berry, rich in vitamin C, great for recovery from colds and flu and they taste delicious! So, are you ready to dive in and discover some elderberry recipes? Lets get started! Here are your quick links:

P.S. If you would love to learn about and grow your foraging confidence, check out this online foraging course by The Herbal Academy.

To make elderberry cordial, you will need:

  • 500g elderberries
  • 500ml water
  • 350g sugar
  • 1/2 a lemon rind and 1tbsp lemon juice

To make the cordial, first strip the berries from their stalks using a fork and rinse them, then place them into a saucepan with the lemon rind. Next, cover them with water and simmer gently for about 30 minutes until the berries are soft and mushy.

Next, strain the liquid and place it back into the pan. Add the sugar and lemon juice, then bring to a gentle boil and simmer, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. You can then add more sugar or lemon juice according to your taste, before allowing the cordial to cool. Once it has completely cooled, pour it into a clean bottle to store.

If sealed and stored correctly in a cool, dark place, your cordial should last about 2 years. But, keep it refrigerated once opened.

Elderberry Vinegar

To make elderberry vinegar, you will need:

  • 500ml white vinegar
  • 350g elderberries
  • Sugar

To make the vinegar, first strip the berries from their stalks using a fork and rinse them, then pour them into a jar. Add enough vinegar to completely submerge your elderberries, then leave to stand for about 5 days, shaking or turning every day.

Next, strain the liquid and measure it out, then place into a pan. Add 350g sugar for every 260ml of liquid that you strained, then bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Allow the vinegar to cool, then strain it into a clean bottle or jar. Voila! Elderberry vinegar.

To make elderberry syrup, you will need:

  • 500g elderberries
  • 500g sugar
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Optional spices, like ginger or cloves

To make the syrup, first strip the berries from their stalks using a fork, rinse them, then pour them into a saucepan and cover with about 1cm of water. Add any extra spices, bring to a boil, then simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes until the berries are soft.

Next, strain the liquid and measure it out, then place it back into a pan. Add 400g  of sugar for every 500ml of liquid that you strained. Then, add the lemon juice and bring the whole mixture back to a gentle boil and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.  Then, allow the syrup to cool completely, before pouring it into a clean bottle.

If sealed and stored correctly, your syrup should last for about 3 months in the fridge, or up to a year if you freeze it.

To make elderberry jelly, you will need:

  • 500g elderberries
  • 500g pectin or jam sugar

To make the jelly, first strip the berries from their stalks using a fork, rinse them, then pour them into a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes until the berries are soft.

Next, strain the liquid and measure it out, then place it back into a pan. Add 500g of sugar for every 500ml of liquid that you strained. Then bring the liquid back to a gentle boil and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.  Once the sugar has dissolved, bring it back to a boil again, then once boiling, time it for 4 minutes. Then, remove your jelly from the heat, pour it into a clean jar.

Your jelly should last for about 1 year is sealed and stored correctly in a cool, dark place. But once opened, keep it refrigerated.

To make elderberry jelly, you will need:

  • 500g elderberries
  • 400g pectin or jam sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

To make the jam, first strip the berries from their stalks using a fork, rinse them, then pour them into a saucepan and gently mash to release some juice. Next, add the sugar and lemon juice and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly. make sure to remove any scum from the surface.

Test if the jam is ready by placing a small amount on a freezing cold plate in the fridge for a few minutes. If a skin forms over it, the jam is ready. If not, then continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes and re-try.

Once the jam is ready, remove it from the heat and pour into clean jars. The jam should keep for about 1 year if sealed and stored correctly in a cool, dark place. But, once opened, keep it in the fridge.

Summary

Well, there we go! Five great elderberry recipes; five delicious recipes to try out. I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial. If you would like to meet more of our common hedgerow berries, you can check out this post. Or, to be notified about new nature nook tutorials, you can subscribe to My Nature Nook by clicking the button below x

What next?

Check out these related links and resources: