In addition to our popular basic elderberry syrup recipe post (with helpful pointers from holistic physician, Dr. Tieraona Low Dog) here’s a fun elderberry syrup variation you can make in your own home kitchen! Combine water, berries, and herbs in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow herbs to simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.
Dried elderberries can be very hard to get in late winter, right at the height of cold and flu season, when you really need it. One of the best places to find high-quality herbal products is Mountain Rose Herbs. They carry dried elderberries and elderflowers, as well as extracts and many other useful herbs at competitive prices.
One of the elderberry experts I interviewed for my book said that most dried berries on the market have been frozen first, so much of the juice runs out before they get dried. He recommends using a steam juicer to extract juice from fresh berries and preserve as many of their compounds as possible.