Late Fall and Winter Foraging

As the winter storms are beginning to blow in the foragers year is definitely coming to a close, unless you are a hunter of course, but that is another path altogether... The plant energy has turned inwards now, withdrawn into the roots. Here it will slumber until reawakened in the spring when the first birds begin to sing the wake up call and the sun begins to thaw the frozen earth.

Those who live in a cold climate might be snowed under already, while those blessed with milder weather might enjoy the last warm days and still find nuts and mushrooms to add to a hearty autumn feast. Sitting around an open fire with one's friends and roasting sweet chestnuts (make sure the bottoms are slit or else they will explode on you) and sharing some home made elderberry wine with stories and laughter is a wonderful winter pastime. Walnuts are also still good for picking - lest the squirrels beat you to them. If you don't mind a more 'unusual' flavour, acorns might be worth a try, though they definitely need 'watering' in order to leech out the bitterness. Boil them with several changes of water and then roast them in the oven. Grind them to the consistency you like and try adding them to bread or cake mixes. They impart a very nutty flavour and a tasty little crunch.

In the milder regions mushrooms might still be popping up in the fields and woods until they are killed by the frost. Though before attempting to add wild mushroom species to your foraged dishes make absolutely certain that you have picked only the ones that are good to eat. Ask an expert. In some countries you can go to the pharmacy and ask for help with identification. Or try the local botanical gardens, agricultural extension service or botany department of your university. Join a mushroom foray to get expert instruction on identification and most importantly, how to recognize the poisonous species.

One mushroom that is easily identified even by the novice, is the common inkcap. Use the tall ones as a guide to the colony - while the older ones are not good to eat once their lamella turn pink, the babies are usually never far. Because of the high water content mushrooms often don't cook very well; instead, they simply melt away. However, a great way to prepare them is as fritters. Roll the mushrooms in flour, dip them in beaten egg, then roll them in bread crumbs and drop them into a hot frying pan with sizzling vegetable oil. This way their consistency remains largely intact and the crust adds a nice crunchiness to the experience.

Also, now after the first frost has bitten it is a good time to pick rosehips, sloes, hawthorn berries and certain sorbus species. These fruits need to be bitten by the frost before they become really palatable. The rosehip fruits are soft now and can thus be processed much easier than in their early autumn rock-hard condition. Rosehips are very rich in vitamin C and are a great preventive remedy for winter ails. Process them quickly though, as they contain an enzyme, which will destroy the vitamin C as soon as the cut surfaces are exposed to the air.

Edible Wild Plants in Wisconsin

Wisconsin holds a vast variety of edible wild plants. From the uplands to the bottom lands and surrounding lake areas, edible plants thrive. Everything from berries, tubers, roots, nuts and greens flourish in Wisconsin. Before eating any type of wild plant, you will want to make sure it is edible. There are a bunch of plants that look just like their edible cousins but can make you ill if not kill you. Always carry a field guide of wild edibles when venturing into the wilds of Wisconsin.
Berries
Currants

Currants

There is a wealth of various berries growing in Wisconsin that you can eat. Gooseberry is a bush that grows 2- to 4-feet tall and has prickly branches with short clusters of flowers and fruits. They are found in the bottom lands, slopes and openings in the forest. The fruits can either be eaten raw or cooked. Currants grow on a bush that is 2- to 4-feet tall and is somewhat similar to the gooseberry bush but it lacks prickles. The fruits and flowers grow in elongated clusters and can be eaten raw or cooked. Elderberry is a bush that can grow to a height of 10 feet. The plant has broad clusters of flowers that are white and the fruits are purple to black in colorization. These plants can be found growing on the edges of swamps and along roadsides. The fruits can be eaten raw or cooked. The American cranberry grows on a bush that is just 8 to 12 inches in height. It has wiry, trailing stems that hold pink flowers and red berries. Blooming between June and October, it can be found in moist meadows and bogs. The berries can be eaten raw or cooked.
Green and Potherbs


Wild Lettuce grows anywhere from one to 10 feet in height with lance like leaves and yellow flowers. It blooms between July and September and can be found in open woods and meadows. The tender young leaves can be used just like lettuce. Dandelions can reach a height of 20 inches and have fluffy leaves and yellow flowers. This plant can be found almost anywhere within the state and blooms all year long. The flowers and leaves are edible raw or cooked. Spring Beauties grow to 10 inches tall. The plant has slightly succulent leaves and pink to white flowers on it. It can be found in meadows and woodlands. The corms resemble sweet potatoes and when boiled are said to taste like chestnuts. Curly Dock is a plant that can reach a height of 5 feet and has curled green and red flowers on it. It blooms from May through September and be found in fields and along roadsides. The leaves can be boiled like greens and the seeds can be ground and used like flour.
Trees

The Hazel tree is prized for its sweet nuts. The tree can grow to 9 feet tall and has sharply toothed leaves and hairless fruits that are encased in tubular husks. The trees can be found in old fields and woodland clearings. Black Cherry trees can reach a height of 60 feet and are found on the edges of streams and fields. The flowers are malodorous and the fruits are bright red when ripe. They can be eaten raw or cooked. The American Plum tree can reach a height of 30 feet with leaves that are coarsely toothed. The fruits are dark red to purple in color and can be eaten raw or cooked. These trees can be found along the edges of streams or in fields.

Blackberry

Strawberries, raspberries, red currents - most of the berries are already gone. But one remains, serving to remind us of sweet summer days and accompanying us to winter's threshold: the lowly Bramble - also known as Blackberry. How we curse it in spring and summer when we find passage across a field blocked by its thorny arms, when its barbs tear our clothes, tangle our hair, or scratch our skin! When bramble blocks the way it means business. Although it is not impossible to overcome, most will choose an easier route than to engage in direct combat.


Yet, who can resist its sweet berries when bramble bestows a seemingly endless harvest, so much so that looking at the remaining rows of jam jars I always wonder whether I will be able to finish it all before the time comes to make more…

Bramble is an undemanding plant, springing up just about anywhere it gets a chance. In fact, it is often regarded a weed. But, like many other so-called weeds, its humble appearance disguises a lavish gift.

Blackberries are rich in vitamins, especially C and A, and minerals. They also contain flavonoids and tannins, which means that they are not only delicious field fare or jam material, but can also be used medicinally.


The tannins act astringent, thus medicinally blackberries (as well as the blackberry leaves, when picked in spring) can be used to tighten the gums, and to inhibit bleeding. Small children benefit from their action on a 'rumble-tum', arresting diarrhea, settling an upset, nervous stomach and even soothing a stomach-flu.


The leaves can be brewed into a tea. Sometimes they are mixed with raspberry and strawberry leaves to make a refreshing general purpose household tea. Medicinal they act diuretic and diaphoretic and thus are used to cleanse the blood and lower a fever. A less known, very valuable property of the leaves is their ability to lower blood sugar levels, which should be interesting for diabetics, who ought to consider using blackberry leaves as an alternative to regular tea or coffee. The leaves are also astringent and can be used as a gargle to soothe a sore throat. The berries or juice are beneficial for treating hoarseness. Singers and public speakers should make ample use of this freely available and effective remedy.

On a more spiritual note, the lowly bramble flower has an honored place among non-traditional flower essences It serves as a remedy for confusion. Bramble essence is said to help one realize the 'essential truth' or underlying pattern of a situation and is thus said to help find solutions to a problem. It is claimed to bring about mental clarity and aid concentration and memory.



Of course there are gazillions of blackberry recipes - cordials, jam, jellies, ice cream, mousse, pies, chutneys and tons more. I prefer them fresh off the vine with a little cream, but here are some all-time favorites:
Apple and Blackberry Crumble:
Filling

* 3 Large cooking apples
* ½ kg Blackberries
* 5oz Sugar or Honey
* Cinnamon
* Lemon
* ½ oz Butter

Crust

* 2 oz Butter
* 2oz Rolled oats
* 2oz Flour
* 1oz Walnuts (crumbled)
* 1oz Sugar or Honey

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F

Peel and cut the apples into small chunks. Melt the butter and sauté the pieces, stirring frequently. Add the sugar, lemon and cinnamon and walnuts and continue to stir until the apples are getting soft.

Prepare the crumble topping by rubbing the softened butter, sugar, flour and oats into a crumbly mixture.

Add the blackberries to the softened apple filling and stir gently. Transfer the filling into a shallow ovenproof casserole and sprinkle the crumble topping on top. Bake for about 20 minutes or until light golden brown.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Blackberry Jam

* 2 cups blackberries
* 4 cups rhubarb
* 4 cups sugar
* Pinch salt

Carefully clean the berries and peel and cut the rhubarb into one inch pieces. Place the fruit into a heavy pan with 2 cups of sugar and boil for three 3 minutes. Add the rest of the sugar and a pinch salt and boil for four more minutes. Pour into sterilized jars and sea. Makes three pints.
Blackberry Cornbread

* 2 cups white corn meal
* ¼ tsp. soda
* ¼ tsp. salt
* 1 cup buttermilk
* 1 egg
* 1 cup sorghum molasses
* 1 ½ cup blackberries (the wild is better than tame)

# Into mixing bowl, add corn meal, soda, salt, buttermilk, egg; stir well. Add molasses, stir well. Add blackberries, stir into mixture without mashing them. Pour into a well greased iron skillet and bake slow at 350 degrees until pone begins to brown. Reduce heat to 200 degrees until cooked.
From Alicia's recipes
Blackberry Sauce

* 1 lb Blackberries
* 3 tb Sugar
* 1 tb Lemon juice

Serve this with duck.

Combine berries, sugar and lemon juice in a pot. Cover and cook until bubbling, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat, place in a food processor and blend.

Pass through a strainer to remove the seeds. Chill before serving. Can be frozen for up to 1 year.
Makes 1 Cup

Grape/Vine

VINE

Vitis vinifera

Vitaceae

© Kat Morgenstern, September 2002

Synonyms:


Grapes, Grapevine, Vigne, Weintrauben, Rebstock
Description:

Cultivated vines are grown in vineyards, preferably a south facing hill with poor, stony soil as vine likes a well draining location - the poorer the soil, the better it seems to thrive, though it is rather picky about its climatic requirements. Vine dislikes cold and damp weather, and will die in temperatures below 18°C,. It is not terribly keen on humidity either and doesn't appreciate too much rain. It is perfectly suited to a dry Mediterranean climate.

Left untended vines grow up to 15 meters high, though they are a scrambling lot that cling to anything that will give them support. In cultivation they are usually kept low. The shoots are being pruned back every year. Sometimes the vines are trained on wires. The stems are very gnarly and twisty with a somewhat flaky brown bark and densely grained wood. The leaves are palmate, sometimes deeply indented or with very jaggy serrated margins, depending on the species. The flowers appear in May/June. They form bunches of tiny white 5 petaled inflorescences that exude a very delicate, sweet aroma. They do not last long however and soon the drupes of juicy berries start developing. Their size and colour depends on the species, but tends to vary from yellowish green to reddish, deep purple black. The berries are smooth skinned and each usually contains 2 seeds (except seedless varieties). Vines can be propagated by seed or cutting. Most European stocks are grafted onto American rootstocks due to the consequences of a devastating blight that once nearly devastated all European vines.


There are also many wild grape species, which tend to be a rather meandering lot. They can grow and sprawl over an extensive area when they are left undisturbed. The berries grow in the familiar bunch configuration, though they are much sparser and boast much smaller berries, which are usually quite sour. Like their cultivated counterparts, the flowers are small and rather inconspicuous.
ECOLOGY

The geographical origins of vines are still a matter of debate. There are numerous wild varieties that are at home in many different parts of the world. In fact, when the Vikings first happened upon that continent across the sea, now known as America, they called it 'Vinland' in reference to the many wild vines they found there. The cultivated European variety seems to have originated in Mesopotamia from where it steadily spread west and north, especially under the influence of Greek and Roman imperialism, which dominated the region for hundreds of years. Today it is grown in all warm, temperate regions of the world with good success and can be found in Central and Southern Europe, Northern Africa, Asia Minor, Greece, Asia, California, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand.

Vine cultivation is so widespread in some areas that it occupies 1000s of acres at the expense of almost all other crops.


While wine lovers may appreciate the variety of tastes and textures to tickle their tongues, environmentally it is dangerous to put all ones eggs in one basket and deplete the soil's nutrients by growing the same crop year after year in the same fields. Many commercial vineyards are subject to heavy spraying and fertilization, which only further depletes the soil. An agricultural practice that depends so heavily on chemicals is not sustainable in the long run.

Vine does have a number of natural enemies: e.g. mildew attacks anything green, powdery mildew rots the stalks, shrivels the leaves, splits the grapes and finally kills the vine, red spider mite sucks the sap from the leaf veins, phylloxera vastatrix, the blight that was responsible for destroying crops across Europe in 18th century, attacks the roots, while the cochylis moth grub attacks the flowers.
HISTORY, MYTHOLOGY AND FOLKLORE
wine

The history of grape cultivation seems to be quite ancient, though its precise origin is impossible to trace. The Bible mentions that Noah had planted a vineyard, and he was probably not the first to do so. It seems that people knew and loved their vines as far as at least 6000 years ago. Classical texts abound with praise for vine and are full of suggestions on how to grow them and transform their juice into their beloved elixir of life. The ancient Greeks were the first to popularize the sacred liquid and the Romans soon followed in their steps, spreading vine cultivation all around the Mediterranean basin. By 600 BC cultivated vine arrived in what is now known as France where it was enthusiastically received. Though at first rivaled by Italy, France soon became the most significant region of vine cultivation in the world. However, tragedy struck in the latter half of the 18th century, when an American grower sent some specimen of his stocks back to the old world for study. The specimen turned out to be infested with a devastating blight that caused havoc in the vineyards, threatening to wipe out practically all of the European vine stocks. It was a catastrophe for the vine growers and merchants, not to mention the deprived general public. The cure eventually came from the same place as the blight, when a resistant species was found in the US. Europeans started to graft their stocks onto American rootstocks and thus succeeded avert total devastation. It took some time but eventually the industry recovered and European wine producers are again at the top of the charts.

Historical records suggest that the original wines of the Greeks were quite a different kind of brew than what wine connoisseurs appreciate today. Much thicker and heavier in texture it had to be diluted for consumption at a ratio of 1:3. There is also much evidence to suggest that wines were originally mixed with other substances, such as resins, aromatic herbs and certain psychotropic plants to create quite a different class of powerful intoxicants. In Greece, wine was associated with Dionysus, a wild, shamanic God of ecstasy, whose totem animal was a panther and his emblem a phallic pine-cone tipped wand, as a symbol of fertility and immortality. His rites were wild and orgiastic, culminating in the ritual death of the deity (or a representative) as the frenzied mob of Maenads, (his priestesses), chased him down and tore him apart. Later the sacrifice was substituted with that of an animal (a fawn or fox) until eventually Dionysus became tamed as a deity of grain and wine. The sacrifice was substituted with ritual bread and wine as the sacred substance used to commune with the deity, which is how he was celebrated at the Eleusian mysteries.


The Romans knew this God as Bacchus, a God of wine and intoxication who was worshipped in much the same manner. In Egypt, vine was regarded as a tree of life. Isis was said to have become pregnant after eating some grapes, and subsequently gave birth to Horus. Thus, her brother and consort Osiris became Lord of Wine.


Lucian, in his 'True History' tells a fabulous, though somewhat moralistic tale about a strange vineyard that used to grow on the far banks of a river that ran wine instead of water. The vines had solid trunks, but their upper parts gave rise to beautiful and perfectly formed maidens. Their hair was a tangle of leaves and grapes sprouted from their fingertips, yet if anyone were to pick them the girls shrieked with pain. They sang and lured passers by with kisses, but those who succumbed to their embraces found themselves instantly drunk, and unable to escape they instead took root and grew shoots and vine leaves.
Aphrodisiac associations:


Vine is truly a gift of the gods. In moderate doses it has the power to raise the spirit to states of exhilaration and inspiration, to unlock the tight controls of the mind over the spirit and emotions and open the heart and soul. Countless works of arts have been inspired by it, and countless adventures started from a spark of its enthusiastic fire. Those who abuse its power by indulging in greater quantities than serves them well, will be stupefied and suffer delusion. The ecstasy can turn to frenzy, yet the imbibed person is totally oblivious to his actions. In appropriate quantities however, wine is wholly beneficial to health and spirit and has often been praised for its civilizing effects.
MEDICINAL USES

Several parts of the grapevine can be used medicinally. Both red and white wine was formerly much employed as a medium for other medicines for tonic wines and cordials.
PARTS USED:

Leaves


Dried or fresh flowers,Berries,Fresh or dried fruit

Seeds



An oil is expressed from the seeds
HARVEST TIMES:

The flowers appear in May/June. The leaves should be picked in spring when they are tender, the bunches of grapes ripen from September onwards.

LEAVES:


Constituents:


Picked in the summer, the leaves contain a mixture of cane sugar and glucose, tartaric acid, potassium bi-tartrate, quercetine, quercitrin, tannin, amidon, malic acid, gum, inosite, an uncrystallizable fermentable sugar and oxalate of calcium; gathered in the autumn they contain much more quercetine and less trace of quercitrin.

Actions:


anti-inflammatory, astringent, stops bleeding

Indications:


An infusion of 1 tsp of fresh finely cut leaves per cup of water is taken for rheumatism, gout, nausea and spitting of blood. In Homeopathy a preparation known as 'Papinorum Extract is made from the leaves and vines. It is used to treat inflammation of the hip joints and for cases of epilepsy. Dried powdered leaves were given to cattle to treat dysentery. A decoction is said to be useful to avert threatened abortion. The astringent property helps to arrest internal and external bleeding, cholera, dropsy, diarrhea and nausea. The decoction can also be used to treat mouth ulcers and as douche for treating vaginal discharge. Red grape leaves are said to be helpful in the treatment of varicose veins, and fragile capillaries. For this purpose leaves are harvested as soon as they turn red and are used either fresh or dried.

FLOWERS


Actions:


nerve tonic

Indications:


An infusion of 1tsp of dried flowers to a cup of boiling water is made to strengthen the nerve dendrons and to support the action of the bone marrow of the spine. As such it can be used internally as a tea or externally as a rub to aid neuralgic function (even recommended for paralysis of the lower limbs)

BERRIES



Constituents:


malic, tartaric, ascetic ascorbic and racemic acids, alanine, alpha linolenic acid, alpha tocopherol, arginine. Oxalic acid in unripe fruits, Ca, P, Fe, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and ascorbic

Actions:


fortifying blood tonic, nourishing, stimulates kidney and liver function and thus aids elimination and cleansing, gentle laxative

Indications:


A popular method of cleansing the body of accumulated toxins is to do a grape fast, an old household remedy to cleanse and gently tonify the body. 2kg of grapes should be eaten during the course of the day, every day for two weeks with little or no other food. (Best to fast one day before embarking on this cure), this is very good for slimmers as it will release water from the tissues, reduce fat, regulate bowel function by stimulating and tonifying the kidneys, purify the blood and cleanse the skin, reduce rheumatic pains, heart burn and stomach burn. It is especially good for people with disturbed metabolism, water retention, dropsy and circulatory complaints. Grapes are a restorative, nourishing food good for anemia and debilitating conditions. The dried grapes are demulcent, nutritive and slightly laxative.

Contra-indications: not recommended for dyspeptics or for excitable, hot-blooded individuals as it may cause palpitations.

Grape sugar is very easily absorbed and thus acts as a speedy restorative in cases of exhaustion and debility as it does not interact with saliva before entering the bloodstream. Acts very immediately.

SAP:


A lotion was made with the sap (tear/lacryma) to treat weak eyes and specs on the cornea. It has also been used as a skin lotion. Internally it is diuretic.
GENERAL USES

Basketry:


The vine twigs are very bendy and have been used to make brooms and baskets

Cosmetics:


A lotion made from the flowers is said to be useful for freckles, the oil is used in soap making

Dyes:


A purplish dye can be obtained from the berries, though it does not last. The fresh or dried leaves yield a yellow dye.

Fuel:


The old wine stocks make useful firewood that impart a special aromatic note to foods grilled or cooked on it, the young twigs make good fire lighters.

Grapeseed Oil:


An oil is obtained from the pressed seeds which can be used for culinary and cosmetic purposes. It is slightly sticky, thus not very good if used on its own for massage oil. For internal use the oil must be refined before consumption.

Culinary uses:


Grapes are a wonderful refreshing, nourishing and cleansing fruit that can be enjoyed straight from the vine.


They yield a sweet and tasty juice, which not only makes a refreshing drink but can also be made into jelly, or reduced to a juice concentrate which makes a good sweetener. Most commonly grape juice is used to make wine. The business is enormous and the variation on the theme takes on staggering dimensions, the diversity of flavors and textures is nothing short of phenomenal.

Commonly wines come as reds, rose or white wines, champagne or sparkling wine, each of which can be made from hundreds of different grape species. A special sweet wine is produced by stopping the fermentation process prematurely by adding alcohol to the brew. The grape residues are also utilized: they can be distilled to make a strong 'Weingeist' or 'Eau de Vie'.

There are at least 8000 cultivated varieties of grapes, most of which are grown in the northern hemisphere.

The young tendrils can be eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable. The flowers are also edible and can be prepared as fritters.

The sap has a sweet taste and can be used as a drink, though harvesting large quantities weakens the vines. The seeds can be roasted and used as a coffee substitute. The leaves have long been used to wrap foods in to make a finger-food or appetizer, especially popular in greek cooking.

A crystalline salt, Cream of tartar, also known as potassium bitartrate, is derived from the residue of pressed grapes and the sediment of wine barrels is used in making baking powder.

recipes (1K)

Recipes for grapes, wine and vine leaves could easily fill a whole book of their own. Here just a few little suggestions:
Meat in wine and raisin sauce

Certain meats, especially game are particularly tasty when marinated in red wine. A very hearty and flavorful stews can be made by cooking the meat directly in the marinade. This is especially suitable for heavy meats such as wild boar:
Cut the meat in chunks, roll in flour and quickly pan fry it to seal. Put the meat into a big, deep dish and pour sufficient quantities of red wine over it to cover it. Add Pimento berries, Juniper berries, Bay leaves, lots of garlic and sprigs of Rosemary and Thyme. To give the sauce a fuity note you can soak raisins in it too. Marinate the meat for several days.

Just before cooking add large chunks of onions and carrots and simmer the whole lot for several hours. Serve with potatoes and red cabbage made with apples and raisins.
Stuffed Vine Leaves

1 x 8oz pack vine leaves
4oz long grain rice
2tbsp olive oil
1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
1tsp fennel, chopped
1tsp fresh mint, finely chopped
salt and pepper
# Drain the vine leaves and boil for 5 minutes in unsalted water, rinse in cold water.
# Cook the rice until tender.
# Sauté onions and fennel in olive oil for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
# Add the rice and mint and season with salt and pepper. When the mixture has cooled down use l tsp to fill each vine leaf.
# Roll up tightly, turn in the ends to make a parcel.
# Place in pan and cover with water. Put a plate on top of the rolls to prevent them from unraveling while cooking.
# Simmer for 1 hour. Can be served either hot or cold with yoghurt or Raita.
Making Wine:

No two people make wine exactly the same way. Everybody has their own personal tricks and recipes and only practice will prove what works best for you. The guidelines below are very general, just to give an idea of the process.


Place the fruit into a bucket. Mash thoroughly and cover with boiled, but cooled down water. Cover the bucket and leave for 24 hours. Boil three more pints of water and dissolve some sugar in it (how much depends on the natural sweetness of the fruit and how dry you want your wine). Allow to cool down and add to the bucket. At this stage one might also want to add other herbs or spices, or some organic orange or lemon, peel along with its juice. Add one teaspoon of yeast and one teaspoon of yeast nutrient. Cover bucket once again and leave for a further 6 days, stirring once a day. On the 7th day check to see if a foam is forming on top of the mix. This is the sign that fermentation has begun. If no foam has formed, leave for another day and check again.

Strain the liquid and fill into a demi-john (glass fermentaion jar) using a muslin cloth and funnel. Seal with the bubble bung, half filled with water and leave in a warm place, but protected from direct sunlight. The fermentation process will take several months. During the fermentation process a gas is formed, which needs to be allowed to escape without allowing more oxygen to enter the jar. That is the role of the water-filled bubble bung. After 3 months the fermentation process will slow down. Eventually no more bubbles will rise to the surface. At this point you must taste the wine to see if it is too dry.

If so, add more dissolved sugar and continue the fermentation process. Once the fermentation process has stopped completely and the wine has the right sweetness you can bottle and cork the wine. Store the bottles in a cool place, (about 12 degrees celsius) preferably on their sides. Allow to settle for a few weeks.

Wine Making Resource
Grape/Jalapeno Jelly

Jelly made with yellow grapes and vinegar makes a good medium for home-made jalapeno jelly. Express and filter the grapejuice, add some vinegar and preserving sugar and minced jalapenos. Simmer until the mixture thickens. Add pectin if it doesn't. Fill into sterilized jars and allow to set. The jelly can be seasoned to taste, e.g. with ginger or garlic or star anise.

The Fabulous Elderberry

Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis

The American elder (canadensis) , also known as Elderberry, is small tree that grows to 12 feet and is native to North America. The European elder (nigra) grows to 30 feet, is found throughout Europe, Asia, North Africa, and has been naturalized in the United States. The tree has been called "the medicine chest of the common people.

The flowers, leaves, berries, bark and roots have all been used in traditional folk medicine for centuries. The fruits have been used to make elderberry wine, and when cooked, can be used in pies and jams. The berries contain more vitamin C than any other herb except rosehips and black currant.


The elder also has a rich background of cultural superstitions. In the Middle Ages legends held that tree was home to witches and that cutting down one would bring on the wrath of those residing in the branches.

The Russians and the English believe that elder trees ward off evil spirits and it was considered good luck to plant a tree near your home. Sicilians think that sticks of elder wood can kill serpents and drive away thieves.

This herb has a long history dating beyond the stone ages. Egyptians discovered that applying its flowers improved the complexion and healed burns. Many early Indian tribes used elderberry, and its variants, in teas and other beverages. In the 17th century the British often drank home made wine and cordials that was thought to prolong life and cure the common cold.

The berries from the elder contain a considerable amount of vitamins A, B and C, as well as flavonoids, sugar, tannins, carotenoids and amino acids. Warm elderberry wine is a remedy for sore throat, influenza and induces perspiration to reverse the effects of a chill. The juice from the berries is an old fashioned cure for colds, and is also said to relieve asthma and bronchitis.



Infusions of the fruit are beneficial for nerve disorders, back pain, and have been used to reduce inflammation of the urinary tract and bladder. Raw berries have laxative and diuretic properties, however the seeds are toxic and may induce vomiting and nausea. Elderberries are edible when cooked.

Elder leaves contain the flavonoids rutin and quercertin, alkaloids, vitamin C and sambunigrin, a cyanogenic glucoside. Fresh elder leaves also contain hydrocyanic acid, cane sugar, invertin, betulin, free fatty acids, and a considerable quantity of potassium nitrate. Elder flowers and elder flower water have been used in a variety of ways topically and as a tonic mixture.

Elder flowers are a mild astringent and are used in skin washes to refine the complexion and help relieve eczema, acne and psoriasis. Flower water makes a soothing gargle and when strained makes an excellent eye wash.


The leaves and flowers are a common ingredient in ointments and poultices for burns and scalds, swelling, cuts and scrapes. Infusions and preparations with the blossoms combined with other herbs have also been used to quicken recovery form the common cold and flu.

Parts Used: Bark, leaves, flowers, berries.

Common Use: Topically for infections, inflammations and swelling. As a wash for skin healing and complexion purification. As a tea and cordial to sooth sore throats, speed recovery from cold and flu and relieve respiratory distress. Cooked and used in jams and conserves.

Care: Prefers sandy or loamy soil rich in humus and nitrogen. Full sun or partial shade
Medicinal Uses of Elderberry Plants


Elderberry plants have been used for generations by the native people of the Pacific Northwest as both powerful medicine and vitamin-packed food supplements. The blue elderberry is found primarily on the eastern side of the Cascade Mountains, along roadsides running next to rivers and streams. The red elderberry finds the western side of the mountains to be a more hospitable place to reside. You will notice this luscious plant glowing red in forests and along shady roadsides late in the summer.

Nowadays, due to ease of travel, people generally use the blue elderberry for most of their needs, though the red elderberry was a highly useful and important source of food and medicine to the native people of the Northwest coast.

The blue elderberry plant has been a good friend to me. I love to have the dried flowering tops close at hand when I begin to feel the onset of a cold setting in. I grab a handful of the flowers (delicate small white petals with soft fairy-like pollen), place them gently into a tea strainer, and pour boiling water over top and cover for 10 minutes or so. I will usually add peppermint and sometimes yarrow, an old folk remedy for colds, to this concoction and drink it 3 times a day.


Both the blue and red elderberry have edible berries rich in vitamins A & C. The blue tends to have a more pleasant flavor. I collect the fresh purplish blue berries late in the summer and cook up a great batch of blue elderberry pancakes the next morning. I have never tried my hand at wine making, but I have many friends who will make a special trip over the mountains to harvest pounds of the berries just for this purpose. The blue elderberries also make a yummy syrup that can be used on top of pancakes at breakfast or ice cream at dessert.

When preparing berries from the red elderberry be sure to cook them first, as they may cause nausea when raw. Also, the stems, bark, leaves, and roots contain a cyanide-producing glycoside and should be avoided.
I used to make whistles for the kids when they were little from the hollowed stem. Flutes were made from elderberry by the Serrano, as well as by there area tribes. The four-hole flute was made from a piece of elder about 1.5 inches in diameter and 2 feet long, with the soft pith removed and the mouthpiece on the end. Flutes were decorated with incised and painted designs.

According to information published in 1980 by Travis Hudson and Thomas Blackburn in the fourth volume of their monumental 5-volume work, The Material Culture of the Chumash Interaction Sphere, not only the Chumash but also the Gabrielino, Kitanemuk, and other neighboring groups in Southern California used elderberry wood to make several other musical instruments. Among these were the bullroarer, a long slat that was twirled on the end of a long cord to make a low humming sound. Others were the split-stick clapper used to accompany the rattle during dances, and the musical bow or harp.


Yet another use of the elderberry was to make a black dye for basketry materials. Gerald Smith and Ruth Simpson reported in 1964 that if a black color was desired, coiled Juncus splints were "soaked in a solution containing elderberries and stems," echoing an earlier mention in 1900 by David Prescott Barrows. In her 1924 article on the Serrano, Ruth Benedict noted that prepared sumac (Rhus trilobata) fibers also were dyed in this manner, being left in the solution for a month. The black elderberry dye, known as tcupiatium, produced a design material that was "much more highly prized by the Serrano themselves than the various brown shades of Juncus which are extensively used in baskets intended for sale," according to Benedict, who recorded information told to her by Rosa Morongo.

Jam, Jelly and Wine
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Step 1

Make jam easily by combining 2 quarts of elderberries with 6 cups of sugar, 1/4 cup of vinegar and the juice from half a large freshly squeezed lemon. Bring to boil and boil down until thick; this could take 45 minutes. Take a metal spoon and dip it into the boiling juice; lift the spoon out with the bowl of the spoon facing you. If two drips sheet off the metal spoon at the same time, then you are ready to transfer the jam into hot mason jars, cap and process in a water-bath for seven minutes.
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Step 2

Make jelly by boiling up the elderberries in a large pot until they’re soft. Drain elderberries through muslin or cheesecloth without squeezing to make the juice come out faster, and for each cup of juice, add a cup of sugar. Add the juice of two large lemons to the juice and boil until the juice reaches the “gel” stage–two drips sheeting off a metal spoon. Pour into hot sterilized jelly jars and cap. Process filled and capped jars in a water-bath for seven minutes.


Step 3

Make elderberry wine by collecting four pounds of elderberries. Chop a whole lemon and a whole orange. Place elderberries and chopped citrus fruits in a sterile food-grade white pail and pour a gallon of boiling water over them. Cover loosely and leave this “must” until tepid. Add a package of yeast to the must and stir thoroughly. Add four pounds of white sugar and stir until it’s dissolved. Cover pail with a lid fitted with an airlock or cover loosely. Stir every day for a week. Siphon liquid off the fruits and transfer it to a gallon vessel fitted with an airlock. When sediment is visible at the bottom of the vessel, siphon off the liquid into a sterile vessel leaving the sediment behind. Fit with an airlock. Siphon into individual wine bottles after the liquid has finished the fermentation