- Elderberries (still on stalks)
- Sugar
- Cloves
- Pick the fruit on a dry day and stew with the stalks in a large stainless steel saucepan, with just enough water to cover.
- Strain through muslin squeezing to get all the juice.
- To each pint of juice add 1 lb of white granulated sugar and 10 cloves.
- Boil for 10 minutes.
- Allow to cool and bottle in sterile bottles with good quality plastic screw-on tops making sure you distribute the cloves evenly amongst the bottles (they act as a preservative).
- The cordial can be used immediately, and will keep well for a year or two.
- Taken with hot water it is renowned as a guard against colds, and a glass a day through winter is a wise precaution..