[Mel]

Evening

I have so many elderberries around the paddock and though I am somewhat tee total,I would not mind having a go at making some wine or-what advice do you have Please?!

[SallyintNorth]

CJJ Berry's First Steps in Winemaking
http://www.amazon.co.uk/First-Steps-Winemaking-C-J-J-Berry/dp/1854861395

[MikeM]

ditto the above. The best country wine I've ever made was that elderberry one. The only downside is that stripping all the berries off the stalk is a real pain (unless someone knows a magic trick)

[SallyintNorth]

ditto the above. The best country wine I've ever made was that elderberry one. The only downside is that stripping all the berries off the stalk is a real pain (unless someone knows a magic trick)

I do know a magic trick!  Use a fork!

[MikeM]

I do use a fork and still find it a pain (mostly in the back). being tall, I find most worktops too low for me and being bent over destalking elderberries is tough on me. 

[SallyintNorth]

I do use a fork and still find it a pain (mostly in the back). being tall, I find most worktops too low for me and being bent over destalking elderberries is tough on me. 

I can understand that.  Would it be any more comfortable sat down forking into a bucket held between your knees?

[suziequeue]

I do use a fork and still find it a pain (mostly in the back). being tall, I find most worktops too low for me and being bent over destalking elderberries is tough on me. 

I can understand that.  Would it be any more comfortable sat down forking into a bucket held between your knees?

Watching something rubbishy and indulgent on the telly......

I find that's the only way I can get through the ironing!! 

[Norfolk Newby]

I cut down the bunches of berries with scissors or secateurs and strip them off later at home. I've got a sort of dustpan with teeth that does the stripping and it collects the berries but I wouldn't do the stripping directly off the tree.

The dustpan gadget came from a local seed merchants and it works with blackcurrants and similar fruit.

Regarding the fruit, I put a cupfull in a bottle of vodka. After a week you have a cordial which is rather like port or a rich red wine. I drain off the cordial and rinse the berries with a little water to recover as much as possible. It still needs diluting but you have the choice of water or something like apple juice added just before drinking.

[MikeM]

I do use a fork and still find it a pain (mostly in the back). being tall, I find most worktops too low for me and being bent over destalking elderberries is tough on me. 

I can understand that.  Would it be any more comfortable sat down forking into a bucket held between your knees?

this year will be our 1st year in a kitchen big enough to do that (our previous house was a glorified rabbit hutch) so I will doing just that. I like the sound of that gadget norfolk newby has, will keep an eye out for that.

[Skirza]

I always freeze my elderberries, makes stripping them sooo simple and the wine is lovely

[ellisr]

I've just froze 3 boxes full yesterday so that I can use them when I have a bit more time in the house

[Sylvia]

Elderberry chutney,if kept for a couple of years is delicious. I will post the recipe if you like.

[Fronhaul]

Would love the chutney recipe please.  And if anyone has any experience of making elderberry syrup would be interested to hear about it.  Not quite TT but I seem to have reached the stage where alcohol isn't worth the effort.