Berry season is in full swing and it’s the perfect
time to meet one you may not be familiar with:
elderberries, an old-fashioned variety that’s at-
tracting new-found attention. You’ll find them
wild (they’re native to Eastern and Midwestern
states) or planted ornamentally. And their
bushes pop with big clusters of the tiny purple
fruits from July to October. “They’re not sweet
like blueberries,” says Ellen Zachos, author of
The Wildcrafted Cocktail. “Elderberries have a
tartness and a complex, deep, rich fruity fla-
vor. And you can’t just go to the grocery store
and buy them—you have to go forage for
them, which somehow makes them taste bet-
ter to me.” Elderberry products— syrups, jams,
juices and wines—are much easier to find than
the berries themselves; look at farmers’ mar-
kets, co-ops, some grocery stores and online.
If you have tried trendy St- Germain elder-
flower liqueur, which is made from the same
plant, the flavor of elderberry syrup is some-
what similar, but not as floral. Try the syrup
in Zachos’ cocktail (above). And stock up on
it for fall days ahead: research shows that it
can help you recover from a cold faster. (One
brand, Sambucol, is widely available in super-
market supplement sections.) —Julie Stewart
Ripe Now: Elderberries
Elderberry
Sunset
In a shaker half
full of ice, combine
2 oz. vodka, 1 oz.
elderberry syrup and
1 tsp. Bénédictine
liqueur. Shake for 30
seconds, then strain
into a glass of ice and
top with 2 oz. Fever-
Tree bitter lemon
mixer. Garnish with
a twist of lemon.
JOHNNY AUTRY; STYLING: CHARLOTTE AUTRY
JULY/AUGUST 2019 EATINGWELL 49
