Herb & Spice Companion

Job:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion
Dtp:VIVIAN Page:100

Job:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion

Dtp:VIVIAN Page:101

61264 - Herb and Spice Companion_001-145.indd 101 3/7/15 5:11 pm

(Text)

ExOTIC HERBS

• 101 –

Harvest: After 3 or 4 years, when berry clusters are

droopy and hanging downward, the plant is ready for

harvest. Pick the flowers and ripe clusters of berries.

Carefully remove the berries from the stems, as the

stems are poisonous.

Care: At first, weed regularly by hand so you don’t

disturb the growing roots. Don’t prune during the first

two years; after that, prune only when the leaves and

flowers die after the growing season in fall or winter.

Keep It

Fresh

Store fresh-picked berries in a zip-

tight plastic bag in the refrigerator until

ready for use; use as soon as possible.

Elderberries will freeze well in plastic bags

for future use. Both berries and flowers

can be dried (see directions on page 20).

In the Kitchen

Dishes: Cocktails, liqueurs, cordials,

jams, syrups, chutneys, teas, sorbets,

baked desserts

Prep: Fresh berries must be cooked

before eating to kill toxic chemicals and

improve flavor. Flowers can be served

whole, chopped, or candied.

Serve: Elder is a perfect match for sweet-

and-tart summer fruits like strawberries,

blackberries, cherries, and rhubarb. In

Germany, elderflowers are quick-fried

on their stems to make Hollerküchln,

or elderflower fritters, and they can be

sprinkled over salads, pickled, or bottled

with vinegar. Both flowers and berries

can be baked into desserts and used in

jams, chutneys, and pie fillings.

SUBSTITUTIONS

Flowers:

• Lavender


• Rose


• S?uash blossoms


• Violets
  Berries:


• Cranberries


• #ingonberries


• ooseberries

PAIRINGS

Fruits and Vegetables,

elderberries and flowers:

apples, berries, cherries, figs,

grapefruit, gooseberries, grapes,

melon, oranges, peach, pears,

plums, pomegranate, rhubarb

just flowers: cabbage, lettuce,

onions, salad veggies, tomatoes

Proteins, elderberries and

flowers: almonds, cheeses just

flowers: chicken, duck, eggs

Seasonings, elderberries

and flowers: allspice, cinnamon,

cloves, lavender, lemon juice and

Hest, lime juice and Hest, mint,

nutmeg, rose, sesame seeds,

vanilla just flowers: caraway,

cilantro, garlic, mustard, vinegar

Job:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion
Dtp:VIVIAN Page:100

Job:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion

Dtp:VIVIAN Page:101

61264 - Herb and Spice Companion_001-145.indd 101 3/7/15 5:12 pm