Elderberry  

Disclaimer: There is no evidence indicating that the purported health or nutritional benefits of elderberries are imparted to any wine either made from elderberries or containing elderberries. Nuyaka Creek Winery is not implying that such a relationship exists.

The elderberry plant's tiny yellow and white blossoms do not appear until June or July when the days are very long. The flowers are followed by little berries that become deep purple or black, filled with antioxidant rich crimson juice, when they ripen...usually around August or September. 

Elderberries are edible when cooked. They can be used like blueberries in pies, muffins, pancakes, teas and a wealth of other things. If vinegar or pectin and plenty of sugar are added, they make good jam and jelly.

The ancient Egyptians discovered that applying elderberry flowers improved the complexion and healed burns. All parts of the elder have long enjoyed a strong medicinal reputation on their own merits, however, ONLY the berries and flowers are recommended for internal use today.

In fact, elderberries contain more vitamin C than any other herb except for black currants and rosehips!

Look at the nutrition values listed for grapes vs. elderberries, in the table below, and compare. 

Note: from Encyclopedia of Medicinal Foods by Joseph M. Kadaus (Thorsons Publishers Ltd., Wellingborough, Northants)

2 quarts crushed elderberries

¼ cup vinegar

6 cups sugar or honey

Combine berries, vinegar, and sugar. Bring slowly to boiling, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Cook rapidly until thick. As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking. Pour boiling hot mixture into sterilized jars. Adjust lids. Process in boiling water 5 minutes. Remove jars; cool and store. Yield: 6 half-pint jars.

Note: Elderberries should not be eaten raw. All parts of the plant contain small amounts of the toxin hydrocyanic acid which is completely destroyed by ordinary cooking.

Elderberry Pie Recipe 
Yields 6 Servings

2 1/2 cup Elderberries 1/2 c Sugar 
1/8 tablespoon Salt 
2 tablespoon Flour 
3 tablespoon Lemon juice

Mix elderberries, sugar, salt and lemon juice. Sprinkle with flour and dot with butter. 

Put in an 8" pie crust and cover with another crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Elderberry Store

Elderberry Wine -  Available at Nuyaka Creek Winery

How to make Elderberry Popguns

The Barrel

Select a long straight stalk at least one foot in length, and then work to pull and push out the spongy center. This is the barrel.

The Ramrod
Next make a ramrod out of a piece of hickory. On the one end, leave the bark on for a large handle of about three inches. 

Then cut (real kids whittle) the rest of the hickory into a long round stick-like section, slightly smaller in diameter than the barrel. 

The Ammo
Take a piece of paper, soak it in water (real kids chaw their own paper, on the spot) and make a wad which you insert into the end of the barrel so that it's fairly tight. 

A second wad is then inserted into the opposite end. 

Firing
With one swift shove of the Ramrod, the air between the wads is compressed to such a high degree that the first wad fires out with a satisfying bang!

See our Oklahoma Wine List

Nuyaka Creek Winery
35230 South 177th West Ave. 
Bristow, Oklahoma 74010
For appointments, directions or ordering information call 
the vineyard at: 
(918) 756-7568

Try our Dry and Sweet varieties of Elderberry Wine both made from pure Elderberry juice with no grape juice added.

See More Elderberry Products