The Cottage Smallholder

I made some of that and it was wonderful stuff I can quite see how it became reputed to ward off ailments, the flavour alone gives a real feel good.

I poured it into vodka shots and it sat in the bottom of the glass producing an attractive appearance with a lovely sweet finish to the vodka.

Also good with duck

Yes, Toffeeapple it's the first time I've done properly.

As kids we collected and pressed tons of elderberries one day and made a whole heap of juice, I was the only one daft enough to try it.  I must have been about nine or ten and I drunk several half pints of the stuff, it was ghastly but I wasn't going to tell my parents.  My sister and I were talking about the episode today whilst we tranfered the marrow into a demijohn.

I'd love to have that time, and do the same things, again.

You know I don't remember, I should have been very ill afterwards but it was such a long time ago.  I can  everything else; the pressing of the berries using two white plastic New Zealand Lamb boxes then transferring to liquid into another.  We wouldn't have cleaned anything and probably found the boxes in the shed, I can remember dipping a half pint beer mug in and drinking it.

We used to eat and drink all kinds as kids, my elder brother was more cautious.

Must have stood me in good stead though because I can eat pretty much anything now without being ill, in fact the wife gets me to check food that's out of date to make sure it's not too deadly