Elderberrys

[Whittler Kev]

Can you eat elderberrys raw or do they have to be processed first?

[Tadpole]

Can you eat elderberrys raw or do they have to be processed first?I think a good rule of thumb is, if you've grown up eating elderberries raw, then you are ok, but if you've never eaten them raw now is not the time to try it. I grew up eating them off the bushes when fishing and camping, so happily eat them raw, with no side effect; my wife cannot eat them unless they are in jam or conserve.

[BigShot]

Tadpole...
...not the time because the flavour can be a bit rank or it'll make you a bit ill?

I tasted some when I was picking for wine the other day and found it sort of pleasant and inoffensive, would I be in for a less-than-pleasant time if I ate quite a few?

[Cyclingrelf]

Not the flavour - there's a strong chance they'll make you vomit if you haven't eaten them as a child. But you feel fine afterwards ;) Not that I've tried it or anything...

[Tony]

i have to say that i only started eating them about 10 years ago and suffered no affects from it, nor Shelly and others we've eaten them with, id' not encourage people to eat a lot of them raw but some will be unlikely to cause any problems.

[BigShot]

What's the verdict on the pips?
Spit or swallow?

[Matthew.Passmore]

If you want to eat them raw start by eating them in small quantities and seeing if you have a reaction, some people are intolerant to some of the chemicals in elderberries which are destroyed by cooking.

I've never really been a fan of them raw but have started to eat them now in small amounts with no problems.

swallow the pips, they will do no harm.

[rich59]

They do seem to get my system working well if I eat a few.

I do a lot of tasting of different bushes as it gives me clues on what sort of wine they might make. I go for the pleasant fruity tasting ones as they give me fruity tasting wines. If they taste like my armpit then often the wine isn't up to much either.:)

[Toddy]

Worth pointing out too that not all elderberries taste the same. Like apples they might all be the same fruit but some are sweet, some are sour, and some are really not worth the bother.
The flowers are different too, some are gloriously perfumed and some stink like cat's pee :rolleyes:

Get to know your bushes and which ones are best for munching :)

cheers,
Toddy

[Front Room Woodlander]

Listen to Toddys advice.
An old psychiaric hospital had lots of fruit trees inits grounds. I labelled the sweet elders with tape to collect for white wine (flowers) and red wine (berries). Ten years later those labels are still there for the eye that knows them.
Eaten raw the berries and the flowers rarely cause offence if in small doses and of the sweet nature.

[BigShot]

Some handy tips there folks. I'll be sure to try that next spring and autumn. :)

(I just hope the lot I've got will make for a half decent wine... I only just had enough for a gallon recipe when I took every berry I could find!)

[Cyclingrelf]

I must admit, my vomiting was probably because I tried them (cooked) whilst on a survival type course where I had an emptier stomach than normal anyway, but I can eat the odd berry or two raw without any trouble. It's a very quick effect if they do make you vomit - they go down, you feel briefly ill, they come up again, you feel fine. All in quick order.

[Bushwhacker]

What's in the berries that can cause the problems and what are the effects?

[Tengu]

I love pontac Sauce and have just made some more

[rich59]

Toddy said <<The flowers are different too, some are gloriously perfumed and some stink like cat's pee >> You noticed that too!