Elderberries are ripe! Time to make one of the most useful and delicious syrup ever.

Effective against cold and flu, elderberries (Sambucus nigra) can be used also to prevent autumn discomforts of various nature. But most of all, they make a heavenly good syrup.

Remove all berries from their stem very carefully: the stems are toxic! Put the berries in a pot and mash them with an immersion blender for a very short time, to avoid breaking the seeds that have a bitter taste. Bring the mash to a boil, stirring it all the time.

At this point a food mill will squeeze the juice from the paste. Add the same volume of sugar to the juice and bring to a boil again. Now you can pour the syrup in clean jars for the winter. It will last for a year, until the next harvest.