The charm of elderberries

By Niki Segnit

In early summer elderflower umbels explode from their dark-green foliage like fragrant fireworks. Within a month the blossoms will give way to shiny black berries. Don’t eat them raw. They contain cyanogenic glucosides – precursors to hydrogen cyanide – which can cause nausea and stomach-ache, or, if you gorge yourself, a whole lot worse.

Not that you’ll be tempted. Uncooked elderberries have an odd, urine-like fragrance and are brutally sour. Like rhubarb, gooseberries and cranberries, they need cooking with sugar to bring out their charm. Pick when they’re as close to black as purple gets and have softened to the touch. Snap off the spray where it joins the branch, wash, then strip the berries from the stems.