This black elder tea, you see, ain’t just your regular tea. It’s somethin’ special, from them elderberries. Now, I ain’t no doctor, but folks ’round here, they swear by it. My old bones, they ache less since I started sippin’ it.

Black elder tea, they call it. Sounds fancy, don’t it? But it’s just berries, boiled up, makin’ a dark, kinda sour drink. Some folks add a bit of honey, sweeten it up. Me? I like it plain. Gets the job done.

You won’t find these elderberries in them fancy stores, oh no. They grow wild, you gotta know where to look. And you best be careful pickin’ ’em, some berries look the same but ain’t no good. Gotta know the right ones.

Now, this tea, it ain’t for drinkin’ all day, every day. Just a cup or two, that’s enough. I heard it’s strong, that black elder tea. Good for when you’re feelin’ poorly, like a cold comin’ on. It perks you right up, like nothin’ else.

• Boil some water, real hot.
• Toss in a handful of them dried elderberries.
• Let it sit a spell, gettin’ all dark and strong.
• Strain it out, leave them berries behind.
• Sip it slow, feel it doin’ you good.

Some folks, they make a syrup. Boil it down longer, get it thick like honey. They say a spoonful helps with the flu. I reckon that’s true. Ain’t tried it myself, but I seen it work wonders on little Timmy next door. He was coughin’ somethin’ awful, then his mama gave him that syrup. He was right as rain in no time.

This black elder tea, it’s good for what ails ya. Keeps the sickness away, makes you strong. That’s what they say, anyway. And I believe it. My old grandma, she used to make it all the time. She lived to be a hundred, you know. Maybe it was the tea, maybe it was just good livin’. Who knows?

Ain’t no coffee, that’s for sure. Coffee makes me jittery. This tea, it’s different. Calms you down, while wakin’ you up at the same time. Hard to explain. You gotta try it to understand. I heard it has some of them “flavonoids”. Don’t know what those are, but they sound important. Maybe that’s the secret.

Folks talkin’ ’bout buyin’ fancy tea from them Ceylon places. What’s wrong with what we got here? This black elder tea, it’s natural, it’s good. Grows right here, don’t need to go halfway ’round the world for it. And free, if you know where to look. Can’t beat that.

You can’t drink it every day, though. Heard that ain’t good. Maybe it is, maybe not, you know how people like to talk. Some people say it’s somethin’ to do with your “immune system.” Sounds important, whatever that is. They say it makes it stronger. Like buildin’ a wall ’round your body, keepin’ the bad stuff out.

This tea, it’s kinda tart, you know. Not sweet like them berries you buy in the store. More like a wild taste. But it’s good. Makes you feel alive. And it’s good for you, that’s the main thing. Keeps you healthy, keeps you goin’.

So, if you’re feelin’ under the weather, or just want somethin’ good for ya, try some black elder tea. It might surprise ya. It ain’t no miracle cure, but it’s somethin’. And in these times, we need all the somethin’ we can get.

I remember one time, old man Hemlock, he was feelin’ real poorly. Couldn’t get outta bed. His wife, she made him a big pot of this tea. He drank it all day, every day, for a week. And you know what? He got better. Walked right outta that house, good as new. Now, I ain’t sayin’ it was just the tea, but it sure didn’t hurt.

You want some strong tea? This black elder tea is your drink. It helps you. It is good. But no coffee, coffee bad. This good. You drink, you feel better. Simple.

So, there you have it. My two cents on black elder tea. It’s a good drink, a healthy drink. It ain’t fancy, but it works. And that’s all that matters, ain’t it? Just remember what I said, don’t drink too much. And find someone who knows about berries before you go pickin’ any. You don’t want to end up drinkin’ somethin’ you shouldn’t. Just be smart, be careful, and enjoy that tea.