Elderberry Shrub - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup elderberry
1 cup cider vinegar (unpasteurized, if you can get it)
sugar (about 1 1/2 cups, or to taste)
soda water, to serve

Preparation

Wash and dry the elderberries, place them in a pint-size jar or non-reactive bowl, and lightly crush using a fork or potato masher.
Add vinegar and stir to combine.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, occasionally shaking the jar or stirring the contents of the bowl.
Give the mixture a good shake or stir and then strain using a fine-mesh strainer and/or cheesecloth.
Discard the solids.
Measure the liquid.
For every cup of liquid, use 1 cup of sugar.
Combine liquid and sugar in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Boil for 5 minutes and remove from heat.
Let cool; bottle, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks (the longer it steeps, the more mellow the flavor).
To serve, mix with sparking water. Start with 1 part shrub to 6 parts sparkling water and adjust to taste. The syrup may also be mixed with plain water or used in cocktails.