2024 Reflections, 2025 Intentions
Elderberry Shrub Recipe
As is tradition at the end of a year, we took a moment to reflect on the stories we shared in 2024. We were fortunate to work with a talented, passionate collective of writers, photographers, and illustrators. Through their lens we learned of community organizations that empower the next generation of growers, feed their communities and work to ensure equality and equity in the food and beverage industry.
We explored what it means to intentionally live a ‘local life’ - from shopping at markets, to growing your own vegetables and herbs, to raising heritage breed rabbits to process and consume. Mushrooms are in right now and Virginia grows an amazing variety of them (a trend that will continue well into 2025). We shared the challenges and successes of a myriad of small business owners, from those channeling grief into art, to the joy of cooking for others.
And despite droughts, hurricanes, and losses, we’ve witnessed and reported on the resiliency of our local food systems. Our hope is that by sharing these stories, we help to strengthen the connection between producers and consumers, and foster conversations about where our food comes from and why it matters.
As we enter 2025, we want to thank you, the reader. By reading these stories, by sharing them with others and trying recipes and visiting markets and frequenting small businesses, you support those whose stories we have shared. Thank you.
We’re going to keep telling stories that matter. We’re going to keep sharing tasty recipes. And we’re going to ground ourselves with the knowledge it is an honor and a privilege to do so.
Welcome to the Edible Blue Ridge newsletter that brings you food stories from our region and beyond. You're receiving this email because you've purchased a magazine subscription—thank you!—or you signed up via our online form. If you need to opt out at any time, there's a link at the bottom. We're glad you're here.
Thanks for reading, happy eating, and enjoy your weekend,
Lisa - Publisher & Editor
EVENTS
Have an event you’d like us to share? Email: info@edibleblueridge.com
1.04 Community Pancake Breakfast - Nelson
Through 1.05 Festival of Trees - Bedford
1.11 Taste of Virginia - Roanoke
1.16 & 1.17 Wood-Fired Pizza Cooking Class - North Garden
1.18-1.26 Downtown Restaurant Week - Roanoke
1.19 International Wine Festival - Roanoke
1.22 & 1.24 Italian Cuisine Cooking Class - North Garden
1.27-2.02 Restaurant Week - Charlottesville
WHAT WE’RE COOKING: Elderberry Ginger Shrub
If you are participating in Dry January, or just looking for a tasty winter beverage without the buzz, this effervescent elderberry mocktail is refreshing and delicious.
For this recipe we used Peace & Harmony Farm’s Elderberry Shrub. Peace & Harmony Farm specializes in culinary and medicinal herbs. Before coming to farming, Theresa spent over 20 years in the restaurant industry and knows her way around a kitchen. Her Elderberry Shrub can be used as a standalone drink or mixed with other winter warming ingredients such as turmeric or ginger syrup.
Elderberry Ginger Shrub
for the honey ginger syrup
1/2 cup raw local honey
1/2 cup water
3 inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
for the mocktail
1 ounce Elderberry Shrub
1/4 ounce honey ginger syrup
seltzer water
ice
fruit or herbs to garnish
Make the syrup: in a medium saucepan, combine honey, water and ginger and bring to a boil, stirring until honey dissolves. Remove from heat, cover pot and allow syrup to steep for 1 hour (or longer if you prefer a stronger ginger flavor). Once steeped, strain syrup into a jar and store in the refrigerator for up to one month (you can reserve the strained ginger for making ginger candy!).
For the mocktail: Fill a cocktail glass halfway with ice. Add 1 ounce shrub, 1/4 ounce ginger syrup and stir to combine. Top with 6 ounces seltzer water and garnish with blueberries or other fruit, candied ginger, or fresh mint.
POEM OF THE WEEK
To the New Year
W. S. Merwin
With what stillness at last
you appear in the valley
your first sunlight reaching down
to touch the tips of a few
high leaves that do not stir
as though they had not noticed
and did not know you at all
then the voice of a dove calls
from far away in itself
to the hush of the morning
so this is the sound of you
here and now whether or not
anyone hears it this is
where we have come with our age
our knowledge such as it is
and our hopes such as they are
invisible before us
untouched and still possibleCopyright Credit: W. S. Merwin, “To the New Year” from Present Company (Port Townsend, Washington: Copper Canyon Press, 2005). Copyright © 2005 by W. S. Merwin
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