QUESTION: I have Elderberry bushes for the first time. How do I know when to pick them to make jelly? And do you have any recipes for elderberry jelly?ANSWER: Other than being able to hum a few choruses of Elton John's song "Elderberry Wine," I don't have experience with elderberries. But I found some information online and in the book "Vegetables, Herbs & Fruit, An Illustrated Encyclopedia."There are several kinds, including American Elder (sambucus canadensis), Dwarf Elder (s. ebulus), Common or European Elder (s. nigra) and Red Elder (s. rucemosa or s. pubens).It's important to know which you have, because elderberries contain a toxin, hydrocyanic acid. All elderberries should be cooked to make them safe, but berries of the red elders have more of the toxin and may not be safe even after cooking.The berries should be harvested in early fall, when they're deep purple. (If they're red, skip them in case they're red elder.)To make jelly, you need to get the juice. Heat about 3 pounds of berries in a pot and cook slowly to release all the juice, then strain it through cheesecloth. Combine about 3 cups juice with the juice of a lemon and a box of fruit pectin. Bring to a boil and stir in 4 to 5 cups of sugar. Bring to a full boil for 1 minute and pour into sterilized jars.Either freeze or refrigerate the jam, or process it in a boiling-water canner.