It’s that time of year when walks in the countryside are filled with the sweet aroma of elderflowers and honeysuckle. Like many others I seem to have a heightened awareness of the natural world this spring – enjoying the countryside and my garden, the birds, bees and butterflies.
I often stop and ponder is it an unusually abundant year or have I just a bit more time to observe and contemplate?
For the first time I have noticed the beautiful common blue damselflies resting like shining jewels on the lacy white elder blooms!
Time to forage, with basket in hand I set off to pick elderflowers to make two of my favourite summer drinks – elderflower cordial and elderflower fizz.
It didn’t take long to gather the 30 large flowerheads needed to make a gallon of elderflower fizz and about 2 pints of elderflower cordial.
Before going indoors I gave every flowerhead a little shake to make sure there were no tiny insects lurking. The main ingredients for both drinks are the same – elderflowers, water, sugar, and lemons. It is the differing concentrations of sugar and elderflowers that make the difference.
Elderflower cordial is sweet and syrupy when diluted with tap or sparkling water it is a really refreshing drink or is for something special add it to a gin and tonic!
It’s also a useful addition to puddings and one of my favourites is Sophie Grigson’s recipe for lime and elderflower jellies – simple but delicious.
The Elderflower fizz recipe I use was given to me by my mother-on-law over 30 years ago and she was given it from a lady of over 80 who had been given it by an old lady!! So I am guessing this recipe goes back a long way. For years I was perplexed by one of the ingredients 6d (old pence) white wine vinegar. Last year I was really pleased to discover a reference to 1d as a measuremen so I now know that 1d =1 tablespoon!
In these challenging times, being very aware of my limited shopping excursions I had the bright idea of using the strained elderflowers from the cordial and the quarter lemons from the fizz to make an elderflower and lemon drizzle cake. I simply lined the bottom of the cake tin with the elderflowers before adding the cake mixture. While it was baking I squeezed the juice from the quartered lemons into some elderflower cordial. Immediately the cake was out of the oven I made little holes over the top of it with a skewer and gently drizzled the lemon and elderflower cordial over the top. Delicious the delicate flavour of the elderflower with the sharp tang of the lemon – will definitely try that one again !!
So here are the recipes – I hope you will enjoy !
Elderflower cordial
Ingredients:
25 large freshly picked elderflower heads (check to make sure no insects are hiding in them!)
4lb (1.8kg) granulated sugar
2 3/4 oz (75g) citric acid (usually found in homebrewing section of shop)
2 lemons ( best to use unwaxed if you can)
2 pt (0.5 litre) water
Place elderflowers in a large clean bowl add the zest of the lemons and then slice the lemons and add.
Place water and sugar in a pan on the stove and bring to the boil stirring to ensure the sugar dissolves.
Pour the water and sugar over the elderflowers and lemons and add the citric acid. Cover and leave to stand for 24 hours.
Next day strain through muslin or a jelly bag and bottles. Make sure that your bottles have been sterilised.
The cordial will keep for a month or two if stored in a cool dark place however I tend to freeze it in small batches so that we can enjoy it throughout the year.
Elderflower fizz
Ingredients
1 gallon (4.5 litre) of water
2 tablespoons (6d) white wine vinegar
1 1/2lb (680g) sugar
1 lemon (unwaxed) cut into quarters
5 larger elderflower heads
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar.
Cover and leave for 24 hours stirring occasionally.
Strain through muslin or a jelly bag.
Bottle in sterilised screw or clip topped bottles.
Stand upright for 2 weeks then lie on their side.
Take care when opening as it can be quite champagne like!!
You can see more of my favourite recipes here
More than Willow 