Elderflower

Apparently it’s bad luck to cut down an Elder tree. And if you HAVE to do it, you must first ask permission from the witch.

Who, I wonder, in their right minds would want to cut down an elder, perhaps the greatest gift to the forager, its flowers a perfect balance between green-ness and sweetness. As well as tasting divine, elder is also very good for you. Herbalists use is as an expectorant, an anti-hystamine and a plant to control fever. It’s a plant that is particularly good for ailments to do with the upper respiratory tract. And it tastes wonderful.

Some people make fritters with elderflowers, but for me that’s just too much work. And anyway, I associate my frier with fish and chips, not sweet elderflower. The best way to preserve the fantastic taste and benefits of elderflower, I think, is to make it into a drink.

Here are three recipes for elderflower: a cordial, a syrup, and the last is a recipe from herbalist Gaby Wieland for elderflower champagne. This last recipe is not particularly sweet, but I think it’s a great one for really appreciating the taste of the flower, and reaping all the health benefits without an overload of sugar.

For all these recipes it’s a good idea to pick the elderflower on a dry day when the sun is shining. Elderflower is in season during the very longest, lightest days of early summer, catch it when it is fragrant and in full bloom in the sun.

Elderflower Cordial

12 elderflower heads
1kg sugar
1 lemon, zested and juiced
60g citric acid (available from pharmacies)
2.5L water

Shake the insects off the flowers, or, if you think you need to, rinse in a little water quickly. Bring the water to the boil and stir in the sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and then remove from the heat and add the flowers, lemon juice and zest and the citric acid. Cover and leave overnight (if you are not using a stainless steel saucepan, then pour the liquid into an earthenware, or non-reactive container.) The next day strain and bottle the cordial. Store in the fridge or in a cool dark place. To serve, just dilute with water to taste. Serve cold.

Elderflower Syrup

2.5L water
1kg sugar
12 elderflower heads
2 lemons (1 juiced, 1 sliced)

Put the sugar in a saucepan and add the water. Heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Turn off the heat and add the elderflowers. Add the lemon and cover. Leave for 24 hours. Then strain and bottle. You can either drink the syrup like this, diluted with water, or take each bottle and boil again for about 15 minutes, until the syrup thickens. Great for ice cream.

Gaby Weiland’s Elderflower Champagne

3.5L water
100g honey
7 tablespoons cider vinegar
8 heads of Elderflowers
2 organic lemons, 1 juiced, 1 sliced

Pour the water in a large jug or pot (ideally earthenware), add the honey and vinegar. Squeeze the juice from one lemon, cut the other lemon in pieces and add both to the mixture. Then put the flowers into the jug and stir well. Cover and leave in a warm place for 24 hours. Strain and put into bottles with tight fitting lids. Leave for two weeks in a cool place and until the drink sparkles. Serve ice cool.

Don't confuse elderflower with cramp bark, which is in flower at the same time and grows in similar places. It's not that cramp bark would do you any harm, it's actually a plant that is used a lot on herbal remedies - it's just that (apparently) cramp bark tastes of cat's pee.