lifestyle

Elderflower picking

One of the joys of summer is getting to forage. The hedgerows come alive and many a sweet treat can be picked on a walk. When I am organised enough I love to get the chance to make elderflower cordial. It’s so easy to make I don’t know why I ever think there isn’t enough time! This year my daughter Ava also wanted to make some elderflower champagne so I decided to photograph her while she gathered for both of us - a fair swap?

We have a family story about elderflower. My mother-in-law Doreen was asked to have the cub scouts at her home one evening when Neal was a boy. She had been given a recipe by an elderly lady she knew on how to make elderflower ‘lemonade’. When the cubs came over, on a lovely hot summers evening they were delighted to be given a glass of ‘lemonade’. Unbeknownst to Doreen it had however turned into elderflower champagne - the cubs had a great time but I’m not sure the parents were impressed! Can’t imagine that kind of thing happening these days but I love the story!

This is the recipe I have used for the cordial - taken from River Cottage :

Makes about 2 litres

Ingredients

  • About 25 elderflower heads

  • Finely grated zest of 3 unwaxed lemons and 1 orange, plus their juice (about 150ml in total)

  • 1kg sugar

  • 1 heaped tsp citric acid (optional)

    Method

  • Inspect the elderflower heads carefully and remove any insects. Place the flower heads in a large bowl together with the orange and lemon zest.

  • Bring 1.5 litres water to the boil and pour over the elderflowers and citrus zest. Cover and leave overnight to infuse.

  • Strain the liquid through a scalded jelly bag or piece of muslin and pour into a saucepan. Add the sugar, the lemon and orange juice and the citric acid (if using).

  • Heat gently to dissolve the sugar, then bring to a simmer and cook for a couple of minutes.

  • Use a funnel to pour the hot syrup into sterilised bottles. Seal the bottles with swing-top lids, sterilised screw-tops or corks.