Now is the time to get out and pick some elderflowers on a hot dry day if you want to make some elderflower cordial or elderflower champagne. I made some a few days ago, already drinking the cordial and will have some lovely elderflower champagne in a couple of weeks. Don't forget to only pick elderflowers from trees that are away from roads.
Here are some simple recipes to follow:
Elderflower cordial (Adapted from a recipe in "The Selfsufficient-ish Bible by Andy and Dave Hamilton):
25 flower heads,
1.5kg (3lbs) sugar,
2 pints of water boiling water,
The juice of 2 1/2 lemons and the grated zest of 1 lemon,
1 cinnamon stick.
Place layers of flowers and sugar in a bowl or pan, pour over boiling water, add lemon juice and zest, ad cinnamon stick and leave overnight.
Next day, strain through a muslin and pour into sterilised bottles. Will keep for a few months in a cool place, once opened will last or about a week.
Elderflower Champagne (Adapted from a recipe in The new complete book of self-sufficiency by John Seymour):
15 flower heads,
1 1/2 lbs (0.7 kg) sugar,
4 litres of water,
Juice and zest of one lemon,
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar.
Put the flowers in a bowl and add lemon juice and zest, add the sugar, vinegar and 4 litres of water. leave for 24 hours then strain through a muslin and poor into sterilised bottles. Leave for two weeks, drink before it is 3 weeks old.
