Elderflower Cordial
It's actually the pollen of the elderflower that gives this drink it's taste and flavour. Only pick elderflowers that are completely open and where you can see the pollen. Discard any flowers that have over-ripened (ie turned borwn) as these will not have any pollen. You can gain more information on elderflowers and elderberries on my wild food guide page. Elder trees have been around since the ice age and it's unlikely that they would have been ignored as a source of food in ancient times (especially as both the flowers and the fruit are edible).
Ingredients
20 large elderflower heads
1kg honey
1.2l water
3 tbsp cider vinegar
a large bunch of sorrel leaves
Preparation
Check the elderflowers to make sure that there aren't any clinging insects then place them in a large bowl. Add the sorrel leaves to this. Meanwhile add the honey and water to a large pan and bring to the boil, stirring to make sure that the honey does not burn.
When all the honey has dissolved pour the hot syrup over the flowers and stir-in the cider vinegar. Keep stirring for a few minutes to make sure that all the elderflowers are covered in syrup then cover with a clean cloth and leave for 24 hours to infuse.
The following day sieve the cordial through a strainer lined with muslin and pour into thoroughly-cleaned glass or plastic bottles. Screw the lids on tightly and store in a cool cupboard.
Though this is obviously modern, to serve dilute with sparkling water (or sparkling wine) to taste and pour over ice cubes in a glass. The cordial also works well in sorbets and ice cream and can be used in a vinaigrette or even as a marinade for chicken breasts. For a more ancient drink simply add cold water and a sprig of mint.
Need to convert any measurements on this site? I have conversion pages available for Volumes, Mass/Weight and Temperatures available.
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