Things other people do: Making elderflower cordial

So, I still have a pretty long list of things I want to do, now we’re living back in the country. Go mackerel fishing, learn to windsurf, get a dog…. and make elderflower cordial!

I have been whipping down the country lanes of late, keeping my eyes peeled for the frothy blooms of the elder. To be honest, I wasn’t 100% sure what they looked like so when @wlswoman, aka my best friend’s mum and cordial connoiseur, offered to take me picking with her this morning I jumped at the chance.

This woman knows her scrumping spots and within 5 mins of my front door we were at our first foraging site.

The key is to go on a sunny day and get the sprays of delicate creamy flowers when they are in full bloom for optimum fragrance and sweetness. Don’t pick any if there is a sign of brown, they will turn your whole batch bitter. Really there are only another few weeks left of the season.

I haven’t been foraging since a rather successful scrumping session in Marks & Spencers’ orchards in the Dordogne aged 12 (I figured they wouldn’t miss a golden delicious – or 6).

Although shod in completely inadequate footwear (handmade Moroccan slippers) we managed to scale the fence and pick the biggest blooms, for 1.5 litres of cordial you’re looking for 20 or so large flowerheads.

We went for a little wander in the quiet beech wood

And stumbled across this beautiful foxglove filled glade – doesn’t it look like the perfect habitat for fairies?

Then it was home, quick smart before our pickings began to wilt.

Besides the 20 elderflower heads, you’ll need 2 unwaxed lemons, 1.8kg of sugar (caster or granulated works) and 75g of citric acid. You can pick this up in Boots very cheaply.

It is such a simple process, you’re basically making a sugar syrup and infusing it with the lemon and elderflower. So…

Dissolve 1.8kg of sugar in 1.2l of water on the hob. Stir it until all the sugar has dissolved and the sugar syrup almost comes to the boil.

Meanwhile, thinly pare the lemons to remove the peel in wide strips. Add these to the 20 flower heads in a big bowl (there is a lot of liquid so make it the biggest mixing bowl you have). Then roughly chop the remaining lemon and chuck this in, too.

Once the syrup has come to the boil, pour it over the elderflowers/lemons and stir in the 75g of citric acid.

Et Voila! Leave in the bowl to infuse at room temperature, covered with a clean tea towel, for 24 hours.

I am going to decant mine into sterilised plastic milk bottles tomorrow so I can freeze it for Christmas presents (it only keeps for 2 weeks in the fridge).

I like to serve mine in a high-ball with lots of ice and a sprig of mint.

Inspired? Here’s my super quick marmalade recipe and an easy peasy guide to making your own yoghurt.