Elderflower Cordial & Drink Recipe
Get outside and smell those blooms this weekend
Around this time last year I encouraged you to “forgo the elderflower cordial” in favour of some lesser-known foraging treats… but this year all I can think about is elder (Sambucus nigra)! I’ve been looking forward to the moment Noushi gets her stitches out so we can safely explore one of our favourite local spots - the nature reserve - and go foraging for some blooms! Last year, despite telling you it was “much easier to buy” in the shops, I made some cordial anyway… and delighted in sharing it with friends throughout the summer.
So yesterday, on Noush’s first off-lead walk for weeks, we ventured into the lush green, scissors and bag in hand, taller-than-me partner employed to snip the out-of-reach blossoms, a sense of anticipation and a sweet scent in the air…
Nature provided a bounty of blooms and we went home with a full bag (leaving tons more on the trees for the pollinators to enjoy!). It takes ages to snip the blooms from the (toxic) stems, but I actually really enjoy a slow, repetitive task once in a while and find the process quite relaxing. My cordial is currently infusing and I’m looking forward to my first sip this weekend.
My friend Rosanna, aka The Bromley Forager, shared her elderflower cordial recipe with me. She’ll be giving this recipe to Mottingham residents at the next Mottingham Wild event and giving them a try of her cordial and black locust syrup. I’m sad to be missing it, as working at these events has been a highlight of my year so far.
All the photos in this article (except the one of Noushi!) are by Rosanna too.
Rosanna also provided me with a quick elderflower drink recipe, which requires no boiling…
Elderflower Drink Recipe
Ingredients
2-3 elderflower heads
1 pint of water
1 large tsp white wine vinegar
1⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄4 of a lemon, sliced
Pinch of citric acid or squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
Method
Make sure there are no bugs on the flowers (give them a little shake if necessary but try and avoid losing the pollen).
Put the water, sugar, vinegar and lemons into a large jar and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Taste the liquid and if it’s too sweet for your liking you can add a squeeze of lemon or a pinch of citric acid to make it more tart.
Snip elderflowers from their stems and add the flowers to the liquid.
Cover and pop into the fridge - it will be ready to drink after 24 hours, when you can strain the flowers out and enjoy.
I was going to share some elder facts in this article as well, but I think I’ll save that for another time… I know you’ll all have one foot out the door already, on your way to track down some elder to make your drinks!
A Note on Noticing Elder
Elder grows all over the place (nature reserves, road sides, car parks, field boundaries etc etc) so I bet you can find it wherever you are. Use this post from Woodland Trust to help you identify it if you need to.
For my US readers: the elder we have here in the UK (Sambucus nigra) is different to American Elder (Sambucus canadensis). As far as I know, both have edible flowers and berries (when properly processed). Just don’t consume the leaves or stems of either tree, as they are toxic!
For bonus foraging points, look for jelly ear fungus while you’re out - they grown on elder trees!
Important notice: Never eat something unless you’re 100% sure you can identify it correctly. Do your research and make sure it’s safe to eat, and in what quantities. In the UK, we have common law to forage the four Fs (fruit, flowers, fungi and foliage) for personal consumption, but never uproot anything without permission and only take what you need if it’s growing in abundance - leave enough for wildlife to thrive!
About Rosanna, who provided the elderflower cordial recipe and the photos in this article
Rosanna Ottewell is a foraging enthusiast with over 40 years of foraging experience. In 2018, following the end of a work contract and much pestering by friends and family, she began leading foraging tours and she is now one of the founders of Wild South London, hosting regular events south of the river. Rosanna says: “The thing that gives me the greatest satisfaction is sharing my knowledge and realising the positive impact that teaching people about foraging can have on their lives”.
Rosanna has a passion for creating recipes and cocktails using foraged wild ingredients and you can see some of her creations on her Instagram: @thebromleyforager
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Yum!