Sparkling summer drink with elderflowers

Elderflowers are prolific in Britain. You see them on road sides, woods, hedgerows and waste places. The pretty white flowers which appear in May - June have a strong scent, sweet and floral and are used in many ways. They can be battered lightly, fried and dipped in sugar to be eaten whole, tossed into a salad if they are particularly good specimens, made into champagne, which is actually alcoholic without the need for all that equipment and made into a cordial, which is what they are most widely used for.

They are supposed to grow here in Vancouver and there is one tree I have my eye on that may be elderflower, but apart from that, I can't find any other patches. The only option I could think of other than flying home every May (which I actually do), was to buy my own tree. As you can see, I am still waiting for the blooms to appear, although the tree has doubled in size from last year. 

At home in the UK this May, I was astonished at just how many elderflowers grace all the places we visited. It literally grows like a weed, but very few people take advantage of the bounty, maybe because they aren't aware of them or maybe they are and are just too embarrassed to go and pick them, basket over one arm, a pair of scissors in the other hand. I wish I had collected some and tried a few different recipes, but, like most people, I can just as easily buy the cordial and find this a less conspicuous ordeal. When my tree blooms I will definitely try the champagne and fritters.

This cordial was bought from Ikea. I imagine Swedish people have no such reservations about scampering around the countryside picking wild flowers and herbs. Maybe this is an over romanticized idea, but they definitely use lots of wild dill with cute little yellow flowers, cloudberries and elderflowers in drinks, jams and just about any other preparation.

This is a very refreshing Summer drink if sparkling water or some other fizzy liquid is used, such as Club Soda or Tonic water.

If you are lucky enough to have a profusion of elderflowers growing near you and are plucky enough to pick them, you can make your own elderflower cordial. 

Elderflower Cordial

Recipe adapted from 'Food for Free' by Richard Mabey

1 lemon, peel zested and fruit sliced

25g (1oz) citric acid

1kg (2lb) sugar

10 elderflower heads

750ml boiling water

Dissolve the sugar in a large bowl with the boiling water, stirring. Add everything else. 

Let the mixture stand for 24 hours, stirring occasionally.

Pour the mixture into clean bottles, sieving through a piece of muslin, and seal, preferably with screw top lids.

This cordial will keep for six months and can be used to make drinks, this this one:

Recipe : Gin with elderflowers

1 tsp elderflower cordial (homemade or bought from Ikea or other retailers)

1 shot of gin

1/4 cup sparkling water, club soda or tonic water

1 slice cucumber

1 olive

Mix together and drink.