Elderflower Cordial... YUM!

It went down a treat at the End of PDC Celebration Pot-luck at Djanbung last week... you all asked for the recipe, so here it is!

Ingredients: 

20 Heads of Elderflowers

1 or 2 sliced lemons

1 or 2 sliced oranges

2tbsp citric acid (can get from supermarket in small bottles, or chemist)

1.5kg Sugar (I used raw)

1.2L boiling water

Method:

De-stalk flowers, rinse and drain. Dissolve ingredients in water in a bucket/bowl. Add Elderflower blossoms an mix in. Cover with a cloth and leave in a spot out of the sun. Stir twice a day for 3-5 days. Strain through muslin. Bottle in sterilized bottles and refrigerate, don’t screw lids on too tightly. Use as a cordial, lovely mixed with bubbly water!

Elderflowers are the pretty masses of teeny, white, fragrant blossoms from the Elder Tree. Djanbung Gardens have more like an Elder Hedge, as it grows all around the Orchard/Duck­ yard. It blooms in late spring in Europe, but seemingly at the beginning of Autumn here in Northern Rivers, then turns to beautiful deep purple berries, which can also be made into wine.. yuuuum!

The Elder is native to UK and Europe and is a very mythical and important tree in traditional Folklore. Superstition, religious belief, or tradition prohibits cutting down these trees, most notably in Witchcraft, "Elder be ye Lady's tree, burn it not or cursed ye'll be" – A rhyme from the Wiccan rede. In the UK and Ireland, it’s said that summer doesn't officially arrive until the Elderflowers are blossoming, and finishes when the berries are ripe!

The other popular use for Elderflowers are fermenting the cordial for longer to make alcoholic, fragrant Champaign and in Europe they batter the whole flower head and deep fry it to make a delicious desert served with sugar and cinnamon! Sooo gooooood! Elderberries can also be used for marmalade, beer and cordial.

Elderflower tea and Elderberries are good cold and flu remedies and can be used for asthma and chest infections. Can also be used as a natural pesticide for cucumber beetle and carrot fly.