Elderflower Season :)

**Leon** · 05-28-2008, 11:00 AM

Saw the Elderflower out today which is great, theres loads of it around here (and in August it will be time for the berries

).

I grabbed a few flowers from each tree so not to over enthusiastically harvest the area, leaving plenty for others to take or indeed look at.

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This is what it looks like for those that don't know as i think its more popular in Europe (but i have heard Americans eat it as fritters which sounds like an interesting - and tasty idea).

I also saw a load of Canadian Goslings around the lake...

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**Rick** · 05-28-2008, 11:09 AM

Now that's what I'm talkin' about. Thanks. This is one plant I haven't done anything with. I've had elderberry jam but don't look for it when I'm out.

Nice goose pics. Still to early for goslings here. Mom and dad are still dating.

**Leon** · 05-28-2008, 11:30 AM

This is the recipe im using:
Ingredients
5 clean, large heads of elderflower picked at their peak
3 cups superfine sugar
2 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
1 gallon of water
2 large lemons
(see measure conversions for more information)

Method
- Make sure that the flowers are clean and free of insects.
- Place them with the sugar, water and vinegar in a large plastic bin.
- Add the juice of the lemons.
- Cover the bin and leave in a warm place for 24 hours.
- Stir five times during this period.
- Strain the liquid and pour into strong, sterile screw top beer bottles.
- The drink will become fizzy.
- Drink after 3 days.

(from: http://www.greenchronicle.com/recipe...er_sparkle.htm)

I will let you know what it tastes like (i had to modify it as i only had two cups of sugar and had one lemon and one lime but it should still taste good - i put the rest of the flower heads into the freezer as in total i got about 20 or so big ones).

Its worth looking out for as it seems to me as very high yield especially as you get the berries later in the year as well, its also easily recognisable especially due to its fantastic smell.

**RobertRogers** · 05-28-2008, 12:29 PM

That looks identical to a pond I know in Franconia New Hampshire.

**Ole WV Coot** · 05-28-2008, 01:48 PM

Elderberry wine, nectar of the gods and us discriminating drunks.

**trax** · 05-28-2008, 02:14 PM

Yeah, I'm with Rick, great info. Somehow, though, Coot being the one with the wine suggestion surprises me not a whit.

**Rick** · 05-28-2008, 02:26 PM

Purely for medicinal purposes, you understand.

**Leon** · 05-28-2008, 02:36 PM

I believe if you leave the above recipe that im using for around 3/4 weeks it will turn alcoholic and become what is often known as elderflower "champagne". Im gonna try it after 3 days as just a fizzy drink first, and if that works out fine ill make a 4 week long batch and see how that goes

... and then see how soon i fall over drunk afterwards.

It reminds me that back at my family home, my mothers boyfriend has a rumtopf that has been going for about 4 years, im not sure i dare open the lid of that.

**Leon** · 05-31-2008, 02:43 PM

Results:

Today it was finished, so i tasted some to test it.
Good: Tasted fantastic
Bad: Was not sparkling!

Now i was disappointed with the lack of fizzyness but it did taste great, im assuming this was because i did not have quite enough sugar (i tried to put less water in to scale it). I also only had one lemon so substituted one with a lime but i doubt that affected this process. I imagine if i had left it for a few weeks to actually ferment it would go fizzy but i was trying for the non-alcoholic sparkling variation.

Overall its a good recipe since it tastes great