Elderflower cordial

You know its spring time when... the warm mornings bring light rain, thunder and lightning in the afternoon.

I love being up in the high mountains at this time of year, we really do witness a storm brewing above our heads.

 You watch the West come in, the East combine and then cracks of thunder pierce the skies, it excites me so much, makes you realise the power of nature.

 We watched the storm approaching when we were out picking elderflowers, we have elder tree's all over our village. We brought our handmade basket i made from grape vines, i snipped the flower while my little daughter collected them up.

 Boiling water to make our cordial while we watched the lightning fork the sky.








Recipe for Elderflower Cordial


   25 heads of elder flowers

   Zest of 3 oranges and lemons and their juices

   1 kg of sugar



Directions:-  Boil 1.5 litres of water and sit the flowers in a bowl covered overnight to infuse.

                     The next day, strain the liquid off, add the lemons oranges, and sugar, heat the mixture

                      until sugar is dissolved, the simmer gently and cook for a few minutes.
 
                      Cool the mix and funnel the syrup into clean sterilised jars, with a tight lid. Store in the

                      fridge.


  I doubt it will last too long, it is so delicious on a hot day, with a leaf of mint, cool and refreshing.

  Elder flowers are good to help sinus congestion, colds, influenza, bronchitis, diabetes and

  constipation an to increase sweating.

 It has been known to eradicate all common pagans, like the kind you get when you are in hospital, MSRA.



  I hope you are lucky enough to find an Elder tree. It is said in many old cultures that the spirit of the grandmother lives in the tree, and that to cut it down unpurposefully will bring bad luck.

  They also used to say that at midsummer eve, find a seat next to the tree and watch the King of the faeries and the trails of faery folk meander past.

  I don't know if this is true, but i would love to take a seat next to the wonderfully scented flowers and watch the sun set from our tree up on the hill..

  Happy Elderflower foraging.