…June has arrived with a bit of sunshine (and a bit more rain) and the hedgerows are changing from blossom to blooms. On my morning walks, I can smell the sweet scent of the wild flowers as they creep out of the grasses and from underneath the leaves and branches. Elderflowers are blooming all around me, appearing to hover on the branches of the elder tree, an ancient hedgerow favourite.
The flower heads remind me of froth – or perhaps petticoats – with the throngs of tiny white flowers covering the developing berries underneath. There are many old stories of the elder, my favourite being that if you want to find fairies, all you need to do is stand under an elder tree on Midsummer’s Eve – with one important caution… if you fall asleep whilst waiting, they’ll carry you off!
As we all know, elderflowers can be made into a delicious cordial – which must be one of the most popular soft drinks at any party. The lovely, soft, fresh green taste is often enhanced with mint and lemon, perfect for summer! I love to make my own cordial, although it’s always slightly alarming how much sugar goes into the traditional recipe! I have been researching sugar-free alternatives using honey, or more naturally based sugars, but am not finding anything I like enough to change from my traditional recipes. Regardless, ultimately it’s a beautiful drink, and a little bit of cordial goes along way mixed with a generous amount of fizzy water.
If you want to spice it up further, it makes a great partner to vodka. Throw in some freshly crushed ice and mint, add fizzy water and you have a rather sexy pre-supper cocktail.
Another wonderful marriage is elderflower cordial with strawberries, sparsely poured over the strawberries and left to steep for a while to let the natural flavours mingle. These lightly marinated strawberries can then be used to fill and decorate cakes, be part of a summer trifle or simply served with meringues and cream! With a scattering of elegant, dainty elderflowers to the top of a cream cake, they are so pretty and fragrant and perfectly unite the two flavours.
As you know, I love the variety of the seasons and, with a few bottles of home-made cordial in my fridge, I can extend the wonderful light and sunny feeling that June can bring ….. and I hope we will be blessed with a bit more sunshine this week!
For more ideas and details of my seasonal cooking workshops, please visit my website www.cocoandroses.co.uk and follow me @cocoandroses00
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