The last few days have smelled
delicious. I'm transported back to life as a 13 year old living in the depths of rural
Norfolk by seeing all the ripe elderflower trees; they hang over garden fences and accesorize roadsides without being snobbish about where they've set up home.
We used to make cordial every year just
when the elderflower heads look buttery in colour and smell like Summer
weddings. I think the no cooking, little stirring and minimal ingredients all
unite to make this a lazy girls favourite activity.
There is one thing. Don’t be put
off by the citric acid, it as cheap as sugar and you can buy packs in trusted
Boots chemist (or any pharmacy).
By my calculations there is about four more weekends of possible drink making. Just one tip – pick the elderflower
when the sun is shining; you can taste the rays.
This is my recipe;
1.5 litres of boiling water
1 kilo of white granulated sugar
30 elderflower heads
2 lemons (the zest peeled into stips with a veg
peeler and the remaining flesh sliced into rounds)
50g of citric acid
1/In a large vessel (saucepan or mixing bowl) pour
the boiling water onto the sugar and stir. Leave to cool, stirring every now
and then to dissolve the sugar.
2/When cool add the citric acid, the lemons and the
elderflower heads.
3/ Leave become delicious for 48 hours
4/Strain through sterilised muslin or a washed
j-cloth and pour into sterilised bottles