My Overdue Elderflower Cordial

Quite honestly, I’ve been wanting to make Elderflower cordial since I started gardening. At first I was thwarted by simply not having an Elderberry bush nor living near one that I could ‘borrow’ from. Then a couple of years ago I planted an Elderberry (Black Lace).

In the first few years the flowers were too few to even contemplate picking. They make such a beautiful, layered carpet effect that I didn’t want to spoil it all by picking the flowers. It’s been a few years now that my Elderberry flowers so profusely that, let’s be honest, it won’t miss a few flowers. But have I made Elderflower cordial? No.

Why? A combination of laziness and just missing my chance. Once the flowers start to go brown then the party is over.

  But this year I was ready with the secateurs.

I had already secured an Elderflower cordial recipe from The River Cottage Preserves Handbook that I got from the library. And I had bought some bottles from the kitchen shop. Although I quickly found I didn’t have enough.

So here it is. The 13-years-too-late Elderflower cordial. One to check off the bucket-list (yes my list is that sad). And it tasted sooooo good. And I haven’t even tried it in champagne yet. Cheers!