The elder tree blooms from mid May through to early July – big saucer-shaped clusters of tiny flowers. You’ll find them in almost every hedgerow.

Elderflowers impart a wonderful flavour to homemade cordials, wine, sorbets and ice creams.

And their sweet and bitter flavour meld wonderfully with the tang of green gooseberries, that also come into season in June.

You’ll find gooseberries in farm shops and local green grocers across the region in June.

Good hunting!

ELDERFLOWER FRITTERS

Pick large white flower heads.

Make a thin pancake batter and heat about half an inch of oil in a frying pan.

Holding the flowers by the stalk and dip them into the batter then cook in the oil till light brown.

Sprinkle with caster sugar – flavour with lemon juice or cinnamon if liked.

Absolute magic!

ELDERFLOWER WINE

‘Rightly called the queen of flower wines, this has the most delicate fragrance imaginable and is said to purify the blood ... only 1 pint of blossoms should be used or the delicate perfume can turn to Old Tom Cat’

Pick the elderflowers when
they are fully open and on a warm day.

For each gallon you’ll need –

• a pint of blossoms stripped from the flowerhead

• sugar 2.5 - 3 lb (1.2-1.4 kilo)
• chopped sultanas 0.5lb (0.25)

• packet of wine yeast
• yeast nurient
• 1-2 level teaspoonfuls of citric acid

You’ll need some equipment and specialist ingredients to make wine.

Each bottle will cost you about 30-50p to make. Start saving wine bottles.

Download full recipe sheet