What a year for blossom. The scent of elderflowers is intoxicating – speaking of which here is the quickest, easiest and most rewarding recipe.
Elderflower Champagne
Needed: 12 ltr bucket, plastic bottles, 4 large heads of Elderflower picked in full sun, 10 litres of water, 1kg sugar, 2 lemons, 4 tablespoons of white wine vinegar.
Method: Dissolve sugar in water, squeeze lemons and chop into bucket. Add vinegar and flower heads (shake out bugs beforehand).
Elderflowers, here the pink-flowered bronze elder, begin the process
Stir every six hours or so for 24 hours. Strain and bottle. Drink after 4-6 weeks. Expect some floating fermenting bits – just strain these out before serving. Please do not use glass bottles (I did a few years ago and thank goodness no one was in the kitchen when one exploded – glass everywhere) and take care to open slowly this is a lively beverage and mildly alcoholic. If you want a less sweet drink, dilute with sparkling water.