Did elderflower season start last longer last year? I don’t know about you but I think I have blinked and missed it. I don’t even remember walking around the allotment inhaling the wondrous scent. I think that may be because they’ve moved the manure right next to the tree!
Stunning elderflower blooms already gone
An ancient and wondrous plant
A couple of months ago, I went on a foraging walk with Monica Wilde. We passed an elder tree and she stopped to explain the medicinal qualities. I was fascinated at how old some of the remedies dated back to. She explained that the roots of the tree can be used as a diuretic and the leaves and flowers are used for tea which was a ‘cure-all’ for coughs, colds and general nasal inflammation. As she spoke I remembered also my trip to Kentwell Manor in Suffolk where the power of elderflower did somewhat help relive my hay fever symptoms and itchy eyes. I think I would need to get over all the sneezing from the pollen before any of that was effective sadly. Nay. Elderflower medicine is not for me.
Perfect Pairings
My interests lie in devouring it! I managed to find enough sprigs to pair with lemon in my Elderflower and Lemon Marmalade. Which was the luscious filling for a simple Victoria Sponge cake this weekend.
Classic Victoria Sponge with Elderflower and Lemon Marmalade filling
But here are some wonderful recipes I’ve been drooling over and experimenting with that pair elderflower with different botanicals that you might also like.
- Monica Shaw’s Strawberry and Elderflower Fruit Leather
- Gin, Cucumber and Elderflower Lollies – I must confess I have not tried these in lolly form but the combination is bloody marvellous as a G&T variation
- Elderflower Marshmallows by Bill Granger
- Elderflower and Kiwi Pavlova by Twigg Studios
- Elderflower and Orange Zest Ice Cream by Ruby Violet
I’ll keep pinning some more ideas onto my dedicated Elderflower Pinterest Board as it seems to be very on trend to forage this year so this ancient flower is very much in the spotlight.
What’s your perfect elderflower pairing? Do you still have elderflower near where you live?
Beautiful recipes. Must try the marshmallows… I was given a bottle of elderflower gin for my birthday, makes a great elderflower gin fizz muddled with some mint. Such a wonderful ingredient!
Lovely. I’m steeping some in vodka so let’s see how that goes!
Our elderflowers must be a bit behind yours – they’re just flowering now, and the scent is fantastic (but then there’s no manure for it to compete with!). I was going to try elderflower and strawberry jam this year… the lemon marmalade idea sounds good too.
Oh you lucky thing! The strawberry is just a classic. I haven’t had any crop yet. Fingers crossed. I’ll have top air that with something else though!
Elderflower and gooseberries for me, please.
Perfect. Vivian Lloyd has a great recipe for a jam in that combo
Thanks the jam does sound good. One day I’ll try meadowsweet with gb.
It seems to have completely passed my by this year. Lovely cake!
Thank you! I’m missing the flavour. Only half bottle jam left 🙁
I’m preparing for my Farmer’s Market stall next week, Urvashi…I made lemon & elderflower syrup last Friday which is in the fridge ready to drizzle on the lemon loaf cakes. I agree, though…usually there’s such an obvious foamy splash of elder flowers, particularly at the road sides…but I haven’t really noticed that this year. It seems that any flowers I’ve found have been almost by accident! X
Indeed. A happy accident I might add. Your syrup sounds lovely. Would be great on cheesecake too I imagine
We have loads of elderflowers near us, and I made my usual cordial again this year. We always have elderflower head pancakes too. 🙂 After our heatwave last week they are going over now though. I sometimes make liqueur, or add some cordial to strawberry jam.
I didn’t get a chance to make fritters though I did manage to eat some at my friend Monica’s house. So are the pancakes similar to the fritters?
I’ve never tasted/smelled elderflowers before. What do they taste/smell like?
They are very fragrant. A bit like the heady smell of jasmine. The taste is sweet nectar. You can taste the scent
Wonderful description! Wow. I can almost imagine how the air must smell like when they’re all abloom! So beautiful the wonders of nature are.
I love it even though it makes me weep with hayfever
That cake looks divine – a truly botanical bake. Elderberry trees hold so many special memories from my childhood for me.
Now the elderberry. That’s a whole new discovery and culinary journey that it am waiting upon. I remember throwing them at my sisters on the way home from school. Ha! How cross they got and my mother too.
I thought the season was quite long this year, I picked my first Elderflowers on May 1st (very early) and the last garnering was at the weekend. I did have to trek around a lot of trees though. We love your marmalade, I made a second batch, the freezer has plenty of cordial and I’ve made gin, salt and vinegar. I’m off to look at you a Elderflower board, I have one myself, so I’ll pin from yours to mine!
Ooh I has no idea you could freeze cordial. What a great idea. I’ve scrambled the allotment for the last few sprigs this weekend and made sugar too. I shall wait impatiently for next year 🙁
I have never eaten elderflowers before, I am going to have to give it a go.
If you’re lucky enough to have some left near you the fritters are an easy way to start. I suppose you could also chop them into a pancake batter as I know you’re not a fan of the deep fried 🙂
Great post, never knew that the delicious Elderflower had so many great qualities! 🙂
Thank you Mollie. It’s a wonder tree for sure! berries are yet to come. I’m looking forward to making elderflower port with those 🙂