Foraging for elderflower to make a summery cordial

Things to do in Basel

Foraging for elderflower to make a summery cordial

It was a warm sunny day today so, I headed to Niederbipp in Canton Solothurn, a region I used to live in. I wanted to go foraging in the woods with the hope that I could also pick some Elderflower. Why? These beautiful delicate flowers are packed with fragrant yellow pollen that makes the most delicious summer cordial.

I love this cordial, it’s so refreshing, light and summery. It’s perfect to add to still water, sparkling water to make a presse or add it to prosecco to make a ‘bump start’ cocktail. It could also be drizzled over fruit salad or sorbet, whipped into a gooseberry fool, set into home made ice lollies or splashed over the sponge in a trifle, or to be used in baking summer puddings. The cordial is full of vitamin C and some say if you drink it every day then you can keep flu away!

Later in the season the Elderflower will set into berries the are first green then, turn dark red. These make the most amazing dark red, clear jam or jelly. I’ll post a recipe for Elderflower jelly later in the year.

10-20 elderflower heads
1 lemon
10g citric acid
750g sugar, 1 litre of water
2 x 1 litre glass bottles

Method

1. Add the flower heads into a jug or bowl and then to this add the sliced lemon.

2. To a pan add the sugar, citric acid (you can get this at the pharmacy) one Campden tablet (optional) and 1 litre of water. Heat until all of the sugar has dissolved then, carefully add the hot sugary solution onto the elderflower and sliced lemon.

3. Leave for one day to infuse preferably in a dark cupboard.

4. Filter the cordial through a clean tea cloth or muslin into freshly washed and dried glass bottles.

5. Keep cool. ideally store in the fridge, good for 3 months but it won’t last that long!

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Things to do in Basel blog is for everyone that lives in or wants to visit the Basel region.

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Louise