Elderflower, Elderberries.
- Thread starter TallTom
- Start date
bambodoggy
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I've always followed Hugh Fernley-whittingstal's recipe for Elderflower Champagne and it's always been very good....should be available online if you do a bit of searching .
Cheers,
Bam.
Cheers,
Bam.
Elderflower fritters.
Make up a simple coating batter, possibly sweetened with some sugar or honey.
Take the whole elderflower heads, each with a stalk of a couple of inches.
Hold the head by the stalk and dip it into the batter, swirling it about a bit to ensure it is coated.
Plunge it into hot oil for just long enough to turn the batter crispy
Take it back out, hold it by the stalk, and eat it.
Throw the stalk away.
Make up a simple coating batter, possibly sweetened with some sugar or honey.
Take the whole elderflower heads, each with a stalk of a couple of inches.
Hold the head by the stalk and dip it into the batter, swirling it about a bit to ensure it is coated.
Plunge it into hot oil for just long enough to turn the batter crispy
Take it back out, hold it by the stalk, and eat it.
Throw the stalk away.
You can make a sweet white 'dessert' wine when the flowers come out and it will be ready bu Christmas. It's like bottled sunbeams in the dark and dreary depths of Winter.
The flowers make a lovely flavouring when steeped in spirits like Ouzo, Gin or Vodka. Don't wash the flowers (ruins the taste) just tap off any bugs.
The flavoured ouzo makes a really nice drink with iced water in summer. Tastes like you are sitting in an ancient flower meadow on the last days of summer.
When used in the gin it's probably one of the nicest martini's you'll ever make. :thumbup:
Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.
The flavoured ouzo makes a really nice drink with iced water in summer. Tastes like you are sitting in an ancient flower meadow on the last days of summer.
When used in the gin it's probably one of the nicest martini's you'll ever make. :thumbup:
Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.
Elderflowers are a traditional starter for sourdough cultures for breadmaking.
I've been using one in the bakery for about 10 years now.Makes beautifully fragrant chewy crusty loaves and works as quickly as bakers' yeast.
Cheers, Simon
I've been using one in the bakery for about 10 years now.Makes beautifully fragrant chewy crusty loaves and works as quickly as bakers' yeast.
Cheers, Simon
I make two diffferent elderberry wines, one is a strong wine, using approx 3lb of berries per gallon of wine, and the light uses 1lb per gallon. The Strong takes a couple of years to age before you can drink it. Whereas the light has a very short shelf life (<3 months), but is also ready to drink very quickly. If you make it in September it's ready to drink by Christmas. Needing ⅓rd the amount of elderberries, I find myself increasingly making the light wine. To allow for a constant stock, I freeze the berries (destalked), in 3lb bags, so I can make another batch every 3 months...
Recipes available if interested.
J
Recipes available if interested.
J
Sounds great, I'd love the recipes If your willing. I have just finished a batch of elderflower wine, tastes pretty good, but no flowers left now, going to have to wait for the berries.
I make an elderberry cordial/ syrup which I add rum or whisky to, always popular. I've made Pontack sauce according to Richard Mabeys recipe a couple of times, (currently using a 2003 batch!).
Elderflower cordial is good, and they make lovely fritters.
Elderflower cordial is good, and they make lovely fritters.
