June - the month of the Elderflowers.
Today we went hunting for elderflowers, however it seems that elderflower season is coming to an end in Hampshire so we had quite a task. Even when we were able to find some, many were at the top of the bush, which made them quite tricky to reach. Why go to this much effort? The answer is the incredible flavour - freshly opened flowers are best of course and the flavour is at it's height on a warm summer's mornings. We explored our local woodlands and meadows hunting for fresh flowers, feeling the sights, sounds and smells of the natural world calm and relax us as we walked. We found peace amongst the wild flowers.
There is a wealth of different recipes using elderflowers including the familiar elderflower fizz often made by grandmas and aunties. Some of our favourites are elderflower syrup to drizzle on cakes and ice cream, elderflower vinegar to add a floral note to summer salad dressings, elderflower sorbet (see below) and the utterly delicious elderflower delight from the foraging guru John Wright - the recipe for which can be found at the River Cottage website on the recipes page.
Elderflower Delight - oh so delicious!
Back in the kitchen, our task was to make elderflower sorbet today. Whenever you make elderflower recipes make sure not to wash the flower heads - just gently tap the bugs out. So much of the flavour is in the pollen so it is important to keep as much of that as possible.
ELDERFLOWER SORBET (recipe from Cassie Best at BBC Good Food website)
It tastes delicious and we hope you enjoy it.
There is a wealth of different recipes using elderflowers including the familiar elderflower fizz often made by grandmas and aunties. Some of our favourites are elderflower syrup to drizzle on cakes and ice cream, elderflower vinegar to add a floral note to summer salad dressings, elderflower sorbet (see below) and the utterly delicious elderflower delight from the foraging guru John Wright - the recipe for which can be found at the River Cottage website on the recipes page.
Elderflower Delight - oh so delicious!
Back in the kitchen, our task was to make elderflower sorbet today. Whenever you make elderflower recipes make sure not to wash the flower heads - just gently tap the bugs out. So much of the flavour is in the pollen so it is important to keep as much of that as possible.
ELDERFLOWER SORBET (recipe from Cassie Best at BBC Good Food website)
- Pick 20 elderflower heads, gently rub or pick the tiny flowers into a bowl leaving as many of the stalks out as you can.
- Measure out 550ml of water and 300g of sugar, squeeze 2 unwaxed lemons saving the lemon skin as well as the juice.
- Add all the ingredients to a saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer. Turn the heat off and put it to one side to let the flavour of the flowers infuse into the liquid - leave to 1 to 5 hours.
- Afterwards put a muslin into a sieve and strain the liquid into a bowl. Put the flower heads and lemon skins in your compost heap. Pour the liquid into a freezable container with a lid and pop into your freeer to 2-3 hours until semi frozen.
- Then scrape the semi frozen mixture into a blender and blitz to break down the lumps of ice. Pop the sorbet back into the container and return to the freezer, and leave for another 1-2 hours.
- Repeat the freezing and blending process 2-3 times to give you a smooth sorbet.To serve remove from the freezer and leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving. Keeps in the freezer for up to 3 months.
It tastes delicious and we hope you enjoy it.