Recipe for a Summer Drink

 Tonight I thought I would  share something just a little different with you, by way of a change from paper crafts. 

Hannah, our German guest made a very tasty cordial drink for us out of Elderberry flowers, which grow in our garden.

I have always given our Elderberry plant a wide birth as these plants don't smell very nice, in fact all I have ever done is chop it back hard each winter!

 Hannah's drink however has given us all a new respect for our smelly shrub and I have recently made many batches of this cordial, I even have some in the freezer for winter!

Here's the recipe for you and its super simple to make.

First up : Boil your jug

While your jug boils place 2.5 kgs of sugar into a bowl

Next tip 4 cups of your boiled water onto your sugar and stir to dissolve.
Cool and add 75 grams of citric acid, the juice from 4 lemons and grated rind from 2 lemons.
Next place 20 Elderberry flower heads into your mixture. (Do not wash these first, just give them a bit of a shake )
Cover with a cloth and leave to sit overnight.

The next day strain your cordial through a fine cloth, such as muslin, and pour into sterilised bottles.

Add water and enjoy!

This is very tasty added to lemonade on a hot day.

Elderberry flowers appear to have many health benefits, some of these being improving heart health, boosting the immune system, helpful in fighting viral and bacterial infection, coughs, colds and tonsillitis. I've no idea how much truth is in that but it sure makes a tasty drink!

PS If you wondering...the 'thing' in my bottle of cordial is a chunk of root ginger, I added this along with the lemon just to add a wee zing! This recipe makes a little over two 'wine bottles' of cordial.