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Caption: Liguria Elderflower Cordial
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Caption: Morning light A day to pick elderflowers
Caption: Working hard to get the yacht ready for a regatta but truth be told there are other things that are important in life also.
Gathering plants, flowers, seeds, berries that surround us to use in cooking or natural medicine is so wonderful to do in Spring. The smells of blossom is in the air as is the pollen that flies around, covering everything in a layer of yellow dust!
Only a week left and the elderflowers will be gone in coastal areas of Liguria so the hunt was on for 40 good, flowering heads on elderflower trees away from the roadside...
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Caption: 40 or more heads of elderflowers ready to make cordial
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Caption: Elderflower cordial
40 large heads of elderflowers picked away from the roadside
Rinsed as they do come covered in bugs !
3kg Caster sugar o
3.5 litres of Water
150gmCitric acid
5 Lemons - zest peeled the sliced into 1.5cm slices
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Caption: Place the water into a large saucepan and add the sugar. Slowly heat to dissolve the sugar, do not boil but just gently heat.
Using a peeler remove the zest off the lemons and then slice the lemons, throwing away the ends.
Place the elderflowers, lemon zest and slices into a large container, big enough to hold the elderflowers, lemons and the liquids.
Pour over the liquids and stir in the citric acid
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Caption: Leave these to infuse for 48hrs ... This year I left mind for 72 and oh boy is the cordial so fragrant ...
Enjoy with sparkling water, simply with natural water. Add a dash of vodka and sparkling water then pour over ice. Add to a simple cupcake recipe and use as the liquid to make icing. Elderflower sorbet or ice cream...
The list is endless so simply enjoy ... the simple things of life and those around us
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