Recipe Elder flower syrup by Estelle & Vincent

Day one
1) Advent yourself to harvest your elder flowers. Do not choose those who line the road because they could be polluted by the smoke from the cars. It is best to pick flowers when they just start to flower. If you wait too long, their perfume will turn into a strong unpleasant smell of "cat pee".

2) Wash the capitules under cold water to eliminate small creatures. Leave to dry on a clean cloth

3) Bring the water to a boil and in a large bowl pour over the sugar and lemon. Mix it well to dissolve the sugar.

4) Once the mixture is cooled, using scissors, add the elders: select only the small flowers and avoid the stems. Add the lemon juice and stir well. Make sure the flowers are well submerged. Cover with a cling film directly on the flowers and let infuse 24 hours at room temperature.




Day two
1) Drain the cordial in a saucepan through a colander first, then through a Muslim cloth. You will get about a liter of syrup.

2) Wash and sterilize your pot in the oven for 10 minutes at 230F, boil the lids.

3) Bring the syrup to a boil for 1 minute with the lid to avoid too high evaporation and immediately pour it into the jars. Close them and turn them over, as you would make jam. Once the jars have cooled, put them back in a vertical position to keep them.

Presentation suggestion:
The whole family will appreciate this delicious summer cordial mixed with taste with about 5 parts of flat or sparkling water. Mix it with champagne, create a fresh cocktail with gin or vodka, add cucumber, mint or grapefruit, the possibilities are endless! Use in a dessert: whip a little whipped cream with a few syrup lines to create an exquisite whipped cream to serve with strawberries.

Estelle and Vincent

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