Elder flower cordial with lemon a la Lønnestræde

I have been twisting this recipe on elder flower cordial a la Lønnestrædeelder flower cordial a la Palle using lemon only instead of the mixture of lemon & lime. I have picking all the elder flowers in just behind my garden in the in the surrounding of Lønnestræde.

You really should try to make your version of elder flower cordial instead of buying an industry product in the supermarket. It is a very easy thing to make and the taste is just so much better !!!

It is very easy to see in the supermarket, when it is high season for making elder flower cordial at home, as the supermarkets are running out for the citric acid powder.

Elder Flower Cordial a la Lønnestræde:

• 40 elder flowers
• 4 lemons - organic - in thin slices
• 40 g citric acid
• 1.5  kg cane sugar
• 2 l water - boiling

1. Shake the elder flowers very, very well, so they are free from various insects. DO NOT use water for this cleaning step, as this will reduce the wonderful taste of elder flower significantly as you remove the "yellow" flavour dust/pollen.
2. Use a scissor to cut the flowers from the flower stem, as these apparently will increase the bitterness level in the final cordial.
3. Place the elder flower into a big bowl, which you can close with a lid at the end.
4. Slice the lemon into thin slices. Add into the bowl.
5. Add the cane sugar on top
6. Add the citric acid as well.
7. Add the boiling water into the bowl.
8. Stir the sugar into solution, so it does not form a sediment on the bottom, which is difficult to dissolved later, when the cordial is cold.
9. Cover the bowl with the lid.
10. Let the content cool down to room temperature, before you place the bowl in the refrigerator.
11. Stir or shake the bowl daily during the infusion time.
12. Let the elder flower cordial infuse for 4 days in the refrigerator.
13. Sieve the cordial to remove all the different ingredients.
14. Prepare the glass bottles by by filling them with boiling water. I do not use any preservatives, so this is important to increase shelf-life of your cordial.
15. You can also use plastic bottles, if you want to freeze the cordial as another way of preserving it. Remember NOT to fill these bottles completely, as liquid will increase in volume, when turning into ice.
16. Enjoy the wonderful Summer time using this cordial as "plain" cordial mixing with water (with or without gas), mixing with wine or sparkling wine. Or mix it gin or vodka and lots of ice.

Elder flower gin tonic - version 1

It is high season for blooming elder flower and I have just finished my first portion of elder flower cordial a la Lønnestræde. Some of it I decided to use for making a new version of this elder flower gin tonic. Instead of using elder flower tonic I used a combination of normal/plain gin tonic together with my freshly made elder flower cordial.

Elder flower gin tonic - version 1: - 1 cocktail

• 6 cl elder flower gin by "Nordic by Nature"
• 20-25 cl classic Fever Tree tonic
• 3 cl elder flower cordial 
• 1 stem of elder flower
• ice cubes

1. Pour the gin & elder flower cordial into a high ball glass.
2. Add in the ice cubes.
3. Place the stem of elder flower
4. Fill the glass up with classic tonic.
5. Enjoy and enjoy the Summer :-)

Elder flower gin tonic

I noticed, that the elders have started to bloom outside my garden, so I decided to invite my mother up for a gin tonic with focus on elder flower. As usual she has to bring the ice cubes for the cocktails, as my freezer is full with no room for ice cubes !!!

An elder flower gin tonic is of cause made from Fewer Tree elder flower tonic, gin with elder flower by "Nordic by Nature" and a freshly picked elder flower bunch.

Elder flower gin tonic: - 1 cocktail

• 6 cl elder flower gin by "Nordic by Nature"
• 20-25 cl Fever Tree elder flower tonic
• 1 bunch of elder flower
• ice cubes

1. Pour the gin into a high ball glass.
2. Add in the ice cubes.
3. Place the bunch of elder flower
4. Fill the glass up with elder flower tonic.
5. Enjoy and enjoy the Summer :-)

Lønnestræde elderflower cordial with less bitterness

It is this time again of the year, where you in Denmark can make your own elder flower cordial. Many Danes are actually making their own elder flower cordial, some you can quiet frequently during this time experience, that your local supermarket runs out of citric acid !!!

I have fine tunes this recipe on elder flower cordial to get less bitterness from the citrus fruits into the final cordial. So this year I have peel out the skin of both the lemon & lime. When I cut of all of the white citrus layer and thrown all the white stuff away. And final I have sliced the remaining part of the citrus fruits. So I am still using the citrus peel as well as the inside of the citrus fruits for flavour and taste. The majority of the bitterness is sitting in the white part of the citrus skin.

Elder Flower Cordial a la Lønnestræde with less bitterness:

• 40 elder flowers
• 2 lemons - organic - peeled, white skin removed and fruit part sliced
• 4 limes - organic - peeled, white skin removed and fruit part sliced
• 40 g citric acid
• 1.5  kg cane sugar
• 2 l water - boiling

1. Shake the elder flowers very, very well, so they are free from various insects. DO NOT use water for this cleaning step, as this will reduce the wonderful taste of elder flower significantly as you remove the "yellow" flavour dust/pollen.
2. Use a scissors to cut the flowers from the flower stem, as these apparently will increase the bitterness level in the final cordial.
3. Place the elder flower into a big bowl, which you can close with a lid at the end.
4. Peel the citrus fruits. And the peel into the bowl.
5. Cot of the white part of the skin layer (gives bitterness) and cut the remaining part of the citrus fruit into thin slices. Add into the bowl.
6. Add the cane sugar on top
7. Add the citric acid as well.
8. Add the boiling water into the bowl.
9. Stir the sugar into solution, so it does not form a sediment on the bottom, which is difficult to dissolved later, when the cordial is cold.
10. Cover the bowl with the lid.
11. Let the content cool down to room temperature, before you place the bowl in the refrigerator.
12. Stir or shake the bowl daily during the infusion time.
13. Let the elder flower cordial infuse for 4 days in the refrigerator.
14. Sieve the cordial to remove all the different ingredients.
15. Prepare the glass bottles by by filling them with boiling water. I do not use any preservatives, so this is important to increase shelf-life of your cordial.
16. You can also use plastic bottles, if you want to freeze the cordial as another way of preserving it. Remember NOT to fill these bottles completely, as liquid will increase in volume, when turning into ice.
17. Enjoy the wonderful Summer time using this cordial as "plain" cordial mixing with water (with or without gas), mixing with wine or sparkling wine. Or mix it gin or vodka and lots of ice.

Elderflower inspiration for your kitchen

Elder flowers have been blooming for some time this year, and the elder flower season is still on-going here in Denmark, so if you lack some inspiration I hereby share some of my recipe with elder flower as main ingredients, which you can try out in your own kitchen this Summer.

Elder flower cordial a la Palle

Lønnestræde elder flower cordial

Midsummer jam

Elder flower aquavita

Hylde for de vilde

Elder flower tea

Elder flower cordial a la Lønnestræde

I have been twisting this elder flower cordial a la Palle into elder flower cordial a la Lønnestræde. I find this to be a very fitting name, as all the elder flowers are collected in the surrounding of Lønnestræde.

In order to have more classic version and light pale cordial I have been working with lemon, lime and sugar in light colour.

You should really try to make your version of elder flower cordial instead of buying an industry product in the supermarket. It is a very easy thign to make and the taste is just so much better !!!

It is very easy to see in the supermarket, when it is high season for making elder flower cordial at home, as the supermarkets are running out for the citric acid powder.

Elder Flower Cordial a la Lønnestræde:

• 40 elder flowers
• 2 lemons - organic - in thin slices
• 4 limes - organic - in thin slices
• 40 g citric acid
• 1.5  kg cane sugar
• 2 l water - boiling

1. Shake the elder flowers very, very well, so they are free from various insects. DO NOT use water for this cleaning step, as this will reduce the wonderful taste of elder flower significantly as you remove the "yellow" flavour dust/pollen.
2. Use a siccor to cut the flowers from the flower stem, as these apparently will increase the bitterness level in the final cordial.
3. Place the elder flower into a big bowl, which you can close with a lid at the end.
4. Slice the citrus fruit into thin slices. Add into the bowl.
5. Add the cane sugar on top
6. Add the citric acid as well.
7. Add the boiling water into the bowl.
8. Stir the sugar into solution, so it does not form a sediment on the bottom, which is difficult to dissolved later, when the cordial is cold.
9. Cover the bowl with the lid.
10. Let the content cool down to room temperature, before you place the bowl in the refrigerator.
11. Stir or shake the bowl daily during the infusion time.
12. Let the elder flower cordial infuse for 4 days in the refrigerator.
13. Sieve the cordial to remove all the different ingredients.
14. Prepare the glass bottles by by filling them with boiling water. I do not use any preservatives, so this is important to increase shelf-life of your cordial.
15. You can also use plastic bottles, if you want to freeze the cordial as another way of preserving it. Remember NOT to fill these bottles completely, as liquid will increase in volume, when turning into ice.
16. Enjoy the wonderful Summer time using this cordial as "plain" cordial mixing with water (with or without gas), mixing with wine or sparkling wine. Or mix it gin or vodka and lots of ice.

Midsommer Marmelade - jordbærmarmelade med hyldeblomst

Denne uge har jeg "lånt" et jordbærbed bestående af 3 rækker på hver 5 meter af jordbærplanter for den fantastisk "gratis" af en roven. Jeg synes, at ​​det er et fantastisk tilbud - tænk at kunne plukke friske jordbær hver eneste dag for 0 kr !!! Jeg ved ikke noget bedre end at sidde på hug en dejlig sommerdag/aften i et jordbær og svælge mig i sommervarme jordbær :-)

Det eneste, som jeg ikke havde overvejet nærmere, var mængden af ​​jordbær, som jeg kan plukke hver dag ! Jeg kan plukke imellem 1-2 kg jordbær hver evige eneste dag !!! At spise 1-2 kg jordbær vil være noget af en opgave med mindre du har en større husstand. Så jeg måtte iføre mig min idehat, så jeg kan få alle disse mange dejlige jordbær.

En af mine første idé var at lave denne her Midsommer Marmelade, som er en kombination  af jordbær og hyldeblomster, som begge har højsæson på nuværende tidspunkt. Samtidig kan jeg også deltage med denne her opskrift i opskriftskonkurrencen "Danmarks Lækreste Syltetøj", der arrangeres af magasinet Isabellas og Dansukker. 

Jeg elsker denne her kombination af jordbær og hyldeblomster, det gør, at marmeladen smager som ren magi :-) Og mine kolleger, der ligeledes havde fornøjelsen at smage den pågældende marmelade i går morges til vores ugentlige morgenmøde, elskede også smagen i min marmelade og udbad sig samtidig opskriften.

Midsommer Marmelade - jordbærmarmelade med hyldeblomst:

• 800 g jordbær - skåret i to halvdele
• 3/4 dl hyldeblomst koncentrat
• 12 g pectin / syltetøjspulver
• 450 g sukker
• 4 stilke hyldeblomster - kun blomsterhovederne
• ½ tsk hvidvineddike eller æble eddike - valgfri

1. Varm jordbærene op sammen med hyldeblomst koncentratet i en gryde sammen over svag varme. Rør regelmæssigt rundt.
2. Varm frugten op til 80'C. Tørbland pektin / syltetøjspulver sammen med 50 g sukker. Tilsæt denne tørblanding langsomt til frugten, mens du rører rigtig godt rundt for at undgå klumpedannelse.
3. Lad jordbærene koge langsomt i yderligere 5 minutter. Rør regelmæssigt rundt.
4. Tilsæt af sukkeret.
5. Bring marmeladen til kogepunktet og lad det koge i 2 minutter.
6. Smag på marmelade. Hvis du finder, at den er for sød, kan du tilføje lidt eddike for at give marmeladen en mere frisk frugtsmag. Jeg plejer at tilsætte eddike lidt eller lidt, mens jeg finjustere smagen til min præference. Det er meget letter at tilsætte mere eddike end at fjerne for meget eddike, hvis smagen er blevet for syrlig.
7. Efter tilsmagningen tilsættes hyldeblomster og der rør rundt igen
8. Lad marmelade koge i yderligere 2 minutter.
9. Forbered marmalade glassene ved at fylde dem med kogende vand. Det er specielt vigtigt, hvis du ikke anvender konserveringsmidler i din marmelade. En anden måde at forlænge holdbarheden på er, at opbevare marmeladen koldt i køleskabet bagefter.
10. Fyld glassene med marmelade og luk glasset.
11. Opbevar marmeladen koldt.

Midsummer Jam - strawberry jam with elder flowers

This week I have "rented" a strawberry bed consisting of 3 rows of 5 meters of strawberry plants "for free" of a rowing friend. I think this is an amazing offer, as I can go and pick fresh strawberries every single day. The only thing, which I did not consider was the amount of strawberries, which I picking everyday. I pick between 1-2 kg strawberries every single day !!!! Eating 1-2 kg strawberries can prove to be something of task, if you are not a large house hold. So I have to come up with idea as how to use all these strawberries !

One of my first idea was to make this Midsummer Jam combined strawberries and elder flowers, which both are peeking around Midsummer :-) I will also be forwarding this specific recipe to a Danish competition hosted by the magazine Isabellas and Dansukker, the name of this competition is "Danmarks Lækreste Syltetøj" (The most delicious Danish Jam). My colleagues did enjoy a portion of the Midsummer Jam yesterday at our weekly breakfast meeting, and found it all to be very tasteful and a the same time asked me to share the recipe with them, which I hereby do :-)

I love this combination of strawberries and elder flowers, it makes the jam taste like pure magic :-)

Midsummer Jam - strawberry jam with elder flowers:

• 800 g strawberries - cut into halves
• 3/4 dl elder flower cordial
• 12 g pectin / gelling powder
• 450 g sugar
• 4 stems of elder flowers - only the flower heads
• ½ teaspoon of white wine or apple vinegar - optional

1. Heat up the strawberries together with the elder flower cordial in a cooking pot together over low heat. Stir on a regular basis.
2. Heat the fruit up to 80'C. Mix the pectin/gelling powder together with 50 g sugar. Add this dry-mix slowly to the strawberries, while you very well in the cooking pot to avoid lump formation.
3. Let the strawberries cook slowly for another 5 minutes. Stir on a regular basis.
4. Add in the rest of the sugar. 
5. Bring the jam to the boiling point and let it boil for 2 minutes.
6. Taste the jam. If you find it too be to sweet/matured in taste, you can add some vinegar to bring freshness back to the jam. I normally do this in smaller steps, so I can fine tune the flavour profile to my preference. It is more easy to add some extra, than to remove an overdose of something.
7. After the tasting adjustments have be done, add the elder flowers and stir well again.
8. Let the jam boil for another 2 minutes.
9. Prepare the jam glasses by filling them with boiling water. I do not use any preservatives in my home-made jam, so this is important to increase shelf-life of your jam. Another thing you can do is to store the jam cold afterwards.
10. Fill the glass with jam and close the glass.
11. Store the jam cold.

Koldskål med hyldeblomst - cold buttermilk soup with elder flower cordial

Koldskål or as it translates into English "cold buttermilk soup" is a traditional Danish summer dish. You will served it as a cold evening meal on hot summer days, so you do not have sweat away in a hot kitchen making dinner.

Cold buttermilk soup can be served either as main dish (which is what I am used to from my family) or as dessert. I will be eating it with a soup, however, some people will be drinking it. As you see many options for this specific dish.

I prefer to use thick milk for this dish, as I like the more creamy mouth feel coming from this product instead of the traditional buttermilk with only 0.5% fat. Anyway use what type of mesophilic fermented dairy product, which you available in your refrigerator, what ever it is buttermilk, thick milk or A-38. However, using yogurt would give you a too acidic dish.

The inspiration to this version of cold buttermilk soup I found in the magazine "Isabellas" (issue 03/2014). The modification is that I have replaced the mint leaves with strawberries and use more egg yolk, as pasteurised egg yolk is coming in a portion of 2 egg yolks per cup.

Back in 2012 I shared the classic version of koldskål - cold buttermilk soup with you.


Koldskål med hyldeblomst - cold buttermilk soup with elder flower cordial: - 1 servings as main course or 2 servings as dessert

• ½ l buttermilk, thick milk or A-38
• 2 egg yolk - pasteurised or raw
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 lemon - organic - both juice and peel
• 80 g elder flower cordial
• small sweet rusks
• fresh strawberries - optional

1. Whip the egg yolk and sugar together into a foamy mass.
2. Afterwards add in the lemon juice  peel and elder flower cordial and whip again.
3. Stir in the butter or thick milk.
4. Place the cold buttermilk soup cold in the refrigerator for minimum ½-1 hour.
5. Serve the buttermilk soup together with small sweet rusks and fresh strawberries.

Elder flower liqueur

A bottle of liquid gold ?

After I finally cracked the code on how NOT to make a bitter tasting elder flower aquavita, I continued on task to make elder flower liqueur, which should taste of Danish Summer.

Again I used this recipe on hyldeblomst likør as starting point. I must admit, that it feels a little bite like Christmas, where you have to wait for almost one month, before you can finally open your Christmas presents. I have exactly the same feeling about, when I an going to taste the very first drop of elder flower liqueur in one month time.

Anyway let´s get back to business and let me share the recipe on my version of elder flower liqueur with you.

Elder flower liqueur:

• 7 dl elder flower aquavita
• 4 teaspoons of honey
• ½ lemon (organic) - only the zest

1. Start by sterilising the bottle with boiling water.
2. Add the honey, lemon zest and elder flower aquavita into the bottle.
3. Store the bottle in a dark place and shake it from time to time.
4. Let the lemon zest infuse the elder flower liqueur for one month, before you remove it by passing the liqueur through a funnel covered with coffee filter paper.
5. Pour the elder flower liqueur into a new sterilised bottle.
6. Consider to add more honey, if you would a more sweet liqueur.
7. Enjoy :-)

Elder flower aquavita

The elder flower season of 2013 has been playing some tricks with me :-) First my elder flower tea failure version turned in yeasty one big lump followed secondly by an elder flower liqueur failure version, which was extremely bitter !!!!

And here positive minded persons will not see problems, but opportunities for developments and success !!!! So I took on my "ja-hat" (= yes hat) as we say here in Denmark and went looking for elder flower liqueur recipes with google. And I found various suggestions each for them going in many different directions. I decided to place my trust in these two recipes hyldeblomst snaps and hyldeblomst likør. I also learn, that the reason, why the elder flower are changing colour from cream white to brownish black is relating to oxidation. Interesting to notice, that this oxidation takes place in alcohol, but not in vinegar, as the elder flowers in this elder flower vinegar maintain their wonderful cream white colour !!!

It should be possible to avoid the bitterness doing these two things: removes as most of the stems as possible, which I spend 1 hour doing in front of the TV, and only let the elder flower remain for 4 fours submerged into the alcohol.

When I removed the elder flowers from the vodka I took a tiny, tiny snip of the vodka and it tasted like a wonderful Danish Summer day or perhaps just like heaven.

Elder flower aquavita:

• 20-30 elder flower stems - only the flower heads
• 0.7 l vodka

1. Start by removing the flower heads from the elder flower stems, this is quiet time consuming, so place yourself in front of the TV.
2. Fill the flower head in a glass, which was sterilise by boiling water beforehand.
3. Fill the vodka on top.
4. Place the glass in the refrigerator and let the elder flower infuse the vodka for 4 days and not a single day longer.
5. Remove the elder flowers from the vodka.
6. Pass the elder flower aquavita through a funnel covered with coffee filter paper in order to remove any elder flower leftovers.
7. You now have a great tasting aquavita or an important building stone for making elder flower liqueur.

Elder flower tea

After my BIG disaster making this first version of elder flower tea, which turned into one big lump of loose tea leafs combined with some yeasty look-a-likes, I decided this was a development area of mine, where I could develop new competencies !!! Such as making an elder flower tea maintaining it´s structure of loose tea leafs and without yeast. So please cross your fingers out there behind your laptops for a successful outcome on this way of making elder flower tea.

I am really hooked on this idea of making an elder flower, as both the sight and taste of elder flower for me is a true sign of Danish Summer.

By the way you can also participate in an on-going vote on this blog until Friday 19 July 17.00 CTE, if I should make twistbread with marzipan for a barbeque evening this upcoming Saturday. So it is up to you, if my guests should have dessert or not !!!!

UPDATE June 2014:
This elder flower tea is another match made in heaven for the monthly blogging event Tea Time Treats have the theme of flower. Tea Time Treast is managed by Karen from Lavender and Lovage and Jane from The Hedge Combers. The theme for June 2014 has been selected by Karen to be "get floral in flaming June".

Elder flower tea: - 100 g tea

• 100 g Earl Grey tea
• 1 lemon (organic) - only the peel
• 5-7 stems of elder flowers - only using the dried flower heads

1. Start by removing the elder flower head from the elder flower stems, and let the flower head dry. It took me 1 day to dry these flower heads.
2. Use a potato peeler in order to remove the peel in a thin layer of the lemon
3. Dry the lemon peel at 75'C for 1 hour
4. Cut the dried lemon peel into small pieces. I used a scissor for this purpose.
5. Mix the tea with the small pieces of dry lemon peel and dried flower heads.
6. Mix everything together in glass, which is air tight.
7. Let the tea stand for a few hours, before making the first cup/pot of tea.

Elder flower liqeuer - failure

I am a big fan of elder flowers, and I like to find different ways of using this wonderful flowers in my little kitchen. And this year I decided, that I wanted to try to make elder flower liqueur. I imaging in my mind, that elder flowers, lemon peel and vodka would be a perfect combination.

In my mind it is equal important to share your all of your experience within your kitchen, so both the things, which turns about as expected and the things, where something goes wrong. Perhaps you behind your screen would be able to share your knowledge as too how, my failures can be corrected and therefore give me the expected result.

Well, a long start to this elder flower liqueur, which is instead of being a wonderful Summer liqueur turned into bitter alcoholic nightmare. The elder flowers were changing the colour from cream white to a brownish black colour. Afterwards I have reading various recipe on elder flower liqueur out here in the virtual world, so I will have another go on making this elder flower liqueur of my mind, as I still can find elder flowers here in Denmark, even though we are in the end of the elder flower season.

Elder flower liquuer:

• 620 g vodka
• 10 stems of elder flower - without the larger part of the stem
• 1 organic lemon - only the zest
• 80 g sugar

1. Put the elder flowers and lemon zest into a glass.
2. Afterwards fill vodka on top of the elder flowers.
3. Place the elder flower vodka at room temperature for 10-14 days.
4. Remove the elder flowers and lemon zest from the vodka.
5. Sweeten the vodka with sugar.

Elder flower vinegar a la Klidmoster

I have found this this recipe on elder flower vinegar on the great blog by Klidmoster, and I have no made any changes at all to her recipe.

So this evening I was out walking in the neighbourhood cutting some more elder flowers for use in my little kitchen. Afterwards I spend one hour in front of the TV removing the elder flowers from the stems by hand and this process is quiet time consuming.

So a small part of all the these individual elder flowers was used for this elder flower vinegar, while the majority of the elder flowers are now turned into elder flower liqueur. I will share the recipe with you on this liqueur in the near future.

However, if you would like to work with elder flowers in your own kitchen, it is about time that you get yourself outside in the nature, as the elder flowers now are turning into the green elder berries, so you need to hurry up !!!!

Elder flower vinegar a la Klidmoster:

• only elder flowers - without any stems at all
• white wine vinegar

1. Remove the elder flowers from the stem.
2. Fill the elder flowers into a clean glass.
3. Fill up the glass with white vinegar.
4. Place the glass in the refrigerator for some weeks, before the vinegar is ready.
5. You can refill the glass with more vinegar as you use it.

Elder flower sugar

When I was making the elder flower salt I got inspiration to make this elder flower sugar. I imaging, that you can use this elder flower sugar as sprinkle sugar over fresh strawberries/fruit, creme brulee or ice cream. Only your imagination is the limit !!!

Elder flower sugar:

• 250 g pearl sugar
• 20 stems of elder flower

1. Cut of the flower heads from the stems of flower flower.
2. Fill sugar and elder flower into a food processor and blend everything into rough looking mass.
3. Fill the elder flower sugar into tray/form. Cover the sugar with a clean tea towel. The drying process can take it´s time, something like 1-2 days. If possible you can dry the salt outside in the sunshine.
4. When the elder flower sugar is dried, place it in air tight container.

Salt with elder flowers a la Camilla Plum

Two years ago I made my very first portion of this elder flower using a recipe by Camilla Plum for Politiken, and I have nothing left, so it is very right time to make a new portion of elder flower salt for later use in my little kitchen.

If you try to dry this herb salt in the oven on low heat like 50-70'C, the un-blended elder flower will turn black, so do not try to this, unless you would like have black spot in your salt. It took it almost 4 days to dry the salt.

Elder flower salt a la Camilla Plum:

• 200 g very rough salt
• 2 whole garlics
• 2-3 red chilies
• 20 stems of elder flower
• 2 organic lemons - only the zest

1. Start by removing the zest from the lemon.
2. Peel the garlic cloves and divide each clove into 8 pieces
3. Split the chilies and remove the seeds.
4. Cut of the flower heads from 10 stems of flower flower.
5. Fill all these ingredients into a food processor and blend everything into rough looking herb salt.
6. Fill the herb salt into tray/form and add in the rest of the elder flowers and let the salt dry. Cover the salt with a clean tea towel. The drying process can take it´s time, as the salt will drag the moist our of the other ingredients, before it finally dry. If possible you can dry the salt outside in the sunshine.
7. When the elder flower salt is dried, place it in air tight container.
8. You can either use the elder flower salt, when it is moist. Otherwise it will last in it´s dry form for years.

Elder flower tea - faileur

Last Christmas I made my very own Christmas Tea, so I decided it could be fun to make my very own summer tea taking inspiration from tea with fresh elder flowers, as such a summer tea would last longer than the season of fresh elder flowers.

10 July 2013:
2 weeks after I mixed this tea, I noticed, that the liquid from the elder flowers had turned the loose tea leafs into one big lump and at the same time I could see yeast growing in this tea !!!!! So please not make this tea yourselv !!!! I will be reworking this specific tea recipe to address this issue !!!! 

Christmas Tea: - 100 g tea

• 100 g Earl Grey tea
• 3 limes (organic) - only the peel
• 5 stems of elder flowers

1. Use a potato peeler in order to remove the peel in a thin layer of the limes
2. Dry the lime peel at 75'C for 1 hour
3. Cut the dried lime peel into small pieces. I used a scissor for this purpose.
4. Mix the tea with the small pieces of dry lime peel.
5. Use a scissor to cut off the small elder flowers from the stems,
6. Mix everything together in glass, which is air tight.
7. Let the tea stand for a few hours, before making the first cup/pot of tea.

Blooming elder flowers

Hannibal the Cat with the elderflower harvest of 2013

The elder tree are standing like Christmas tree full of bright lights in form of fragrant clusters of elder flowers along the roads, paths basically everything in the green surroundings here in Denmark.

So it is time for you to pick your own elder flowers for making the following fantastic flavour full elderflower things in your kitchen.

As usual Hannibal the Cat decided to join in on my hunt for elderflower in the surroundings, following me and my harvest basket like a little dog even though he is a cat !

Hannibal the Cat approving the harvest

And when the harvest of elder flower was done, Hannibal the Cat was busy putting his scent-marks on the basket with elderflower by rubbing his head everywhere. We just managed to get inside again in my little kitchen, before it started to pour down with rain.

You can easily infuse your tea with elder flower. First you make your usual cup of black tea. Afterwards you infuse this cup of tea with one-two elder flowers for 1-2 minutes. It gives you a refreshing flower flavour.

Another tea option is Elder flower First Flush

Not a year without making this wonderful elder flower cordial a la Palle, which you afterwards to use for the following drinks:

hylde for de vilde = elder for the wild ones, which easily could be you :-) or if you are "bobble-lady" like me should make Elder Flower Royal

or you could use the elder flower cordial for baking these muffins with another summer guest in form of rhubarb

For cooking purpose in the kitchen you could try to make raspberry vinegar with elder flower.

I will for sure make a portion of elderflower cordial a la Palle as usual, but I will also be making two other new recipe with elderflower as focus ingredients, so look into my virtual kitchen from time to time in the coming period, and I will share these new recipes with. However, I will already now share two clue with you: black tea and salt !!!! Do you have any idea, what I will be making ?

Tea with fresh elderflowers

During the elder flower season I like to infuse my normal cup of tea with a cluster of freshly picked elder flowers. I add the cluster of elder flower at the same time as I pour hot water over the tea leafs, and I remove the elder flowers as I remove the tea leafs from the tea cup.

It brings the most fantastic flowery perfumed flavour to your tea :-)

Elder flower rhubarb muffin

The blog event called "Tea Time Treats", which is a monthly baking challenge event managed  Karen from Lavender and Lovage and Kate from What Kate Baked. It is Karen from Lavender and Lovage, which is the hostess for this wonderful spring month of May. The theme for this month is off cause FLOWER http://www.lavenderandlovage.com/2012/04/new-tea-time-treats-for-may-get-floral-in-the-kitchen-with-floral-flavours-flowers.  


I found this to be a perfect theme fitting well with my very own taste preference for flower flavours. However, being on my very first summer vacation lasting of this year, I have been a little time-pressed to make contribution to this monthly tea table. 


As I have a freezer full of elder flower cordial from last year production and fresh rhubarbs growing in my kitchen garden, I decided to make muffins with these two ingredients.

Elder flower rhubarb muffins: - 14 pieces

• 300 g cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon home-made vanilla sugar
• 115 g sugar
• 1 dl elder flower cordial - concentrated
• 1,5 dl buttermilk 
• 1 egg
• ½ dl oil
• 200 g fresh rhubarb - cut into thin slices
• icing sugar and elder flower cordial - concentrated

1. Mix cake flour, baking powder, vanilla sugar together in a mixing bowl with a cooking spoon
2. Add buttermilk, elder-flower cordial, oil and egg into a shaker, and shake it together
3. Add the liquid to the mixing bowl, and mix everything together
4. Add rhubarb pieces into the dough
5. Fill into 14 muffin forms
6. Bake at 200' C (conventional oven) for 20-25 minutes
7. Cool down the muffins, decorate them with icing mixed together from icing sugar and elder flower cordial.,