Elder 

Elder is a beautiful tree that grows throughout Europe and the British Isles, as well as many other parts of the world. It's a tree that gives food and medicine abundantly and is widely represented in folklore and fairy tales. If you want to know more about elder, how to identify it, and where to find it, have a look here.

I usually start my annual preserving with elderflowers some time in April or May; after this a rapid succession of gluts follow - cherries, pears, peaches, courgettes, cucumbers, tomatoes - to name but a few - and before I know it the preserving season is in full swing lasting all the way to October.

My favourite thing to do with elder is to use the flowers to make cordial in the summer. It was something of a family tradition to go out picking elder on a dry morning in late spring, returning home with bags full of the heady, sweet-smelling flowers, and a few straggling insects,  to turn it into thick, sweet syrup that smells like summer in a bottle. I love to drink it diluted with cold fizzy water on a hot summer's day and in the winter it's a delightful reminder of the beautiful summer days to come. I also like to use the berried in the autumn to make a nice vitamin c-rich syrup infused with cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg to drink in the winter.

This year (2024) I also experimented with making elderflower jelly for the first time and was impressed with the results.

For those more health-conscious who don't want to make a thick sugary syrup, elderflower champagne is a great way to use these beautiful flowers. Alternatively they can be dried and enjoyed as a tea.