It's mid-May, so time to make Elderflower Champagne.
I'm sorry that Boo Boo isn't here to help me, I'd been looking forward to us making and drinking his very own Champagne.
So, by myself, I gathered a few heads of Elderflower, put them into a bucket with 5.5 litres of water, added 650 gms sugar, the zest of a Lemon, the juice of a Lemon, and two tablespoons of white wine vinegar.
I stirred it to dissolve the sugar, covered the bucket, and waited 24 hrs before filtering and bottling.
What could be simpler!
40 comments:
I am sure it will be delicious.
Hi Cro, that recipe will go down well in South Africa. There are no liquor sales during the Lockdown. Social media is filled with recipes for beer and wine (and ire against the stringent law). I trust you're well and safe. Jo
It's a lovely, refreshing, summer drink.
Not much alcohol in this (if any), but it's a very pleasant drink that costs almost nothing.
Sounds refreshing. Not too much sugar.
You'll just have to drink to BooBoos health.
The scent of elderflower...late spring in England, long grass and early butterflies. Elders grew in our allotment hedge. There is a hint of that scent in the last remaining bottle of elderflower cordial in F's fridge. It is being rationed.
Do your bottles ever explode ? XXXX
I'll keep some for him.
I made Blackcurrant Cordial last year, that was delicious. I've not made Elderflower Cordial.
Yes; often. I have to use strong bottles with the clip-on tops. In the past I used some German beer bottles that had the clip-on tops, but the glass was too thin; they exploded.
Raise a glass to me.
One day cleaning a swimming pool, the next making elderflower champagne. You are a man of many parts Sir Cro.
It'll be a while. I usually leave it for a couple of months before sampling. I still have two bottles from 2019.
I enjoy being busy.
Cheers, sir. Think of me
up here with cloud and drizzle in 10C temperatures whilst you sip your champagne by the pool!
Lovely here. Almost swimming weather!
I haven't made it since I blew a hole in the under-stairs cupboard wall when we were first married.
Lovely day here. Shorts weather again. The washing dry in half an hour. I've just written an essay on Austria art. I could do with a glass of elderflower cordial.
I am keeping an eye out for Elderflowers...I make cordial most years and we are down to one bottle!
Try it with lines instead of lemons.. delicious
Limes!!
Sounds like it was a good brew!
Beautiful day here. More mowing, both here and for a friend. Water still too cool for a swim.
I might make some cordial... I must check my WI book for recipe.
Could I do it in screw top used plastic lemonade bottles? Or screw top wine bottles? I don't have any proper clip top bottles, or anything else for that matter, but I fancy giving it a go. How many heads of elderflower does it need?
What you are making is cordial. Do you just call it champagne for fun? I am assuming so.
As long as the tops fit very tightly they should be OK.... you can but try and see! I used six heads of Elderflower; you should pick them after they've had the sun on them for a while (I have no idea why). Store your bottles in a shed; away from harm.
Enjoy! How long do you have to wait before drinking it? My Retired Man’s family used to make and drink dandelion wine, but I never got the opportunity to try it.
I usually open the first bottles in July/August when we have the children here. I make it mostly for them; but everyone loves it.
It sounds so awful and raw. Maybe your 2019 bottling will be ok.
Cordial is quite different, it has far more sugar and flowers; it's used for diluting. Champagne is a classic that is usually made for children.
It's a very refreshing, and perfumed, summer drink. I might open a bottle of the '19 tonight.
I use the HMSO Bulletin 21 Home Preservation of Fruit and Vegetables.
First published 1929, mine is the third impression 1977, of the third edition, 1971. I wonder what edition they are up to now?!
Mine is the WI's 'Wines, Syrups, and Cordials' dated 1959. Cost 3/6d.
I can get an elderflower sparkling water here and it is lovely - so refreshing. I much prefer it in the summer to "pop" which I've always found too sweet for cleansing aa thirst.
I tried making elderflower cordial once. I like elderflower cordial (when fizzy) a lot. It went off.
We intend to make elderberry wine this year. Whether we actually get around to making it is another thing.
Sounds like the ginger beer we made a kids. That had to be kept in the shed.
That's really what Elderflower Champagne is... a sparkling Elderflower flavoured drink. Maybe your laws don't allow it to be called 'Champagne'.
Oh dear. I know when I made Blackcurrant Cordial last year it said to consume within a certain number of weeks (which we did). Maybe it's the same with Elderflower.
I've never tried, but I believe it's very good.
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