Summertime, and the livin’ is easy….

It mightn't feel like summer, but we're well into the season now.  The Elder tree is blooming around the country.  Actually  it's in decline, but if you hurry, you might just be in time to make the most delicious drink ever.  Elderflower cordial.  This is the true taste of summer!  I made some last week, gathering flowers in a graveyard in Carlow.  This week I found some beauties still in bloom on a side road going from Enniskerry towards Glencree. Elderflower is a great herb for reducing catarrh, so is useful for colds and 'flu, as well as being really helpful for hayfever.  The heady scent is one of those that makes you wonder whether or not you like it.  Once established in your brain and linked with the pleasure principle, you'll forever find you adore it.  Elderflower tastes as it smells – fragrant and divine! Make sure you identify the Elder tree correctly.  Find an unpolluted source, growing away from main roads.  Pick only flowers that are fully in bloom, but not gone over, or browning.  The best time to harvest is after the dew has dried on a sunny day.  Always leave some flowers on the tree.  The Elder spirit is very unforgiving if you are greedy or fail to ask consent… While I would dearly love to recommend the inclusion of less sugar when making the cordial, it wouldn't be wise.  Sugar is a preservative of sorts, so reducing the amount of sugar in the recipe will simply mean that in a couple of months your cordial will have grown mould in all likelihood.  Also, a sugar substitute, such as agave syrup or xylitol, will alter the flavour, so isn't a good idea.  I have stuck to the original, which you can dilute as much as you like. Recipe for Elderflower cordial 50 flower heads 2 kg Billingtons' granulated sugar 1.2 litres bottled or filtered water 75 g citric acid (available in Burkes Pharmacy, South William Street, Dublin 2, or other pharmacies/home brew suppliers around the country) 3 organic lemons Don't wash the flowers, or you'll reduce the flavour of the finished product. Leave the flowers on the counter for about 5 minutes and any creepy crawlies will automatically walk away!  Remove as much stalk from the flower as possible with a scissors.  Place in a large bowl or bucket.  Place water and sugar in a saucepan.  Add peeled zest of 3 lemons.  Bring slowly to boil, stirring occasionally.  Thickly slice lemons and add to the flowers.  Add citric acid to sugar syrup.  Pour syrup over flowers and lemon slices.  Stir.  Leave covered in cool place for 48 hurs.  Strain through muslin and bottle. Word of advice:  Make sure to scald the bottles with boiling water.  Sterilise muslin, by boiling in water for 10 mins. Tip: In Dublin, bottles with hinged lids are available in Stock Kitchen Shop, South King Street, Kitchen Complements, Chatham Steet and Ikea.