Making Elderflower Cordial (Finally)

There’s a moment each year—usually in early June—when the elder trees behind our garden burst into clouds of tiny white blossoms. And every year, I watch them fade before I’ve done anything with them. But not this year.

This time, I’d set a reminder. I had the bottles ready. And when the blossoms appeared, I headed out basket in hand, the sun still low and the hedgerows humming with bees. There’s something oddly enchanting about gathering elderflower. Like a small act of seasonal witchcraft.

Simple Elderflower Cordial:

• 20–25 elderflower heads (shaken free of bugs)

• 2 unwaxed lemons, sliced

• 1.5 kg sugar

• 1.5 litres boiling water

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl or pan, cover, and steep for 24 hours. Strain through a muslin or sieve, then bottle and refrigerate.

The result? Bottled light. Sweet, floral, and fleeting—best poured over ice, or with fizzy water and a twist of lemon. A little sip of early summer, preserved.