Elderflower Fair Folk Cocktail

Summer has begun; we’ve harvested our first bunches of radishes and potatoes, the hawthorns are blossoming, and the oak trees are putting out soft vibrant green leaves. We have been travelling through many country lanes and housesitting in the countryside this past week which has offered many lovely foraging opportunities while I’ve been out feeding the chickens and giving the horses treats.

As we drive along the lanes we always keep an eye out at this time of year for the magical elder tree, with it’s tell-tale clusters of white flowers. They are blooming everywhere right now and it’s been very easy to fill our bags with the fragrant bunches of blossoms (ensuring we leave enough for the bees though, of course). Last year my partner, Twm, collected elderberries in late summer and made a deliciously deep purple cough syrup which helped us through getting Covid in late autumn. Sadly we won’t be in New Zealand for elderberry season as we’re going to the UK in January so we thought we’d better make use of the flowers.

We put on some elderflower wine to ferment while we’re overseas but I also made some elderflower syrup to go in some summery drinks! The delicate floral flavour of the syrup pairs beautifully with the fresh lime juice and sparkling rose in this refreshing summer cocktail. Enjoy with friends and family outside at a picnic or barbeque on a warm summer evening. Enjoy my fellow foragers!

Elderflower Fair Folk Cocktail

Ingredients:

Elderflower Syrup:

2 cups raw sugar

10 elderflower heads

1 lemon, juiced

2 cups water

Cocktail:

2-3 tablespoons elderflower syrup

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 shot gin (optional)

3/4 cup cold sparkling rose

5 blueberries

1 lime, sliced

2 ice cubes

Directions:

Pick the elderflowers off of the stems and place them in a bowl. Be sure to remove as much stem as possible as elder stems and leaves are poisonous. Cover the elderflowers with 2 cups of water. Allow to steep for 24 to 48 hours.
Strain the elderflower liquid through a tea towel or muslin and add to a pot. Stir in sugar and lemon juice and place over a medium heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Place in a clean jar in the fridge to cool down.
In a pretty glass spoon in 2 or 3 tablespoons of elderflower syrup. Add the gin if desired, a tablespoon of fresh lime juice, and top up the glass with the sparkling rose.
Add ice and garnish with some fresh lime slices and blueberries. Repeat process for as many cocktails as you need!

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