ELDERFLOWER SODA

This year certainly is looking like a bumper crop for the elderflowers.  The blooms are large, white and fragrant and perfect for foraging. 

Every year we celebrate these blooms by making champagne, syrups and now soda.  The soda has a more floral note with a light tang and a gentle bubble.  

However all this aside it has become a tradition of gathering the blooms and transforming them into our festive tipple. 

Why not let it become your new festive tradition?

Makes 10 litres

ingredients

4 heads of freshly picked elderflowers

4 cups of honey, rapadura or coconut sugar

2 litres hot water

8 litres cold water

4 Tbsp cider vinegar

3 lemons, roughly chopped

Method

Pick over the elderflowers, discard any browning flowers, bugs and all stalks. Set aside.

Place the sugar into a non reactive large vessle.  Pour over the hot water and stir to dissolve the sugar.

Add the cold water, vinegar, lemons and flowers.  Stir to combine and to press down the flowers.

Cover with a clean muslin cloth and leave somewhere warm for 2-4 days or until you start to see carbonation appear.

Strain the soda through a fine sieve and bottle into sterilised bottles, seal and set aside for another couple of days before consuming.

Enjoy.