Seasonal delights!

 


SUMMER is pretty much here eh?

ISN'T the weather gorgeous?

I went out foraging at the weekend and managed to get enough Elderflower to make a cordial, but not just any cordial, I made a sugar-free version using natural stevia and an orange.

Recipe.

15 elderflower heads

1.5 tablespoons natural stevia liquid or 2 heaped teaspoons ground stevia

1 orange cut into 8 

25g citric acid (you can get this from the chemist)

Method.

Wash and rinse the flower heads thoroughly, I soak mine for an hour in some water, shake off the insects and sieve.

Put the flower heads, citric acid and stevia into a large saucepan and add 2 pints water. Squeeze the orange pieces into it and then add them to the pan.

Bring to the boil and simmer for around 20-30 mins, then leave in the pan to cool.

When cool, using a muslin, pour into a sterilised bottle, refrigerate and use as normal cordial.

FOR years I have made this cordial, but this is the first time using stevia for a natural sugar-free alternative and it tastes great, I did the husband test because he says that stevia is strong, and I reckon I got the amount just right. Better to have too little than too much with Stevia. People who have sugar in their diet will say it's not as sweet but trust me, for those who are sugar-free it will be perfect.

I used to make wine every year, before I became tee-total five and a half years ago, I used to make it as per the seasons, making dandelion wine on St. George's Day as per tradition, then in a year you can drink it on the day you pick your next lot of dandelions. You could, obviously make dandelion cordial instead if you don't drink alcohol like me.

THEN the lovely Elder trees where you got your flowers from, I suggest you only get a couple of heads from each tree, because later in the year you want the berries to make Elderberry cordial too.

YOU can make cordial from stinging nettles, which is lovely, but not good if you have IBS or other related gut issues. 

THEN you have your berries, blackberries are obviously free and in abundance, and I think they will be this year looking at the growing flowers that will be coming soon. And if you grow fruit in your garden you can pretty much make cordial out of every fruit.

I love the achievement of making my own drinks and preserves, and the way the world is becoming these days, we may be needing these skills to get a fully stocked store cupboard in the future, so let's keep this going.

LET me know your recipes, and particularly if they are refined sugar-free!

HAPPY SUMMER! :)


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