Elderflowers - what to do with them?

[IlanaK]

I have an elder tree in the back of my new garden. It is clearly about to blossom into flower. Can I pick them and use them for cordial and things, or do I need to worry that it might poison us??

Ooh, make cordial - it's really easy (from memory, you need citric acid from the chemist, lemons and loads of sugar). Tastes better than the stuff you pay £3 a bottle for, but doesn't keep well (or at least mine didn't) so drink up. Then make wine when the berries arrive!

make elderflower champagne, its dead easy and tastes gorgeous. get a recipe off google

You can freeze elderflower cordial in plastic bottles - great treat in the middle of winter. I had trouble getting hold of citric acid but found a brewing shop who would mailorder.

My MIl made an amazing elderflower cake-try googling for the recipe,I think it may have been Nigel Slater?

oh I'm v jealous.

You can make cordial (which should keep well in a sterile container in a cool, dark place), wine & champagne from the flowers.

The cordial makes lovely elderflower jelly and is really nice added to cheapo sparkling wine for summer cocktails.

You can dip them in batter and deep fry them, delicious! Recipe here
You can also dry them to make tea, but you need to string them individually and hang them up somewhere.

This is probably the only season we will get to do this as neighbours told us that it has to be dug up as part of a subsidence issue with their house. So I want to take advantage!

I love elderflower fritters [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/recipes/article6414522.ece a receipe here] - a lovely unusual taste! They're v nice with creme fraiche