Elderflower Adventures - Exploring Different Ways to Eat and Drink this Awesome Flower

Today we'll be exploring some delicious ways to use elder flowers, from elderflower fritters, to elderflower cordial, as well as making use of its beneficial qualities through making tea.
Elderflowers (Sambucus spp.) are the delicate, creamy-white flowers that bloom on elder trees and bushes in the spring and early summer. They have a long history of use in traditional medicine and can be used in many ways, some of which we'll cover today.
They grow wild in many places around the world, so even if you don't grow these in your garden, you may be able to forage for elderberries in your area. Elder plants also produce berries in the Summer which can be used as food and medicine - check out the video I made about the berries and the bushes here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/raPNYouNo7qFjsU
RECIPES:
Elderflower fritters:
10-15 Bunches of elderflowers
70g flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 heaped tsp icing sugar
1 pinch of salt
2/3 cup sparkling or soda water
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract (optional)
(add more flour or more water to adjust to desired thickness of batter)
Vegetable oil - (I used canola)
Mix dry ingredients together, add soda water and mix. Heat oil in a pot, once oil is hot drip a little batter mixture in, and if it fizzes well then it should be hot enough.
Dip elderflower cluster into batter then into hot oil, until golden (mine took around 20-30 seconds). Drain fritter on paper towel to get rid of excess oil.
Sprinkle on some icing sugar and/or honey and serve as dessert with stewed fruit or ice-cream. Please ensure everyone knows to avoid eating all green parts of the stem - very important!
Elderflower cordial:
20 Bunches of elderflowers
2 litres of water
3 tablespoons citric acid
1 lemon (juice and zest)
850g sugar
Strip elder flowers off the green stems into a large pot. Add water, citric acid, lemon juice and zest to the pot. Heat up, stir occassionally until it starts to boil. Take off heat, cover and leave overnight. Next day, strain through muslin cloth, put liquid back into pot and add sugar. Heat back up to boil for a few minutes, stirring to dissolve all the sugar. Pour hot liquid into sterilized and preheated glass bottles that have been in oven for 10 minutes at around 120c. Place lids on and leave to cool. Should store for several months.
To use, dilute with sparkling water to taste, you should only need a little cordial for each drink. Otherwise use in any other drinks you like ;)
Info on toxicity:
Elder plants have cyanide producing compounds in some parts of the plant, making them toxic if consumed - this includes the leaves, roots, seeds, unripe fruit, stems and bark. It's important to avoid eating any of these parts, and also note that ripe berries should be cooked before being eaten. Please ensure you know confidently how to work with this plant before consuming it, and also note there are some differences depending on the species of Elder.
I have a bunch more information about this plant here kzbin.info/www/bejne/raPNYouNo7qFjsU. It's definitely worth learning about as it's a plant that has many incredible medicinal benefits to offer.
It's always recommended do your own thorough research or consult with a healthcare professional before consuming foods that you're unfamiliar with :)
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Hi, I'm Kalem, and this channel features all sorts of unusual and exotic fruiting plants with tips of how to successfully grow them. I'm interested in all things gardening and love growing my own food and all types of edible plants.
I live on a 2 acre piece of land in New Zealand where we are turning a grass paddock into and abundant, edible paradise and food forest! So come along on this journey with me as I experiment with growing, and try to push the limits of what I can grow. I'll share with you my successes and failures so hopefully you'll learn from them and have a go yourself! Come learn with me and Subscribe to join this awesome community :)
0:00 Intro
0:37 Harvesting elderflowers
1:21 Elder flower fritters
3:30 Elderflower cordial
6:25 Elderflower tea
6:50 Learn about elderberries too
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[@a_d_a_m]

BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL if you forage for these flowers, they closely resemble white snakeroot and hemlock which can both kill you! ❤

[@TheKiwiGrower]

Thanks Adam! Yes, please always be very vigilant with any foraging to ensure you know 100% what it is and how to use it correctly

[@HangryKitchen]

what does forage flowers mean?

[@NoraNoita]

@@HangryKitchen picking them from the side of a road for example, foraging is another word for collecting, specifically invented for doing it on certain things, like bushes in this example.

[@Jimmehftw]

And be careful you pick the right species of elderflower too. sambucus racemosa and sambucus ebulis are poisonous.

[@LordRubino]

Both grasses you mentioned are very different from Elderflower that grow much taller and have a very different sent. Elderflower resemble more a tree than a small herbaceous bush like snakeroot and hemlock. But in general peoples should NEVER foraging anything that are not familiar with. Is common sense

[@konstantin_d.m]

Clicked on the video for shirtless Kalem, stayed for the Elderflower recipes! :D

[@TheKiwiGrower]

Haha glad you enjoyed 😅

[@t0nyc0nde]

What a truly gorgeous man.

[@WhoMe87799]

Woof! You can be one with nature at my place anytime ;)

[@TheKiwiGrower]

😳😂

[@jaysoncortezjacinto1974]

Omg. 🔥🔥🔥 There he was cooling down with the elderflower drinks and here we are getting all hot. 😂

[@jasonshirrillmusic]

Yes, hot and bothered for sure.

[@freakygeak]

did I miss the naked gardener day ???? interesting dish

[@TheKiwiGrower]

Haha no it's yet to come. But why limit it to one day ;)

[@betterworkitout]

That would SOOOO not scare me!!! 😍😍😍

[@patrickdemarcevol]

Be one of nature 😃 The neighbours must be quite thrilled!

[@ironjohn04]

You got some lucky neighbors! ;) Love your content.

[@TheKiwiGrower]

Haha thanks John 🙈

[@jimmyparis7784]

I love the end of the video :)

[@gohlervideos6470]

Great ending mate!

[@carlosli3029]

I’ll probably never see an elderflower, but that doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy every second of this video.

[@TheKiwiGrower]

Glad you liked it! :)

[@marlonelias]

He’s good looking!.!.

[@auntied4950]

Everything Elderflower is SO delicious!

[@TheKiwiGrower]

Hi friends! Hope you're all doing well. Looking forward to getting more videos out, thanks so much for sticking around. Also, here's the Elderberry video I mentioned at the end :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/raPNYouNo7qFjsU

[@mariadamedecoeur]

Over here we do jam with it, delicious 😋

[@hopegold883]

If you pick the flowers, will the plant still bear fruit?

[@markovanderwalt9115]

That thirst trap was long over due. Also feels like that video was done when it was naked gardening day 😂😂

[@johnd551]

I appreciate videos on food forests and natural gardening. You are a good looking guy and you look good shirtless. Can we have more of that??

[@toffthe]

My grandad used to make elderflower fizz, a slightly alcoholic pop which was so delicious we had it at christmas instead of champagne. It was an exciting process, as every now and then you would hear a deep boom, go into the pantry and find one of the demijohns had exploded ( so i wouldnt recommend if you live in a small flat !)

[@davidcattin7006]

Ooh, cool! I love St. Germain Elderflower liquor.

[@rickfromhell]

I think it's my goal in life now to be this guy's neighbor. 👀

[@ronmiller1821]

Wow, Looks good! I like the elder flower fritters too 😜

[@benburns5995]

Very interesting video Kalem, thanks. The Elderflower fritters looked amazing and crunchy. That would be a very unique treat to give to guests if it is the right time of year. I always hear of the benefits of Elderberry extract that is good for colds. It is amazing that you can use so many parts of one plant, the flowers and the berries for many uses.

[@TheKiwiGrower]

Thanks Ben, glad you enjoyed it, and yes such a versatile and useful plant :)

[@xtreamchance]

Fascinating video on how to infuse the essences of flowers into foodstuffs! Thanks for taking the time to make it, and share!

[@Mowgi]

You know it's a good day when you drop a new video!

[@cetusz_maximus2]

I remember collecting elderflowers with my grandfather so my grandma could make us elder cordial. It's a nice memory from my childhood

[@TheKiwiGrower]

That's so cool!

[@jadedrealist]

Shirtless agricultural lessons you say? I'm in! :-)

[@JuanLopez-tp7hj]

Cool I’m all for using plants and flowers to eat and drink

[@owensweeney1113]

Still a huge fan of the videos even after my accidental hiatus on watching, keep up the great work can’t wait to catch up on what I’ve missed!

[@TheKiwiGrower]

Cheers Owen!

[@judygude]

Kalem! I just made these again. I ate them with “Mike’s Hot Honey.” Oh my goodness. It was the absolute best ever! I still like your recipe better than my grandma’s!

[@TheKiwiGrower]

Sound delicious! Enjoy 😁

[@robertunderwood3393]

A handsome and refreshing lad indeed

[@xosferens]

Feel free to take your shirt off whenever you feel Ike it!! 😜

[@Andy455100]

Missed seeing you, maybe it was me. Love seeing all that you do on KZbin. Keep up the good work.

[@TheKiwiGrower]

Thanks Andy, yeah it was a bit of an unexpected gap due to some personal reasons but glad to be back posting :)

[@froggy5748]

Your land and home look like such a dream to live in! You inspired me to attempt my own garden even though I have the opposite of a green thumb. Your videos are so relaxing and chill to watch :)

[@micomator]

Good luck! The green thumb thing is a lie, gardening ability isn't innate, just a result of perseverance! Good gardeners are just people who kept trying

[@TheKiwiGrower]

So glad you're getting into it, you'll get better overtime as with anything you practice and learn about. Hope it goes well :)

[@drqwyxz3588]

he's like a dream, too 😍

[@rjq1]

Tasty. Now I'm hungry as well as thirsty.

[@jasonsmith7416]

Ya. I was def here for the basket.

[@shantim7740]

yay so excited to see this - I'm so ready for some summer foraging!

[@simonroper4713]

My Nan loved elderflowers thanks for giving me that memory of her 💜

[@crunkxbella]

This is the life i want for myself ❤

[@jasonshirrillmusic]

Elder flowers, "right" and your big smile"! thanks for the recipes and the tips. keep it up.

[@morgonerlenstar]

I love elderflower fritters! I have been making them for years.

[@MrChazz10]

I love elderflower cordial 🤩

[@krisadakaewjumpot8891]

Beautiful flowers

[@HugoGovernatori-xc1lr]

Wow! how delicious! I had that little tree, from which I only harvested its fruits to make an exquisite jam!

[@judygude]

Your fritter recipe is much easier than mine! I love it. ❤. I’ll try it this June.

[@DavidS5118]

Another great and informative video - thank for sharing.

[@HMFan2010]

Those fritters look and sound delicious! My grandmother never worked with elderflowers but she made an incredibly good elderberry jelly. Enjoy your bountiful summer, Kalem.

[@ixoraroxi]

I love the aroma of elderflowers! Every year, I'm making syrup from elderflowers and lemons. Last summer, I made a liqueur, and it turned out amazing! I've tried fritters and jam.

[@TarotsApprentice]

Very informative video, thank you! I love that you incorporated cooking into them!

[@HugoGovernatori-xc1lr]

I traveled from Argentina, I was in your wonderful country, on two occasions. I am in love with the country and its people. I toured the Coromandel, Taupo and more...I always look forward to going back there...

[@TheJamezay]

Elderflower cordial or carbonated water is the best drink on planet earth in my opinion, so tasty 😋

[@TheKiwiGrower]

I agree, it's so nice, especially on a hot day!

[@dsgrbrowne1]

This guy is amazing!

[@chrisk5651]

One with Nature!!!!😏😉😍

[@chrisk5651]

Au naturel!

[@TobyJin]

Nice video, so many uses to this one plant.

[@HugoGovernatori-xc1lr]

😊thanks for that information!

[@lukecarrol1745]

Clickbait worked a charm, hadn't tuned in for ages, then shirtless. Had to watch all the way to the end nmmm

[@stygianhero9072]

I am obsessed with these videos. It's like stardew year 6 stuff

[@drea7295]

Interesting wow thanks didn't know you could eat that.i think I'm gonna try that tea today!thanks

[@IWantMyTimTV]

Another great video! Thank you!

[@SuperLaplander]

Lovely video, thanks!

[@Lotuslaful]

Champagne!!! Foraged I’m Vermont last summer Appreciate your using recipes I haven’t tried yet Thank you:)

[@HugoGovernatori-xc1lr]

❤Beautiful... All!

[@jstamps9578]

All new to me. Always interested in new plants.

[@BearMeat4Dinner]

Oi Mate - Great to see ya again! Great video as usual!

[@ovtheabyss84]

I identified some elderberry shrubs while I was checking out a lake near my house, and now I am seeing it everywhere. Especially when driving, bc it loves the edges!

[@lgornik7750]

Elderflower it has wonderful smell and is very tasty

[@tauIrrydah]

Ah your season must be a little bit later than here in Aus (VIC). I've been making Elderflower champagne for the last 4 years, but we also have a tea plant, and I love jasmine & green tea, so I'd love to try making a blend with elderflowers!

[@TheKiwiGrower]

Ohh that sounds really good!

[@hm6806]

Please upload more videos, your channel is interesting and fun to watch.

[@EmrysLan]

I certainly wouldn’t mind being “one with nature” alongside him, that’s for sure. 🥵

[@johelrivera5654]

He knows what he's doing lmao and its working so well on me

[@jaredleemease]

Thank you Kalem.

[@Gonzalo_M]

Great video! thanks for coming back with new content! Love it! :D

[@barron204]

Great idea and interesting video.

[@MrLuca998]

In Italy we love drinking that elderberry concentrate (here it's called "Sambuco"), in the past people used old stems also as an instrument to blow oxygen on the fire because it has a pith that easily degradetes creating a hollow stem. I don't know how is the situation there, but here we have a ton of elderberries, they can sometimes be considered as infestants, probably because birds love their berries and they spread the plant all over the fields 😂

[@openminds8765]

"One with nature" - WOOF - scare or excite your neighbors 👀

[@geraldoreyes6146]

I think he drank to much of that tea that makes him to get one with nature. Lol

[@rjq1]

What a surprise ending! And what good advice. I would like to forage for more underutilized edible plants- though I'm not too confident. Thanks.

[@user-rf9xf1yl2z]

Попка - супер).

[@JAnotherday]

Thank you very much

[@roonilwazlib3089]

I fritter mine too, they’re delicious 👌🏻

[@ExploringSumatra]

Awesome video as always. Boiling an egg is too much effort for me, but I love watching the way you use things from your garden to create delicious treats.

[@TheKiwiGrower]

Haha thank you! Raw eggs for you then? 😂

[@adelafaith9604]

I shall try some elderflower fritters next year now..im into courgette flowers done the same way - delicious!

[@AN-xb5td]

You live in a paradise

[@aerthman]

I’ve just had elderberry fritters for dinner! Thank you for introducing this amazing treat. This video caught my eye some months back and I subscribed 😋 Knowing I had these shrubs on my land I have anticipated following your lead Kalem. Thank you

[@jeffreyanthonysamy7455]

Good to see your videos as always bro....truly inspiring.

[@waterisgold]

Appreciate you so much 💛✨️ have a safe healthy abundant 2023

[@TheKiwiGrower]

Thank you! Same to you :)

[@kristoferissohappynavarrete]

You have so beautiful flowers .Thank you for the recipes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!😍😍😍😍😍😍😍❤❤❤❤❤

[@TheKiwiGrower]

You're very welcome :)

[@jaimegarcia1247]

Hola,excelente video informativo!!! Saludos.

[@loganfuller1450]

The king has returned 🐐🐐

[@yvettecharlyfrancis]

Is very good thanyou!

[@beckyashley8386]

Looks like such good cordial! Would be great in cocktails! 😍🤪

[@valophoenixavian]

Beautiful x2

[@ameliaxford]

Beautiful, my elder tree has already gone over to berries - many of them too high up for me to reach. Going to give it a good trim this winter and hopefully next year I'll have some flowers!

[@easyknittingtricks5399]

Very beautiful 👍

[@vancegilmore245]

Very nice!

[@ixxic]

I prefer drinks made of elderflower (there is also variant without cooking, only soaking them in water) over meals because as much as I paid attention to pick up young flowers, it always had that cat-pee specific taste, present as well in edelflower herbal tea. But aroma in liquids made of fresh flowers is stunning.

[@rootkit0]

We had summer for 6 months ago here on the northern hemisphere;) I actually made elderflower syrup, similar to yours. I loved it and I'm looking forward to making it again this summer, just before it's time to give birth to my first child:) and as always, great work!

[@TheKiwiGrower]

That's awesome, and how cool, exciting times ahead for you :)

[@theoleadventurer1199]

I just made some elder flower wine and its mighty fine :)

[@RebeccaRivera4shmily]

Absolutely great job on the video description. I was curious on the location your growing and got my answer with plenty more to read. It’s obvious you have done some research; thanks.

[@raraszek]

Beautiful man

[@seanjamescameron]

You can't beat elderflower cordial or champagne.

[@jonimaricruz1692]

I love elderflower liqueur. Just saying.

[@ronnievenhorst9873]

Nice video. Very interesting. And you became one with nature on a hot day