How to make elderflower cordial by Linda Bostock, Medical Herbalist

[@jansingersvideos]

The house I live in has an elderberry bush that was here when we moved in over 20 years ago. Every now and then, I'll make some elderberry jelly, but never got around to doing anything with the flowers. I decided to try cordial this year, and followed your recipe to a tee. I can't believe what I've been missing all these years - this is one of the most flavourful things I've ever drank. Perfection!

[@johnprince3497]

She must be a great herbalist. She is so beautiful and her skin looks flawless.

[@joycerafteryenright8550]

I have been researching recipes for elderflower cordial on the internet and on U-Tube because I lost my recipe book that i used to make for last few decades. You are by farTHE BEST. good recipe but great explanations for why you do what you do. Many thanks

[@lizkeith1356]

Thanks for this video, Linda. I come back to watch it every year to make the cordial. I planted my own elderberry bushes a few years back because of this video and your delicious recipe. Thanks loads.

[@michellescouse2023]

I've just picked some Elderflower, left lots on, for the Elderberries! Can't wait to make this, thank u. Subscribed also! I'm doing a Weeds and Wild Medicine Course and have fallen in love with Our Mother Nature! 🌱🤗

[@jodi578]

Wonderful video ! Thank you for taking the time to make this, and your very THOROUGH presentation. Up until now, I have not been able to enjoy the bounty of my Organic elderberry bushes, I was always waiting for the berries in the fall but the birds seem to get there first. Now I will be able to get out there and enjoy harvesting the flowers. I just subscribed and look forward to the rest of your videos.

[@scruffy281]

Is it possible to to this just like your directions indicate but without the sugar? Just so I can get the flavor and benefits of the Elderflower and non of the toxicity of the sugar? Thank you .

[@krazyakres]

I made it just about the same using 4 cups of honey.

[@beaulieuonnp593]

Very good video with good explanations thanks

[@feefee2769]

Interesting. Informative. I think the jug should be glass and sterile too though.

[@grahamlewis6062]

Just made 12 bottles with your recipe and procedure. The pure taste of summer 😃. Thank you. Joan

[@gaibutton]

Excellent video. Thank you.

[@mumumeme8496]

hello, if you wash elderflower or if it rains, then the pollen will go away and it will lose quite some of its taste.

[@GegoXaren]

Ender Flower cordial is the taste of summer for me... We use much more sugar. And let it stand for five days in ten litre plastic buckets. Other then that It is the same. We make perhaps -twenty- ten litres of it a year, but it is too tasty so it runs out too fast. :-) We also wach the bottles in Atamon (Benzoic acid and Sodium benzoate) so no bacteria or fungi can grow (after heat treating them of course), it will keep for a year or more with that. Probably the high sugar content helps with the preservation too. One thing to note is that Vitamin C brakes down at high temperature. Just an FYI. //A Swede

[@7574sandra]

Could u list your receipe

[@GegoXaren]

@@7574sandra I'll see if I can find it written down somewhere. Thank you for your patience.

[@GegoXaren]

@@7574sandra This is called "Anna Greta Persson's Elder Flower Cordial" and comes from an old recipe "magazine" from the Swedish Sugar Corporation (Sockerbolaget), year unknown. 40-60 clusters of elder flowers. 3 Lemons 2 litres of water 2 kg of Sugar. 20-25 g Citric Acid 1 ml (1 spice measure) of Sodium Benzoate. Take the clusters of flowers, the more the better as it gives the Cordial more taste and aroma. Put the flower clusters in a spacious bowl (or bucket). Slice three Lemons. Boil two litres of water with the sliced lemons and two kilograms of Sugar. Dissolve 20-25 grams of Citric Acid in the syrup you made, and pour the hot syrup over the elder flowers. To make the cordial last longer in storage add 1 ml (1 spice measure) of Sodium Benzoate. Let it sit for three days. Strain the cordial into well cleaned bottles and seal immediately. Store the bottles lying down to prevent mould and bacteria from penetrating the sealed bottle. ----- Note: I have reordered some things to make it easier to read, and more in chronological order. One thing I would do is wash the bottles with (a few table spoon of) Atamon (Benzoic Acid and Sodium Benzoate mixture), then you don't need to use the Sodium Benzoate in the mixture. Just make sure that you don't leave too much in the bottles, and pour it from one bottle to the next as you pour the cordial. The remaining Atamon you can pour out into the sink. We usually put on the cap on the bottles and shake them around with the Atamon a bit before pouring it into the next bottle that needs to be washed, and so on. And with modern bustles don't really need to store them lying down. One thing to note is that the sugar acts as a preservative here.

[@zeez9053]

Who in there right mind would put Sodium bezoate chemical in it ?

[@GegoXaren]

@@zeez9053 So it does not mold or rut?

[@joanofarc33]

Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. And I love your kitchen.

[@susans1526]

Thank you very much. I have a question if I don't use Citric Acid, what will happen? and how long can I keep it? Thanks

[@Medietos]

If you sterilize ur bottles and lids and use lemon: nothing! It's not needed, just a precaution false myth. No sugar needed either.

[@katrinaward5769]

How long will this keep?

[@scottrissman2499]

Thanks gran!

[@transylvaniacuisinebylaura3243]

Thank you dear Linda! Very informative!

[@mykvass]

what variety of elderflower is this ? there are several varities of elderflowers. Thanks

[@mumumeme8496]

the normal everyday, growing everywhere elderflower :D

[@deirdremkenny]

thank you for this excellent demonstration Linda. Deirdre Hughes.

[@deborahjohnson1480]

Great video. How long does it last for please?

[@lystaylor6416]

Mine wil last a year in the freezer in plastic bottles,I don't use citric acid,not needed

[@TheRm65]

Actually, a bit of fox urine on the elder flowers -- especially that of the grey fox -- adds a certain je ne sais quoi to the cordial.

[@saraswatkin9226]

What about when pigeons have nested in that tree?

[@jacquelinemitchell-keeney4364]

can one use canning jars? if so do you need to place in a water bath to seal? if so for how long?

[@dariuszpiwonski5324]

What is I would soak all this ingredients in hot water but without sugar and after 24h I would add 1kg of organic honey instead ?

[@Ann-bm5qg]

Sounds healthier. Adding sugar defeats the object of it being called a healthy drink. Sugar feeds cancer. It should be avoided.

[@commonconservative7551]

there are red and blue elderberries correct?

[@adrianagomez8751]

Please people use Coco sure or brown sure. BLESS

[@ladygodiva61]

mine ended up brown. I dont know what i done wrong

[@Diabolus1978]

Rai Merry did u pick the right species?

[@MrCabcom]

You disturbed the sediment when pouring the bottom is yuckie that's why she does not pour it all in the video. Most probably.

[@iwonadann2683]

lovely :)

[@MP-xd1tc]

Piloncillo sugar is also good.

[@lucywhite7016]

Your suppose to pick in the afternoon for a better flavour and do remove the stalks they are poisonous!!!

[@roothespa]

Must not be that poisonous, she is still making and drinking it.

[@mumumeme8496]

they make the syrup taste more bitter

[@LB041272]

You MUST REMOVE as MUCH of the GRREN STEMS as POSSIBLE,as they are TOXIC,and turn the SYRUP BITTER!!

[@Nicholas.Tsagkos]

Thanks for the valuabele info as i'm about to make cordial!

[@Diabolus1978]

LB041272 u american?

[@brimillward8965]

Hi Linda. Just subscribed❤️ Is the green stalks that you’ve left on yours ok to add in, as I was told only the flower, as any green stem contains cyanide? Would you add water to yours? Or can you drink it straight?

[@charitytanel8107]

@@brimillward8965 hi 👋 just watching & noted your comment, at the end she did add water. Don't know about the stalks?

[@MP-xd1tc]

Fyi honey is healthier. Lemons and honey should not be cooked. It should be added after it's cooled.

[@Ruth58969]

It needs sugar as a preservative. Honey is actually no healthier. It is just another form of sugar.

[@ExhumedFromBed]

That is not quite true. Sugar is higher on the glycemic index than honey and ads little benefit other than a quick energy boost. This means that sugar raises blood sugar levels more quickly. This is due to its higher fructose content and the absence of trace minerals. Also honey is easier to digest than sugar so it won't reek havoc on your digestive tract's micro biome cultures with a plus being that they contain enzymes and antioxidants. Sugar contains 49 calories per tablespoon, while honey has 64. But honey is sweeter than sugar, so less may be needed to achieve the same sweetness. When it comes down to it both will still contribute to weight gain, which is why i prefer raw honey or dark honey or a little of both as they are even better than the store bought alternatives when it comes to it's added benefits. An alternative to white sugar is brown sugar or molasses. Sugar is good to have but honey is clearly healthier despite it's higher calories, at least when it comes to white sugar, but everything in moderation so use responsibly.

[@Digital111]

@@ExhumedFromBed Honey is 40% fructose and the trace minerals and other particles such as pollen only make about 6% of the volume. ( probably less on the over processed brands people buy in stores) Bees make honey as a dense sugar to feed their larvae, I doubt that's healthy for your micro biome. If you want to be healthy and skip sugar the only good replacement are fruits high in fiber. Honey has a strong taste hat will affect recipes and is not worth replacing sugar for it when the difference is minimal.

[@bee7549]

Honey should also be added after the liquid has cooled down a little. It denatures with heat and is also toxic when ingested