The elderflowers are bursting out of the hedgerows at this time of year. The best time to pick them is on a dry, warm day when the blooms are newly open and white. Try to find a bush that is away from a main road (to avoid exhaust fumes), and remember to keep to public footpaths. Their fragrance gives a wonderful summery flavour to the following recipes.

 

Elderflower and Rhubarb Jam
A combination of the best two early summer flavours.

The elderflowers are really starting to look good in the hedgerows and this is a perfect way to use their subtle flavour with that other early summer favorite rhubarb. You don't need may umbrels of flowers to get a hint of the taste, and you can use any extra to make elderflower cordial.

This recipe is adapted from the one in Edible Wild Plants & Herbs by Pamela Michael.

The gooseberries in the garden came into season a few weeks ago, so in between showers of rain I dashed out and picked the biggest and best for making jam.

I wasn't totally sure about Elderflower Cordial I made a month ago, at the time I had said I thought it tasted too sweet and needed a bit of tartness. After a bit of experimenting with adding lemon juice I decided to go for it and add citric acid to the whole lot.

Citric acid wasn't the easiest stuff to find but I eventually tracked some down it a local independent cookery shop. They had small 100g tubs in the brewing section, but when I took 3 to the till the assistant kindly offered me a 500g bag from under the counter. I didn't realise it was such a sought after ingredient until I was looking round for recipes and found out that others were having trouble finding it too. You can buy it online if you're prepared to wait a few days for delivery.

It was supposed to be the first cricket match of the year on Sunday, but it was raining in the morning so the pitch was too wet. However, the sun came out in the afternoon and we went off (with stepladder) to pick elderflowers, intending to make cordial later that day.