foodfullstop | Elderflower Cordial

Elderflower grows wild all over the country at this time of year. They are a beautiful white blossom with a pungent, fragrant scent. Some people eat them raw off the tree and say they taste like cream soda. Personally, I prefer to pick them at their peak and make cordial which lasts all year. Makes 1 litre If you can't face making it, you can always buy it from Belvoir! See below.
Ingredients
15 large heads of elderflower 600g caster sugar 2 lemon 40g tartaric acid 500ml water
Method
1. Pick through the flowers, making sure there are no bugs or any flowers which are looking brown or old. 2. In a scrupulously clean pot, bring the water to a rapid boil. 3. Slice the lemon thinly, and place in a large bowl along with the elderflower, sugar and tartaric acid. Pour over the water as soon as it has boiled, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. 4. Leave the bowl to cool down, then cover it and place somewhere shady and cool for four days. 5. Strain the cordial through a steel or plastic sieve that is generously lined with muslin, and pour into very clean bottles. Don't push it through or it will turn out cloudy. 6. Store in a cool, dark place. Drinking can take place immediately but once opened, store in the fridge.

Ingredients to buy

	Product	Price
	6x Elderflower Cordial (700ml bottles) More information... Made from freshly picked organic elderflowers grown at Belvoir and fresh organic lemons, it is delicately scented and wonderfully refreshing. Dilute with still or sparkling water for delicious natural soft drinks with the hazy taste of summer. A few drops enlivens a gin or vodka and tonic and makes sensational spritzers with white wine. In cooking elderflower is extraordinarily versatile making wonderful sorbets and it can be used to add its distinctive taste to fools, mousses and pies made with rhubarb, apricots or gooseberries. Elderflower has been known for centuries as a herbal remedy for colds, hay fever and flu.	£ 22.20	Buy

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...cooking term: Venison is very good for your health. High in protein, like beef, but much lower in fat. It is also full of vitamin B, iron, phosphorous, zinc and selenium. (If you know what all those are).

Cooking wise, you can treat it like beef, the less exercised muscles can be cooked quickly and served pink. The shoulder suits a slow, gentle braise. The younger the deer, the more tender the meat will be. However, don't disregard an older beast, for once marinated and cooked slowly, it will taste delicious.

The gamey flavour goes well with sweet flavours, such as the sherry in the Pedro Ximinez recipe, otherwise, redcurrant jelly or port are excellent, as are rosemary and juniper, sweet carrots or squash.

In Britain we have several types of deer, the most common being Red deer, Fallow and Roe, but you can also find Sika and Muntjac. They are all very different and very delicious.

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