cordially yours

Having a first stab at making eldeflower cordial, based on a recipe by the much missed Elspeth Thompson...

Pick ten heads of elderflower in full bloom

Check them thoroughly for bugs and spiders

Place in a large bowl and pour over a pint and a half of boiling water

Add a pound and a half of caster sugar and four lemons with skin and rind cut away

Crush the lemons, stir till the sugar dissolves

Cover with a wet cloth and leave for 48 hours in a cool, dark spot

Sieve through muslin and decant into bottles

The cordial will keep for a few weeks or can be frozen