3 new ideas for Elderflower!
I’m writing this on a wet and windy May morning, so my plans to go Elderflower picking are scuppered: the weather conditions and time of day make a huge difference to the flavour and the vitality of their medicinal properties. I’ll have to be patient - I would only collect Elder flower on a warm, sunny day when the flowers are producing nectar and are open to the sunshine, and I pick it in the morning because over the years I’ve noticed that the scent changes from light and floral in the morning to a sort of unfortunate cat pee like pungency in the afternoon!
I’m just sharing this to, you know, avoid disappointment…
Select the young, just opened flower heads, and shake gently to let any insects escape. When you’ve got a basketful of Elder’s heady scented flower clusters, there’s a wonderful array of recipes and remedies at your fingertips. I’ll skip over the Champagne and the Cordial, there are loads of well developed and documented recipes out there. In the spirit of natural / herbal wellbeing and lifestyle I thought I’d share 3 slightly more off-centre ideas for things you can make to celebrate Elderflower!
But first, here’s a reference image of what you’re looking for. Notice the relatively large, thin, glossy leaflets which have an unpleasant smell when they’re touched or bruised. This is a good way to tell it apart from Rowan which is the other native tree flowering at a similar time. Rowan leaves are tougher, thinner, and have no smell.
The scent of the leaves can be put to good use though, try making the insect repellent infused oil, which I’ve also blended into a handy herbal remedy available in the shop.
The flowers are in large blousy clusters, and they smell distinctively of - Elderflower!
If you’re still not sure on your identification, you could try snapping a twig. Elder twigs have a soft and fibrous centre, nearly hollow, whereas Rowan is woody.
1 - ELDERFLOWER MAGNESIUM DEODORANT
I always say if a recipe has oil in it, don’t just use it as it comes - it’s your opportunity to infuse it with herbal goodness! Same goes for vinegar, salt, anything alcoholic… even water, hot or cold, all are opportunities to add a little plant-based zest.
So when I made up a batch of natural deodorant recently, I realised I was missing a trick. The recipe uses coconut oil, and I thought I would infuse it with some summer sunshine!
This recipe contains magnesium hydroxide, which is a mineral which neutralises body odour by killing bacteria without damaging the skin tissue. Since it’s also a food preservative, it works well in the recipe. I used to use a recipe with Bicarbonate of Soda, but found my skin was having a reaction to it so this recipe is gentler and still very effective. Please note that this isn’t an antipersperant - sweating is a very important part of the body's detoxification process so it’s not something I look to inhibit.
This is also a wonderful opportunity for seasonal herbalism: you can switch out the Elderflower for Lavender in the summer; maybe you could try Eucalyptus for the winter?
1.5 tablespoons infused Elderflower coconut oil
1 big tablespoon mango or shea butter
1.5 tablespoons beeswax
1.5 tablespoons magnesium hydroxide powder
2.5 teaspoons arrowroot powder
12 drops of your favorite essential oils
To make the infused Elderflower coconut oil, place the coconut oil and dried Elder flowers in a glass bowl and melt the oil in a double boiler / bain marie. Leave it to simmer for around an hour to allow the scent to infuse the oil. Strain out the Elder flowers and compost, saving the infused oil and returning it to the glass bowl. Another option is to infuse the oil in a bowl within a slow cooker.
Combine the infused coconut oil, shea butter and beeswax in the glass bowl, and melt together again in the bain marie. Heat very gently while stirring continuously.
Remove from heat and add the remaining ingredients, stirring to combine well. While still soft, transfer to your favorite tins / jars. The deodorant will keep for 1 year, store in airtight containers to retain the aroma. To use, just rub a fingertip-ful on your underarms!
2 - ELDERFLOWER FRITTERS
I make these every year for my children, it’s become a tradition - we have 3 hens so pancakes and crepes are a bit of a feature in our house; this a variation celebrates the seasons with a tasty little treat! We tend to use the stem as a little handle, it’s the flowers that are delicious to eat.
Make a batch of thin crepe batter (your way - but for what it’s worth, I use Buckwheat flour and oat milk). Trim off as much of the stem as possible leaving you with just the smallest part to hold and dip the flower heads all the way in the batter. Place immediately onto hot pan with an oil ( I used sunflower oil) and let it fry intil golden and crisp.
Remove the flower heads from oil, put it on paper towel to remove excess oil. Enjoy alongside ice cream or pancakes, maybe drizzling with a little honey if you’re feeling decadent…
3 - ELDERFLOWER TINCTURE
Elder flowers are a wonderful immune support in the winter months, and this medicine can be preserved in two ways:
By drying the flowers and using in teas (remember my favourit YEP tea? Yarrow, Elderflower and Peppermint), or
Capture the medicine as a tincture.
Elderflower is packed with antioxidants and vitamins that can boost the immune system. They help me with inflammation when I get symptoms of sinus infection. What’s more, Elderflower is said to lessen stress and help protect the spirit of the heart. I personally derive this healing from Hawthorn, as I work from my heart space daily and she’s a close ally… but you might align more with Elderflower.
That’s the beauty and diversity of herbalism: see what you align with, what you tolerate, how you interact with the energies of different herbs.
Elderflower tincture is so simple to make. Steep fresh abundant elderflowers for a month in vodka (or another clear alcohol) in a glass bottle. Shake the mixture daily, until the alcohol is fully infused. Drain, bottle and label.
To use, take a few drops on the tongue or in a glass of water/ tea daily. It absorbs quickly and the alcohol is a preservative so this tincture keeps for years, although I like to make a fresh batch each year.
Are you inspired to head out the next sunny morning to gather some Elderflower? Make a batch of cordial, maybe a bottle of champagne, but remember herbal / natural wellbeing and lifestyle can go deeper, and really infuse so many aspects of your daily life!
