Celebrate elderflower

Nothing reminds us more of an English country summer than the aroma of elderflowers. As well as making a refreshing cordial, the aromatic, herby flavour is perfect for puds.

To the nostalgic English, the pungent, heady smell of elderflowers are synonymous with the summers of childhood, but elderflowers are by no means purely British.

According to folklore elder trees gave protection from evil – a belief held by cultures across the globe. The ancient Pagans deemed it very unlucky to cut them down, unless a incantation was chanted to the potentially vengeful 'Elder Mother'.

The flowers can be used to make herbal tea – a good herbal remedy for colds and fever – and syrup or cordial (as used in the recipes featured here), which needs to be diluted with water, soda, or – even better – champagne.

In Hungary, elderberries are used to make brandy and cooked elderberries to make jam and as a filling for pies. A word of warning, however: don't eat the berries raw – they're poisonous.