This part of North Cornwall seems to have a remarkable shortage of elderflowers - or maybe everyone else has thought of this before us - but this at least makes for lots of sunny bike rides and walks searching the lovely lanes and paths near us. Oh, how spiffing famous five! In fact, you don't need to thwart too many baddies and jaunt off on ever so many jolly jaunts to do your thing - a bag full of heads (flowers, not Russians) will do it. And remember, children, to leave lots of flowers for other fizz makers, and for the insects and tree itself!
As I'm somehow in Enid / Delia mode, thought I'd lecture a little more. You probably know how to suck eggs etc, in which case please ignore all below.
I can't remember exactly what we did, chucking lots of stuff together, but here's the River Cottage recipe which sounds about right Hugh.. This makes 6 litres = about 7 bottles*
Mix it all in a fat pan or mixing bowl, cover with tea towel and leave for a few days. Then strain through muslin cloth into old wine bottles, *leaving a few inches at the gap to allow gases to fill, thus hopefully avoiding nasty explosions (best to store somewhere nice and remote just in case...) We mainly used screw top bottles, but tried a couple of posh Grolsch type flip top jobs as well. I wouldn't recommend the latter - when you open them you feel like Jenson Button or some other brilliantly named driver, but unfortunately lose most of it as it erupts out. Screw tops can control release..
Leave in bottles for at least a week, and drink with barbecue etc. Lubly jubly. If you tuck in after a week, wonderfully fragrant and sweet but hardly alcoholic; leave a few weeks longer and dryer but more pokey - the choice is yours.. Discovered it's also very good on fruit salad - if you happen to be feeling healthy, and in the sweet position of having no OJ but a cellar (thought we'd store it in the hole under the cabin) of this stuff.
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