Capturing the essence of Elderflowers

The heady fragrance of elderflower in the herb garden prompted me to start looking for more recipes in which I could use them. The tree is so generously in bloom this summer. I have looked forward to using more of the flowers in recipes.

Finding a recipe for elderflower liqueur was just up my alley. Discovering that it is a sought after ingredient for cocktails made me decide to make my own Towerwater elderflower liqueur.

The most popular elderflower liqueur is reportedly St Germain. According to their website, this liqueur is still produced in a traditional manner. The flowers for making the liqueur are gathered from the hillsides of the French Alps during a brief optimal period over spring. The freshly picked flowers are taken by bicycle to a collection depot where they are immediately macerated to preserve the fresh flavours of the blooms.

Luckily, the Towerwater elderflower tree is a mere few metres from the kitchen. I can ‘transport’ the flowers without fear of bruising them and I can macerate them even before they realise that they have been picked. This allows me to capture the true essence of the flowers with their creamy fragrance and subtle yet heady taste.

I will humbly claim that my small batch of elderflower liqueur (1 bottle), might just be more sought after, if only more people could experience it.

I am looking forward to those summer evenings initiated by cocktails which have been infused with the essence of Towerwater Elderflower liqueur.