The English Summer is said to start when the Elder blossoms and ends when the berries ripen.
Tasty Elderflower, Medicinal Too!
Elderflower is a fantastic herb that forms part of our hay fever season tea. It is also enjoyed not only for its medicinal action but also for its fabulous taste. We combine it with Lemon Verbena and Lime Blossom for a relaxing Summer drink. It also makes a delicious tea all on its own!
Anti-catarrhal
Its main action it is used for at this time of the year is its anti-catarrhal action, making it useful in remedies for hay fever. But it is also useful for nasal catarrh, rhinitis and sinusitis all year round.
Cleansing, Cooling Elderflowers
Elderflowers are a relaxing diaphoretic – this means they increase perspiration as a way of internal cleansing. The skin is an organ of elimination and toxic wastes are eliminated via the pores of the skin. Diaphoretics are widely used in feverish conditions to reduce a high temperature. They work gently to do this and are therefore useful at the start of a common cold, night sweats, ‘the flu’ or the early stages of fevers. Being anti-inflammatory Elderflowers are useful for tonsillitis, and inflammations.
Delicious Elderflower Recipe
We have put together some Elderflower recipes for you – remember to use Elderflowers that are away from busy roads (car fumes don’t taste very nice!) and make sure they haven’t been sprayed. You also need to be careful to wash them carefully as little bugs like to like inside Elderflower heads!
Elderflower Champagne
4L water
750g sugar
6 flowerheads
3 tbsps white wine vinegar
2 lemons
Dissolve sugar in a little water.
Place with other ingredients (squeeze the lemons and add strips of lemon rind) in non metallic container.
Stir and cover leaving for 5 days.
Strain into screw top bottles.
Enjoy!
As with any herb you pick it is absolutely essential to ensure you have picked the RIGHT ONE! So make sure you have identified the correct plant before using it to make any champagne.
You can buy dried elderflower to make tea here.
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Hi Hayley and Jodie
Congrats Hayley hope the pregnancy goes really well for you.
Re your elderflower champagne. I used to make this years ago and found that you actually had to use Champagne bottles. Used to use screw top lemonade bottles until we had two explode which is very noisy messy and potentially dangerous. It sounded like a gun going off in the Conservatory.
Best wishes
Kathie