This post is number 48 in a series.
The country came to town yesterday as we set out, bucket in hand, dog on leash, to gather elderflowers. Italians watched, but said nothing. With The Squeeze despatched to procure citric acid, and sugar, water and lemons, the house was soon as redolent as a flowery bower. It’s odd. Elder wood smells like cat piss, and the flowers (or possibly just the peduncles) have a whiff of the unpleasant about them too. But the steeped flowers! There’s something indescribably floral (I said it was indescribable), fresh with a tang, that speaks of hot summer days and refreshing drinks. Tonight we bottle.
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This is from Nigella:
“You don’t need to have a vast estate with elderflowers springing lacily to flower from the avenue of trees lining the drive; just pick them roadside whenever you see them . . . These [puddings] are perfection . . . .Line teacups with clingfilm, pushing it well against the corners and over the rim so you’ve got a tuggable edge . . .
900 ml double cream
18 heads of elderflower
6 tablespoons of caster sugar
3 leaves of gelatine
Heat cream over low heat in saucepan with the elderflowers. When it comes bubbling to a simmering near-boil, turn off, remove from the heat and cover. Leave for up to a couple of hours, but not less than half an hour, to infuse. Then stir in sugar and bring back to boiling point. Taste to see if more sugar is needed and then sieve into a jug. While the last of the headily aromatic cream is dripping off the elderflowers, soak the leaves of gelatine in cold water. In 5 minutes or so, when the gelatine is softened, squeze the leaves out and then beat beat into the warm cream in the jug. Make sure they are dissolved and dispersed and pour into the cligfilm-lined molds. Cool and then put in the fridge overnight.
With these serve a contrastingly lumpy bowl of gooseberries: the Victorians knew well, and invoked often, the muscatty aptness of the combination of elderflower and gooseberry; about many things they were wrong; about this they were right.”
Maybe next week. Thanks so much.