For people who don't have access to elderflowers we can certainly try sending you some - email me if you want a package.
Elderflower Champagne
For this recipe you will need 7 large
Elderflower heads –about the size of a lunch plate or saucer, a clean plastic
bucket and some bottles. Start with recycled small sized fizzy drink bottles
and lids. (750ml or less)
Dissolve 500g sugar in 2 litres of hot
water in your clean plastic bucket.
Add 2 and a half litres of cold water.
Add 2 tablespoons of white or cider vinegar
plus the juice of 2 lemons.
Add flowers
Leave in a covered container for 24 hours.
The timing is important – try to be exact.
After the 24 hours is up, strain and
bottle.
Put into plastic or glass drink bottles
that you have saved. 750mls or less
preferable.
Leave in a cool dark place for 6 weeks.
Chill before serving. Enjoy.
Rhubarb Champagne
In a bucket dissolve 1 kg of sugar in 2
litres boiling water.
Add 1 kg finely chopped rhubarb, 2 roughly
chopped lemons (peels, pips and all)
Add 175 mls apple cider vinegar.
Top up with 4 litres cold water.
Cover bucket with a clean tea towel or lid
and stand for 3 days stirring from time to time.
Strain through muslin cloth.
You can add colour if you want but I found the soft pink colour rather nice. Beetroot would be the most natural colour to add.
Pour into clean plastic bottles and seal. Chill before opening.
2 comments:
I just finished making this and a here's a few notes. When I strained this just with a sieve my husband noticed a lot of little black dots. They were little tiny bugs. So we strained again through a jelly cloth (muslin or cheesecloth.) So when the recipe says shake for bugs, it means it! These ones were so little I don't think they would have shaken out.
He is also a bit worried about putting them in glass bottles such as old Barkers juice bottles. He has more experience in home brewing than me! I did safely do it last year but in the meantime will store in shed outside. Using recycled plastic bottles is safer but not so glamorous when you bring it out at Christmas time!
I made the rhubarb one - seems like a lot of cider vinegar but worked well. Beautiful colour.
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