Every year around this time I consider planting an Elder in the garden. It flowers now and the intoxicating smell is heaven scent!
I make elderflower cordial and stash some away to be used for the even more delicious Elderflower Posset. The sweet, lemony exotic smell is quite unlike any other British wild flower I have experienced.
Try not to use many of the stalk and leaf parts in the cooking. The green parts are mildly toxic but once cooked the toxicity departs. So I always boil it a little (although some say it spoils the delicate flavour). First, of course, give the flowers a quick shower under the tap. I leave the florets to stew in a sweet concoction of honey and lemon over night. The next morning I put them to strain through a normal sieve and press down to squeeze the essence out and repeat throughout the day.
You can leave it in the fridge for cordial or use it in the Posset recipe right away.
To make three small possets put a 284 ml carton of double cream in a saucepan with 125 grams of granulated sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and keep stirring for about 5 minutes.
Add the sieved elderflower cordial which already has some lemon in it. Continue the boiling and stirring for a further 5 minutes then let cool before popping in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

By Jo Green
Jo Green is a former allotmenteer, forager, amateur herbalist, pickler and jam maker who squeezed her allotment greenery into her tiny garden