Cordial greetings

Today I made some elderberry cordial to Carrie's recipe. I would put a link but don't seem to be ablt to in Blogpress. I started by picking a pint of elderberries. Rather than using a fork, I just rubbed them off with my hands. There are still plenty left for the birds!


I then spread them out in the washing up bowl to check for spiders etc as a couple had a lucky escape while I was picking. I added half a pint of water and simmered them (the berries, not the spiders) for a bit over the twenty minutes recommendeed by Carrie. At this stage they smelt pretty foul.


Straining them might have been easier if I had had a sieve, but such a small quantity didn't take all that long using a tea strainer! I measured how much juice I got and it was 400ml. Easy, just add 200g of sugar. But of course I don't have any scales, just my handy, and resolutely imperial Tala measure. Never mind, half a pound is near enough and errs on the side of generosity. Chuck in a cinnamon stick, stir until the sugar's dissloved (I used demerara as the Misterton Co-op doesn't offer anthing as exotic as muscovado; ditto cloves which should also have been added at this stage) and then throw in a sliced lemon. I simmered it for another twenty minutes and then decanted it into my carefully cleaned and preheated wine bottle. I can impart the helpful information that starting with a pint of berries ends up, neatly, with a pint of cordial.


Later on I tried some with hot water, and it was quite nice; interesting and not unpleasant, although with a hint of bitterness. Cloves would definitely have improved it. I also though it might be quite nice undiluted with gin or brandy in....


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