Blossom cordial

We have been enjoying a good spell of summer days this last few weeks and have been enjoying sitting in the garden sipping our home made elderflower cordial which we make this time every year.

However this week I noticed our lime tree was in flower and as we studied it in our nature time last year had found that these flowers can be used to flavour drinks too. By the time we discovered this we were too late last year to collect any flowers, so I was determined I wouldn't miss it this year.

Some of the branches needed pruning to lift the canopy a little, so Paul chopped and then Amy and I picked all the flowers off with their bracts.

I used half the flowers to make cordial today with a very simple recipe:

500g sugar

500mls water

couple of handfuls of blossom

Dissolve the sugar in the water and then throw in the blossoms. Simmer for 5 mins, then cool and strain.

That's it!

We enjoyed our first taste with tea today - its very sweet with a sort of honey flavour - delicious with water or lemonade.

The rest of the blossoms are drying to be kept for making linden tea as mentioned here.

I shall look forward to trying them in a week or two.

Can't believe I've lived in this house for 15 years and only just discovered I have these edible flowers in my back garden!