Elderflowers are some of the first flowers you can harvest in the spring in Norway. The season is quite short, but typically you will find them in late May through June. They grow on trees and produce beautiful white flowers that have a gorgeous floral scent.

There are so many delicious ways to prepare and cook with elderflowers, which is why it is so popular in this part of the world. The taste soft and fresh, reminiscent of pear, lychee and some tropical fruits.

Elderflower is thought to have arrived in the Nordic countries already during the Viking Age. Findings of the flowers has been traced to Stone Age residences in southern Scandinavia. They were described in the Edda poems as Freya’s tree. It is assumed that the monks brought elderflowers to Norway in the Middle Ages.

Both red and black elderflowers exist. The black has the most aromatic flowers, has edible berries and flowers later in the spring. Red elderflowers, however, do not have edible berries, are less aromatic but grow wild, and flower early.

Both types can be used to make juice or cordials (“saft” in Norwegian), but black elderflowers produce a superior taste. Just don’t plant the red kind in your garden because it spreads like wildfire!

Today, elderflower is found everywhere in western Norway, often near old gardens and fields. The most common way to use or cook with elderflowers in Norway is to make ‘saft’, or a cordial that is a concentrated juice sweetened with sugar and some added citrus.

Elderflowers aren’t the most common item to come by at farmer’s markets in the U.S., but I recently befriended Jennifer, a lovely flower farmer who runs Six Dutchess Farms with her equally lovely husband Hans.

They have a gorgeous estate located not too far from me and since Jennifer’s mother is Danish, what she has chosen to grow on the farm is very much influenced by her Scandinavian heritage. She grows apples, pears, redcurrants, blackcurrants, strawberries, blueberries, mushrooms, and rhubarb, and lucky for me she also has tons of elderflower trees!

When I visited earlier this week, just one tree had flowered, and Jennifer graciously snipped off all the flowers for me to take home. (I also went home with some gorgeous flowers, lots of herbs from her herb garden, snap peas, snow peas, and some beautiful rhubarb).

Of course, when back home, I had to instantly cook up a sugar solution with citrus and soaked the elderflowers to make a cordial.

What’s important when using elderflowers, is to make sure they are ripe as the green parts of the plant and the core of the berries contain poisonous alkaloids. They contain much less of these substances when mature and are destroyed when boiled or dried.

Harvest elderflowers when the weather is dry, right after they’ve bloomed. Airdry them in a shaded place. When dry, remove the stalks and keep the flowers in an airtight, dark container.

The elderflower cordial can be used for both mocktails and cocktails with the spirit of your choice. In the mocktail, add some club soda or sparkling water for a refreshing spritz you can enjoy all summer (and year!) long with a distinct flavor that is really mouthwateringly delicious!

For the gin cocktail I’m sharing today, I like to add a touch of sparkling wine or Prosecco or a splash of club soda. You could also play around with adding a touch of the elderflower cordial to your gin and tonic, for a different (and elevated) experience of this classic.

I recently started working with an artisan gin producer from my hometown of Sykkylven in Norway, Brennevinsgrova, and naturally, I wanted to experiment with their products.

Brennevinsgrova produces beautiful gins and aquavits with the purest water from the nearby glaciers and rivers in the coastal region of northwestern Norway. They harvest wild blueberries from the mountains and use local strawberries, with which they infuse their spirits, among other exciting herbs and fruits.

I’ll most certainly share more about Brennevinsgrova later, as well as Six Dutchess Farms, where I plan to hold some cooking classes and workshops in the months ahead.

If you can find elderflowers near you, I hope you will try my recipe for this cordial out. It’s a great alternative to traditional lemonade, easy to make and tastes so much better than anything you can buy!

Hylleblomstsaft (Elderflower Cordial)

About 20 elderflowers, leaves removed
2 quarts (2 liters) water
2.2 lbs (1 kilo or 5 cups) sugar
1 lemon, sliced thinly
1 lime, sliced thinly
60 grams (2 oz) citric acid*

*citric acid is a natural preserve found in citrus fruit. It is added to preserve the cordial and lifts up the flavor because of its bright citrus flavor. It’s not necessary to add it but it keeps the cordial for much longer. Make sure to buy food-grade citric acid – it can be found in most grocery stores.

Directions:

Bring water and sugar to a boil in a large pot, and stir to dissolve sugar. Add the sliced lemon, lime, and citric acid, then finally the elderflowers.

Stir to combine and leave to cool in the refrigerator for about 24 hours.

Strain the liquid into a sterilized jar or glass bottle and store it in the refrigerator. Keeps for several month is you include citric acid, without about 6 weeks.

Elderflower Gin Mocktail

2 oz (6 cl) Elderflower cordial
1 oz (2 cl) fresh lemon or lime juice
club soda
Mint sprig, garnish
Cucumber ribbons, garnish
Lime or lemon wheel, garnish

Combine elderflower cordial and citrus juice of choice in a glass, fill with ice and stir with a bar spoon. Top off with club soda and garnish, cucumber ribbons and lime or lemon wheel and a mint sprig.

Elderflower Gin Cocktail

2 oz (6 cl) gin (London Dry or botanical)
1 oz (2 cl) Elderflower cordial
1 oz (2 cl) fresh lemon juice
1 oz (2 cl) or a splash of club soda (or sparkling wine such as Prosecco)
Lemon wheel, garnish
Fresh mint sprig, garnish

Combine gin, elderflower cordial, and lemon juice in the base of a shaker, fill with ice and shake for about 15 seconds. Strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice, and top with club soda or sparkling wine. Garnish with a slice of lemon and a mint sprig.

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