Elderflower syrup

Sambucus is a fast growing shrub or tree most seen in Europe. The elder Sambucus nigra is most common. But is this really such a ordinary Elder ? Black berry and white flower heads are used for making wine , gin, jam, jelly, syrup and dye .

Pick about 20 Elderflowers and cut off the steal, they can be bitter.
Shake all the elderflower to ensure that the insects and small leaves fall out.
Don’t wash the elderflower, because you lose a lot of flavor!
Put the elderflower in a pan and fill the pan with 2 liters of cold fresh water.
Make sure the elderflowers are under water.
You can impose something heavy, for example, a plate to hold the flowers under water.
Also, don’t use too much water, just enough to put everything in.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap or simply put on the lid.
Leave the elderflower in a cool place for one day.
Pour the elderflower water through the sieve.
Throw the water away.
You can pour the juice again trough a tea cloth.
Pour the water into a pan and bring and boil it.
Just before the water boils, put 800 gram sugar and the juice of 4 lemons.
Let the sugar melt and don’t boil to long because you lose some flavour.
Pour the hot syrup in a clean sterile glass bottles.

The shrub are found in hedges and near water. They can get three to seven meters high. The flowers grow from May to July. If the flowers are too high use a stick to bring them closer to you. The trick is to pick the right blossom . Some screens have flowers with brown edges and faded flowers. This just let it hang . The screens unopened bud balls have to be picked. These are the fresh flowers. If the pollen gushes out from there then its the right flower.