A summer to remember 2009 will be for me if only because elderflower and meadow sweet are out in bloom together.
Picking Meadow sweet tips
I should mention this as i went out this morning (2 July 2009) wearing only shorts, crocks and T-shirt. What a mistake. I recomend slacks, or jeans and long sleeves.
Habitat
Very distinguishable as picture shows, growing predominantly along side rhines, streams, canals, rivers and some lakes. Often when growing by rhines and small steep river banks, they will grow on the sownward slope toward the water. This makes pickng a little cumbersome, stretching through lots of high nettle. Be prepared.
Meadow Sweet Cordial
I was going to save this recipe for my new book out next year the wild food of Somerset however, the sun has gone to my head and feeling generous.
I have saved everyone a lot of time here by creating a recipe that can be made by weighing rather than counting.
Recipe
500g open meadow sweet flowers
3 kg raw cane sugar
50g citric acid
10 litres water
6 sliced lemons
Method
Bring water to the simmer with sugar.
In a plastic storage container/bucket add all other ingredients.
Pour on boiling water and leave for two-three days in a cool place and away from sunlight.
Strain and add one cambden tablet to each gallon of liquid.
Bottle and store.
Hello. I have been researching my wine making books for a recipe for Meadowsweet cordial and found this one of yours on the computer instead,very interesting, I will give it a try myself asap. Question… How, in your opinion does this cordial compare with elderflower.A friend made some using a recipe N years old but it went wrong, I suspect the wild nasties were not killed off with campden tablets but something else was used.
thanks a lot D Newing
Hello there David,
Well to be honest the cordial is still in fridge, to be used tomorrow at bristol Tobacco factory market. I am intending on mixing it with elderflower cordial to make a squash.
The taste i find to be somewhat unusual. The recipe definitely needs twice the amount of sugar if you are going to give it a go.
Let me know what you decide to do