Berry good ideas

GATHERING elderflowers and brewing up refreshing cordials is all the rage, but what about the flowery umbels that remain on the tree and magically turn into deep autumnal juicy red-black berries?

The elder tree is one of the must generous of all our natives and even though it looks rather unkempt from late October until May, it never fails to delight us with its summer fragrant blooms and its tart, distinctive elderberries in autumn. Great bunches of elderberries can now be found hanging off the hedgerows and adorning country lanes, roadsides, graveyards, parks and gardens and are almost begging to be picked. Like other berries, elderberries (Sambucus nigra) are abundant this year, but one needs to get out and forage fast as peckish birds are equally abundant.

Elderberries are used to make wine, jam, jellies, chutney, sauces, syrups, cordial and to flavour vinegar and spirits. They can be added fresh to pies and puddings, but be warned their tart flavour may not appeal to everybody, even when masked with sugar.