Scotland may be in lockdown but nature is flourishing, and now is time for feasts of flowers including elderflower – sweet, delicious and beautiful; easy to spot and fun to make into perfect fritters.
Cut flower clusters, leaving a short stalk and spread out on a tray lined with a paper towel. Set aside whilst making the batter – this allows any wee beasties to escape!
Shake the towel in the garden where they can find a new home.
Make batter with 1 egg, 100g flour, 1tsp baking powder and whisk together with sufficient birchwater from Birken Tree to make a smooth quite runny batter – you should be able to shake excess batter off the flowers.
Carefully heat Summer Harvest oil in a frying pan – about 1 cm deep. The temperature is correct when you add a drop of batter and it rises, sizzling.
When ready, hold each flower head by the stalk and dip in the batter, shaking off excess. Shallow fry sprays of flowers for a couple of minutes or so until flowers are golden brown and batter is all set.
Drain on kitchen paper. When serving, leave the stalks as handles, drizzle with a little blossom honey and eat immediately, leaving the stalks behind. Mmm…that’s flower power!
Songs to cook to
San Francisco, Scott McKenzie
Wendy Barrie was the Scottish Thistle Award Regional Ambassador (2018/19) for Central, Tayside & Fife and is the Founder & Director of award-winning www.scottishfoodguide.scot & www.scottishcheesetrail.com Leader in Scotland for Slow Food Ark of Taste & Member of Slow Food Cooks Alliance.
Recipes & Photos © Wendy Barrie
