Elderflower syrup is well-known, but the flower nectar and pollen can also refine dishes. So that one does not confuse the good black with the poisonous dwarf elderberry, there is a trick. But you do not need any tricks to play casino Kenya.
If a scent of nutmeg wine and honey wafts through the air, it is definitely due to the blossoms of the elderberry, also called elder bush. It is relatively well-known that people like to make syrup from them. But the blossoms of this woody plant, which grows particularly readily at the edge of the forest, can also be used to flavor foods such as vinegar and whipped cream.
DO NOT WASH THE BLOSSOMS
“We live in a time when people think they have to wash everything. But that doesn’t apply to wildflowers,” emphasizes Bianca Zogg-Brodbeck, wild plant expert from Grävenwiesbach in the Taunus region. The reason: when washing, the water also washes away the flavor-giving pollen along with the nectar. “Then you can also let it stay,” finds the 62-year-old.
The kitchen paper trick lets small animals evaporate. But: Of course, little animals can be found in the flower panicles of the elder. Therefore it is recommended to shake the panicles after collecting them, preferably over a white cloth or white kitchen paper, as this makes it easier to identify the little animals. In addition, you can cover the panicles with a white cloth or kitchen paper, then the animals usually escape on their own, because they know what is coming.
Once the elderberry panicles have been cleaned, the next step is to detach the flowers from the stems. The green parts, and thus the large and small stems of the elderberry, as well as elderberries, are considered slightly poisonous when raw because they contain glycosides such as sambunigrin – but the flowers are not. You don’t have to pluck every single flower from its mini-stalk now, though. It is enough to remove the thicker stems.
When cooking elderberry components, the glycosides disintegrate anyway, the wildflower expert reassures. Therefore it applies to the utilization of elderberries in principle that one may consume these only sufficiently cooked. According to the Kosmos nature guide “What blooms then there?” elderberry works as an old medicinal plant sudorific. In addition, the blue pigments (anthocyanins) contained in the berries have an antioxidant effect and thus provide protection against free radicals.
Elderflower cream for rhubarb crumble: Once the flowers have been prepared, they can be used to make elderflower vinegar, for example. Apple cider vinegar and white balsamic vinegar are suitable for this. The vinegar must then pull together with elderflowers for four to six weeks and be sieved afterward.
Also easy to implement: add 5 to 8 elderflower panicles to 0.5 liters of liquid (vegan) whipped cream and then warm it slightly. The heat causes the aroma from the nectar and pollen to dissolve more easily. Cool the cream-flower mixture again and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, filter the cream and whip it while it’s still cool – it goes wonderfully with a rhubarb crumble.
Elderflowers also add a special touch to apple pie: simply bake the blossoms with them.
THE PERFECT SUGAR-FREE DRINK
You can dry elderflowers to make a cold extract. Simply let the plucked blossoms dry for several days. Then add two to three tablespoons of it to a pitcher of water and place it in the refrigerator overnight. If you like, add a slice or two of lemon. Ready is the summer drink with fine.
Black elderberry is delicate, and dwarf elderberry is poisonous. For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that all preparation tips refer exclusively to black elderberry (Sambucus nigra). There are two other elderberry species growing in this country: the red! Elder (Sambucus racemosa) and dwarf elder (Sambucus ebulus), also called Attich.
In the case of the red elderberry, berries, and flowers can be used. In addition, the seeds in the berries of the red elderberry are still poisonous even after cooking, which means that they must be carefully sorted out when the juice is pressed. The red elderberry, also called grape elderberry, can be easily recognized by its upright panicle. Its shape is reminiscent of an upright grape.
STEM NOT WOODY?
On the other hand, all parts of the dwarf elderberry are poisonous. It has upright panicles compared to the other two species and looks more like a bush compared to black elderberry. A dwarf elderberry is never woody, so if you think you’re looking at an edible black elderberry, but don’t see a woody stem anywhere, hands off.
A good way to learn more about edible plants is through field trips and identification books. Identification apps, on the other hand, should still be used with caution, because they are not 100 percent accurate. Anyone who is unsure should in any case keep their hands off flowers and fruits. That’s very important and I felt the same way myself in the beginning.
