Eating Elderflowers: Effect and Preparation

Black elderflowers are ready for harvest in early summer and can be eaten and drunk in different ways. However, since some parts of the plant are slightly poisonous, you should know how to properly prepare elderflower.

So you can eat and drink elderflower

While elderberries are only ready for harvest in midsummer, elderflowers can be found from the beginning of May to the end of June.

• Except for the flowers, no other parts of the elder plant should be eaten raw.
• This is because the raw stem, leaves, unripe fruit, and even the seeds of the ripe berry contain small amounts of toxic glycosides.
• If you want to take advantage of the healing properties of elderflower, you should consume the plant primarily in the form of tea. For this, you need about two teaspoons of elderflower and pour them with 150 ml of hot water. After that, let the tea steep for ten minutes before enjoying it.
• Above all, elderflower tea can relieve the symptoms of an onset of a cold. The essential oils, it has an expectorant effect on coughs, for example.
• It is also said to stimulate kidney activity, which is good for cystitis.

You can also prepare elderflowers in this way

In addition to the healing effect, elderflowers are also characterized by their intense, sweet taste, which makes the plant a popular and summery ingredient in the kitchen.

• Baked elderflowers, for example, are a classic finger food in Bavaria. To do this, melt butter and stir 200 g flour with a pinch of salt and 250 ml mineral water to form a smooth dough. Separate two eggs and add the yolks and melted butter to the batter. Beat the egg white with a tablespoon of sugar and a packet of vanilla sugar until stiff and fold into the batter.
• Then prepare hot fat in a saucepan or fryer, grab the elderflowers by the stem, dip them first in the batter and then in the hot fat for frying.
• Let the finger food cool down before serving to avoid burning your fingers.
• You can also use the raw elderflowers as a summery decoration for your salads, giving them an additional sweet note.
• In addition to tea, a delicious lemonade can also be made from the elderflower. For a good portion, you need 5 liters of water, 15 umbels of elderflower, 500 g of sugar, and half a cup of vinegar and lemon. Mix all the ingredients in a large saucepan and leave to stand for 24 hours. Then fill the lemonade into bottles and store them chilled in the fridge. From then on, the drink will keep for about a week.