Elderflower Champagne

Elderflower champagne is a seasonal drink. It has a unique flavour, reminiscent of lychees. The drink is fizzy and only slighlty alcoholic. It's very cheap and easy to make, and a very pleasant drink on a warm spring afternoon.

The best time to collect Elderflowers is on the afternoon of a dry, and preferably hot, day. Collect above cocked leg height and away from heavy traffic. Pick heads in full flower and try not to completely denude a whole area, so that there will be plenty of Elderberries.

Makes 1 gallon.

Put blooms in a bowl with the lemon juice. Cut up the rind (without the pith) and add that. Dissolve the sugar (white is better, because brown sugar makes the drink cloudy) in a gallon of water, add the vinegar and add that to the rest of the ingredients. Leave this to incubate for 24 hr and then strain the liquor into screw-top bottles. Leave the brew for at least 2 weeks, but drink within 3 weeks.

Variant technique:
Use 4-5 heads of Elderflowers and leave for 3-4 days. Said to prevent excessive gas build-up in the bottle. Can be drunk before 2 weeks is up, but is not as clear as when left for the full time.