The sweetness of the Elderflower
The common elder tree (Sambucus nigra L.) is widespread throughout all of Central Europe, and particularly thrives in damp environments like woods and riverbanks. Its herbal-medicinal properties have been known since ancient times, and its various parts — from the berries to the bark — contain many active ingredients. But it’s the flower we’re interested in: that cream-coloured, lacy bloom that provides an elegant contrast to the green of the leaves in the early days of summer. The flower is harvested and left to infuse to produce a delicious syrup, which is used as an alternative to sugar in mouth-watering desserts, as the basis for delicious aperitifs and, above all, to prepare thirst-quenching beverages — simply by diluting it in water and adding a few mint leaves, for example.
Here, you can find a recipe for making the syrup from fresh flowers, as well as other guides to using it in preparing exquisite desserts. You can even buy the syrup ready-made if you prefer, perhaps by ordering it from one of Trentino’s artisanal food shops.
