Elderflower Champagne

I know I am a few weeks late with this - a recipe for elderflower champagne. Elderflowers are out in November and December, but if you make enough, it will be an excellent drink for Midsummer/Xmas parties and the summer. It's quite a sweet drink, but has the wonderful flavour of elderflowers in it.

Collect plastic bottles - about 3 or 4 - (it makes 4 litres) - those Waterford mineral water bottles are great and cheap.

Elderflower Champagne
2 tablespoons of white vinegar
4 Litres of water
2 lemons
650grams white sugar
4-5 heads of elderflowers

Combine and stir all ingredients in a large bowl (that fits 4 L) except for the lemons - Cut the lemons, squeeze them, then add the juice as well as the lemons to the bowl. Leave for 24 hours. Sieve the champagne into your bottles, and after a few days it will be fizzy enough to drink. No need to dilute with water.

Anyone got any other ways of making this or elderflower cordial???

Photo from 2006

Here is a picture of the Celtic Heritage Society and friends at the Mt Franklin Beltane 25th Anniversary.

Songs and Harmonies

Linda’s note brought back brought back many pleasant thoughts many lost in the fumes of red wine and cider. Early on it was a unspoken rule not to play recorded music during the weekend.

This unspoken rule lead to some of the greatest singing sessions I’ve ever been involved with. Anna was amazing when she would play “match Maddy”. A game in which you would start a Maddy prior song and she would sing the Maddy Prior harmonies. Fantastic! And these would then lead to match Steeleye Span. A series of traditional songs would follow. the twa magicians to the twa corbies, and if Bev L and her kin were in the circle the sound of warbling would be heard until past 3 or 4am. Wolf with his Scottish bent and guitar always balanced the Early English and Irish bent of the others. The call would be do you know this one or Fred can you sing this one. And of course the sound of the Appalachian dulcimer is some thing never to far away.

Gary T with his bongos was the go on a Sunday in the early days with Leon and his little dogs close by.

Leon was generous to a fault, offering his beer to all who share it with him. Leon would always say “a beer not shared was a beer wasted.” Leon was not your average pagan he was a congregation. He told me once “you’ve got your parish priestess and then there’s me, the congregation.” Leon was always first to grab a truck and trailer and with in half an hour would have a load of wood for the bon fire cut stacked and ready for use. In build Leon was small wiry man about 5ft 4in, a bush accent you could cut with a knife but he had the spirit of a giant and was a worth while mate.

Rain is not the best conduit for singing, so learn a traditional song and sing it at our 30^th year. 

P