Recipe by Nikola Volfova

Meadowsweet is (in our opinion), a much nicer flavour than the much loved elderflower. It has a beautiful flavour reminiscent of almonds and vanilla.

As its name suggests, Meadowsweet is a sweet-smelling flower of damp meadows, ditches and riverbanks. Its frothy clusters of cream coloured flowers blooming from June, are always a beautiful sight in the summer! This native member of the rose family has an incredibly rich history in both medicine and as a flavoring for alcoholic beverages. Its marzipan flavour is a HUGE hit in our house, with both the kids and us grown up kids too!

This syrup recipe is what we refer to as a 'mother syrup'. It can be enjoyed as a cordial with some ice on a hot summer's day. For us grown ups with a few naughty additions, it works particularly well in cocktails. As a base syrup, it can also make sorbets, meringues, marshmallows. The list of potential is endless.

Ingredients

• 200g Meadowsweet flowers

• 4L Water

• 2 Lemons sliced

• 1kg Organic Caster sugar

• 50g Clear spirit (optional, but will help with preservation, we used vodka)

Method

Step 1

Using scissors cut the flowers at the stem. It's best to leave them outside the house for a little while, ensuring any critters have found a new home.

Step 2

Add flowers, lemons & water to a large heavy based pan. And steep (cook on a very low temperature) for 4 hours. Turn off heat and leave overnight for the flavours to infuse. This can be left outside of the fridge.

Step 3

Strain through a muslin cloth or kitchen cloth and heat again with the caster sugar, until the sugar has dissolved.

Step 4

Leave to cool and store in an airtight bottle in the fridge. Enjoy for up to 6 weeks.