I love elder trees – in autumn they produce gorgeous berries renowned for their healing properties, and in the summer they produce delicate white flowers with a rich aroma. These can be used to make elderflower cordial and elderflower wine, but at Wild Things, I love making elderflower fritters. They are pretty quick and easy to make, which helps keep a toddler and pre-schooler engaged!
How to spot elder
First of all, let’s think about how we can identify the elder tree:
Elder is a small tree or shrub.
It has compound leaves (more than one leaf coming from the bud).
It has 3-7 individual leaves (known as leaflets).
The leaves are arranged opposite each other.
Blooms of fragrant white flowers (from approximately May to August), in late summer/early autumn, the flowers develop into dark berries.
Once you notice one elder bush, you will soon see lots. They commonly grow wild in hedgerows, along roadsides, and in woodlands.
Foraging tips
Always use a photo and description to identify the plant.
Only take what you need – less is more!
Try and forage from more than one bush so you aren’t stripping it.
Forage for elderflowers first thing on a sunny morning.
Use on the same day.
Elderflower Fritters
I love making elderberry fritters with the families - it's a super quick and easy snack to make, a great way to engage children in nature & tastes amazing.
Ingredients
20 elderflowers freshly picked
100 g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp icing sugar
200 ml sparkling water
oil enough to fill your pan 3cm deep
Instructions
Mix the flour and baking powder together. Then add the sparkling water and mix to a runny but slightly thick batter. If too thick, add more sparkling water.
Strip the leaves off the stem and wash the elderflower heads in water to remove any bugs.
Fill a deep-sided pan with 3cm of oil and heat. When the oil is hot enough, the batter will fizz and start to brown quickly.
Dip the heads into the batter, let it drip for a moment, and then carefully put them in the hot oil.
The fritters are ready when they are light golden brown all over. It only takes a minute. Take them out and drain on kitchen paper.
Cook the remaining fritters.
Serve your elderflower fritters with a dusting of icing sugar. Tuck in immediately.
Top tip
Don't eat the green stalks; just use them as little handles to hold your fritters!
Crafting with Elder
Another reason why I love elder trees is that you can use them for crafting. Inside the branches is a soft pith that can be poked out using a tent peg! There is often a satisfying pop as the pith flies out! Once the pith is out, you are left with a hollow tube. This can be crafted into beads, a puppet, or even a pea shooter!
I hope I’ve inspired you to look for some elder next time you are out and about.
Please do share your finds via email or tag me on socials:
Instagram - @wildthingsforestsch
Facebook - @wildthingsforestsch
Tik Tok - @staywild365
If you love this idea then head over to the Stay Wild Facebook group where I will be sharing more activities:
If you are local to York, and love the idea of connecting with nature click below for more information.
Stay Wild,
Emma
Наскільки я радий, що є місце, де ми можемо поспілкуватися щодо новин, адже саме цього так іноді не вистачає, коли ти можеш висловити свою точку зору. Так само в цьому питанні потрібно мати якісний новинний портал, який буде тобі надавати якісну інформацію. Як добре, що у мене є такий новинний портал і він надає мені всі новини, зараз я більше приділяю уваги фінансовим новинам, наприклад: як зібрати інвестиційний портфель https://delo.ua/finance/yak-zibrati-investicijnij-portfel-v-ukrayini-433107/, що дає мені більше уявлення про те, що саме відбувається безпосередньо у сфері інвестицій і фінансів. Таким чином, завдяки такому якісному новинному порталу, я завжди знаходжуся в курсі подій і можу більш об'єктивно оцінювати події та новини.