Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's Wild Food guide to Elder along with all the Elder containing recipes presented on this site, with 15 recipes in total.

This is a continuation of an entire series of pages that will, I hope, allow my visitors to better navigate this site. As well as displaying recipes by name, country and region of origin I am now planning a whole series of pages where recipes can be located by meal type and main ingredient. This page gives a listing of all the Cornish recipes added to this site.

These recipes, all contain Elder as a major wild food ingredient.

The elder, (also known as elderberry or European elder) represent the flowers and the fruit of the black (or common) elder Sambucus nigra, native to Europe and western Asia. These are small trees which are classed as part of the Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle) family, but which recent genetic evidence has shown to be part of the Adoxaceae (viburnum) family. This can grow to a tree reaching 15m tall, though more generally it grows as a large shrub (some 5–8m tall). Both the flowers and the berries are edible.

Elder flowers can either be used to create an infusion (elderflower cordial or wine) or they can actually be eaten themselves (elderflower fritters). It is best to pick the flowering heads when the flowers are open and full of pollen (it's the pollen that actually produces the flavour). If the flowers have begun to turn brown then they are past their best and have shed their pollen. These kinds of flowers should be discarded. The young flowers can be eaten raw and added to salads. Indeed, whilst out foraging raw elderflowers make a delicious snack.

The ripe fruit of the elder is also edible (although it is somewhat bitter, but a pinch of salt cures that problem) and its taste in the raw state displeases many. However, when cooked it is an excellent fruit that can be made into wines or even baked into pies. Some classic preserves and sauces (notably pontac sauce or pontac catsup) is also made from the fruit. You can also collect elderflower buds for pickling in vinegar and they make a decent substitute for capers.

An infusion of the dried flowers makes a sweet tisane.

References:

[1]. David Evans Notes from field observations, tastings and cookery experiments.
[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–8.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) – How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms
[12]. Bunker, F.; Brodie, J.A.; Maggs, C.A. & Bunker, A. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland.
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia — A Source Book of Edible Plants