flipHollerblütensirup — Elderflower Cordial
Hollerblütensirup — Elderflower Cordial
Why this dish? Elder (Holler) grows at every forest edge in Bavaria, and its syrup was long the family drink of Franconian summers. Emmy, a great walker who took her students to discuss mathematics in the countryside, encountered these white flowers on every stroll.
A golden, fragrant syrup made from elderflower umbels infused with lemon, diluted with fresh water for a floral, thirst-quenching drink.
I loved to walk! My best proofs I found on the path, my students struggling to keep up on the trails. In June, the elder is laden with white flowers at the roadside—you pick handfuls in the sun, let them infuse with lemon, and you get this straw-colored syrup. Pour a finger of it into a tall glass of fresh water: that's all you need to resume the road and the reasoning.
- •Elderflower umbels — a large armful (floral aroma)
- •Sugar — equal to water (preservation and sweetness)
- •Water — a large pot (base)
- •Lemon — a few (acidity and freshness)
Hollerblütensirup — Elderflower Cordial
A golden, fragrant syrup made from elderflower umbels infused with lemon, diluted with fresh water for a floral, thirst-quenching drink.
Why this dish? Elder (Holler) grows at every forest edge in Bavaria, and its syrup was long the family drink of Franconian summers. Emmy, a great walker who took her students to discuss mathematics in the countryside, encountered these white flowers on every stroll.
I loved to walk! My best proofs I found on the path, my students struggling to keep up on the trails. In June, the elder is laden with white flowers at the roadside—you pick handfuls in the sun, let them infuse with lemon, and you get this straw-colored syrup. Pour a finger of it into a tall glass of fresh water: that's all you need to resume the road and the reasoning.
Ingredients (period version)
- Elderflower umbels — a large armful (floral aroma)
- Sugar — equal to water (preservation and sweetness)
- Water — a large pot (base)
- Lemon — a few (acidity and freshness)
Ingredients
- Fresh elderflowers — 25 umbels (floral aroma)
- Sugar — 1 kg (preservation and sweetness)
- Water — 1 liter (base)
- Organic lemons — 2 (juice + slices) (acidity)
- Citric acid (optional) — 20 g (preservation)
Method
- Gently shake the umbels to remove insects (do not wash to keep the fragrant pollen).
- Bring the water and sugar to a boil, remove from heat.
- Add the flowers, lemon slices and juice (and citric acid) to the warm syrup.
- Cover and let infuse for 24 to 48 hours in a cool place.
- Strain through a cloth, briefly bring to a boil, then pour into sterilized bottles.
- Serve 1 part syrup to 6 to 8 parts still or sparkling water.
How it was made : Before industrial drinks, elder was the pharmacy and lemonade of Germanic countryside: flowers in syrup in summer, berries in jelly in autumn. Every family picked their Holler along the paths.
The contemporary twist : A few ice cubes, a mint leaf, and a lemon slice: Hollersaft becomes a summer mocktail that no one would believe is a century old.
Emmy Noether · Charactorium
