the.com/elderflower
the dainty white blossom that secretly runs Europe's entire fancy-drink underworld
means The small, frothy clusters of creamy-white flowers from the elder tree, used to flavor cordials, liqueurs, and syrups with a delicate floral sweetness.
from A plain compound of "elder" plus "flower." The tree-name "elder" comes from Old English "ellærn" or "ellen," of uncertain deeper roots — it has nothing to do with being old or with "elder" meaning a senior person, despite the tempting overlap. The two words simply drifted toward the same spelling over centuries. So an elderflower is, disappointingly, no wiser than any other blossom.
- raw danger
- Uncooked, the plant contains cyanide-producing compounds
- cordial empire
- One bottle flavors gin, champagne, and pretension alike
- folklore guard
- Elder trees were thought to house protective spirits
- bloom window
- Flowers only a few fragrant weeks in early summer
- fly repellent
- Crushed leaves were hung to drive off insects
st-germain liqueur — french aperitif made from elderflowers in saint-germain-des-prés, paris since 1880s
sambuca — italian anise liqueur traditionally infused with elderflower and other herbs