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A Spring Ritual Worth Returning To
This recipe feels years in the making because, in many ways, it is.
Every spring, Sidonie and I gather to pick elderflowers and make syrup together. It has quietly become one of those seasonal rituals I look forward to every year.
Today she came by again to pick another seasonal ingredient, though that recipe will have to wait for another day. As we worked, I realised how often I return to the same ingredients each season. Rhubarb. Courgettes. Elderflower.
Sometimes I feel silly building multiple recipes around one ingredient. Does it feel mundane? I still remember my sister joking about her boyfriend’s “lemon phase” years ago. At one point she wanted to tell him to ditch the lemons entirely.
But seasonal ingredients work that way. They return again and again, and learning how to transform them keeps cooking interesting. It is also how we truly learn a flavour.
Learning to Circle Back
I have noticed this especially with my family.
The kids and my husband will happily eat broccoli and cauliflower if I broil them. The ingredient stays the same, but the preparation changes everything.
That idea has taught me the value of circling back instead of always chasing something new. Sometimes all it takes is a different texture, temperature, or pairing to make an ingredient feel exciting again.
Thankfully, sorbet is usually an easier sell than cruciferous vegetables.
This rhubarb elderflower sorbet tastes fresh, floral, and bright. It also happens to be incredibly pretty.
The Secret to the Colour
The colour is part of what makes this sorbet so special.
Unfortunately, I grow what may be the greenest rhubarb on earth. I know I could force the stalks under pots to keep them pink and tender, but honestly, I cannot be bothered. At this stage of life, there is simply a lot more green than red happening in my garden.
A few months ago, while waiting for elderflower season to arrive, I noticed the small red sections at the base of my rhubarb stalks. I trimmed them off, weighed them, and tucked them into the freezer for later. And I leaned into the green for tarts and other recipes.
It worked beautifully.
Because trust me, brown sorbet that is not chocolate flavoured is rarely a success especially if. you have a 6 and 8 year old for critics!
A Recipe One Year in the Waiting
I actually wrote this recipe last year.
Then I immediately after writing it I ran out of elderflower syrup and used up all my pink rhubarb. I could not properly test the recipe again, so I kept it to myself and waited an entire year. But also, I’ve tested it with my recipe for Elderflower cordial, as well as the one from BBC Good Food which is a much sweeter version. So I had to make adjustments to see how it would work under both conditions. Testing, testing and testing again…
I’m not known for this kind of patience.
Now the syrup bottles are full again, the freezer is packed with rhubarb, and even the kids have started deciding for themselves that they like this seasonal vegetable with it’s tangy acidity. What’s more is they LOVE this sorbet.
So at last, I can finally share it with you. If you need a recipe for Elderflower Cordial (syrup) to make it you’ll find my recipe here!
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Ingredients
Method
- Cook down your chopped up red rhubarb (yes RED, or you'll end up with brown sorbet) with some sugar over a medium low heat until it starts to really soften and no chunks remain (if you need to mix it with a stick blender that works too)
- Remove from the heat and add the zest, lemon juice, elderflower syrup and the gin stirring until it's perfectly incorporated
- Place the mixture into the fridge to cool for at least 3 hours to fully chill before churning it in your ice cream maker until you get that lovely silky sorbet texture.
