Who drank all the elderflowers?

News has reached us that there was nearly – brace yourselves – an elderflower shortage this year. And who’s responsible? Us. The Middle Classes.

Now that squash has been labelled ‘retro irony’ and ‘drink only in sugar-rush emergencies or when you’ve got kids coming round’, cordials are king, and their supreme ruler is the ubiquitous elderflower. It’s classic, it’s English, it’s summery.

First it became the go-to non-alcoholic drink for parties, served in flutes so the designated drivers and pregnant women could fool themselves they were drinking champagne and therefore having as much of a good time as everyone else.

Then middle class parents started giving it to their middle class children to show that their offspring were far too sophisticated for Fanta.

Not to mention all those Aga-lovers who’ve been stripping the trees to make their own elderflower wine – the same ones who’ll be hoovering up all the crab apples for chutney come autumn.

This summer any self-respecting trend follower is splashing a bit of elderflower into their English sparkling wine, impulse buying elderflower liqueur in Waitrose (then getting home and wondering what the hell to do with it), or combining three trends in one with a cucumber and elderflower martini.

But surely the backlash cannot be far away. The MCH money’s on a return to the good old fashioned values of lime cordial. Start stocking up now.

Comments

[Al]

I read this whilst drinking a glass of elderflower cordial with sparkling water - newly opened after a shopping trip today. My latest tipple of choice - and I was thinking of introducing it to my seven year old. Hurrah!