This Month's Recipe...

Elderflower and Lime Mojitos

From Dinner & Party, p200

Made a few weeks before the July party, elderflower and lime cordial would be the base of a rum punch to offer to arriving guests. Elder flowers in late May, early June and grows in hedgerows on roadsides.

Makes 4 litres (enough for 60 people)

To serve: tumblers or jam jars, short cocktail straws

For the Elderflower and Lime cordial:

1.8kg golden caster sugar

3 litres water

12 limes

6 lemons

60 elderflower heads

For the Elderflower and Lime Mojitos (makes 10):

500ml dark rum (600ml if you are making a stronger punch)

300ml elderflower and lime cordial (above)

10 small springs mint, leaves only

ice and soda water

Put the sugar in a large pan and pour over the water. Allow it to soak into the sugar and then place it over a low heat. Meanwhile, squeeze the limes and lemons, retaining the halves of the fruit. When the water reaches boiling point, add all the juice, the fruit halves, and the elderflower. Leave to steep for 24 hours, then strain, retaining the liquid. Pour into sterilised containers or bottles and store in the fridge.

Mix together the rum and the cordial. Put the mint on a chopping board and bruise it with a rolling pin or wooden spoon – this is easier when making several drinks at once. Divide the mint among the tumblers or jam jars, then half-fill them with ice. Add 80ml of the rum-cordial mix to each glass then top up with soda water. Serve with a cocktail straw.