HELLO MAY! Clouds of frothy elderflowers will soon grace the hedgerows, usually appearing from the end of May and identifiable by their tiny star-shaped flowers and honeyed fragrance (just like the bottled stuff). Let their arrival herald the start of summer.
Inspiration, bite-size news, reviews & great stuff to do
Capture...
elderflower blossoms at their best on a dry sunny morning to transform into cordial and more. Visit deliciousmagazine.co.uk/elderflower for foraging info and recipe inspiration.
Join…
Belvoir Farm’s annual elderflower harvest in June. Every year the Leicestershire drinks producer calls on the community to help pick blooms from its own organic plants and wild from the Vale of Belvoir for its elderflower cordial – and it pays per kilo. belvoirfarm.co.uk
Celebrate…
summer’s arrival at sweetly named family festival Elderflower Fields, in the Sussex countryside. From 26-29 May there’ll be live music, local food and activities galore, including bush fire skills, storytelling, star gazing and a woodland spa.
Adult weekend ticket £170.40 including camping pitch; south.elderflowerfields.co.uk
IN SEASON THIS MONTH
Young broad beans are a tender delight and won’t need any of that tiresome double-podding. Asparagus and jersey royals are going strong, along with peas, rocket and samphire. Herbs are at their soft, fragrant best, too: basil, chervil, chives, dill...
(see p84 for inspo).
For brave foragers, wild nettle tips are ripe for plucking.
PUB OF THE MONTH
THE RED LION INN, CULROSS, FIFE
redlionculross.co.uk
PUBBY CREDS
If walls could speak, this inn dating from 1570 would have lots to say. Community-owned after a campaign to prevent it falling into property developers’ hands, its profits are invested in local projects. The low ceilings feature painted murals of Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson’s book Kidnapped.
THE BOOZE
Culross is a filming location and Sam Heughan of cult TV show Outlander helped spread the word about the pub’s appeal, revealing he’d dropped in. There’s a small array of whiskies including Old Pulteney and Bunnahabhain. Also worth sipping are local Brew Shed ales, made just along the coast.
THE FOOD
Traditional pub grub and daily specials. Highlights include homemade broth, steak and haggis pie slow cooked in real ale gravy, plus Nelson’s of Culross ice cream for dessert.
THE WALK
Step back in time strolling around Culross or along the nearby Fife Coastal Path.
POSH NOSH OPENING
A stomach-rumbling browse of Fortnum & Mason’s food halls is a popular bit of any food lover’s trip to London – and now the historic Piccadilly store has transfor
