Suddenly it was all white. Clouds of small white petals that look like snowflakes. And a sweet flowery scent was in the air. This scent that is so iconic for late spring/early summer and that we now have in our own garden!
I’m very sensitive to the perception of odors. More than f.ex. my ear, my nose registers stimuli and connects them with certain images and memories.The smell of elderflower is closely linked with my childhood, a herald of summer and all the pleasures coming with it.
A typical dish here in Southern Germany (and Austria) are “Holderküchle” or “Hollerkücherl” – elderflower heads dipped into batter, pan-fried and dusted with icing sugar. Ohh! A simple and frugal recipe that is nevertheless sooo delicious! Perhaps because its preparation is limited in time?! I like that it is a seasonal dish that is exclusive to a few weeks of the year. You can preserve the flavour of elderflowers by making syrup (already in the making), but not those fritters. This is the time.
Elderflower fritters (15-20 p.)
ingredients
15-20 elderflower heads with stems, 150 g flour, 2 eggs, 250 ml milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, pinch of salt, (sunflower) oil for frying, icing sugar
preparation
Shake the elderflowers to remove any insects. Don’t wash, you would loose the fragrant pollen.
Whisk flour with eggs, milk, sugar and salt into a smooth batter. Let it sit for 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a deep pan for frying. When the oil is hot, dip one flowerhead at a time into the batter until it is evenly coated. Gently shake to remove excess batter. Holding it by the stem, lay it into the hot oil and fry until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Fry all flower heads, dust with icing sugar and serve warm.
nadel&gabel 
Elderflower is not readily available here, but these fritters look wonderful.