Vodka Sour with Elderflower

Refreshing, sweet-tart, and botanical! The Vodka Sour with Elderflower is a balanced and sublime cocktail made from just four ingredients, including liqueur made from elderflower.

What is elderflower?

Elderflower

When I first heard of these tiny flowers, I mistakenly thought they were the same thing as edelweiss. You know, the bloom that Christopher Plummer sang about in The Sound of Music. Well, they're not.

Elderflowers are blossoms of the elderberry tree that flower each spring. While these trees grow all over Europe, they also grow in the U.S. My friend who lives in Tennessee sees them on her rural walks and picks some to make into tea and simple syrup.

The fragrant blossoms are also made into cordials and liqueurs.

How to Use Elderflower Liqueur

With it's subtle floral aroma and citrusy, pear, and lychee notes, elderflower liqueur brings an elegant flavor to a variety of foods and drinks. One of the most popular and widely available elderflower liqueurs is St Germain. I find it at my local BevMo but some grocery stores carry it as well.

Tip the liqueur in:

• cake, muffin, and pancake batters
• jams and jellies
• ice creams and sorbets

And, of course, mocktails and cocktails like this one.

Lessons Learned

• St Germain, like other liqueurs, is quite sweet. Adjust the amount of agave or other sweetener in the cocktail to suit your taste.
• Fresh lemon juice is best! If you don't have any lemons on hand, bottled juice is okay in a pinch.
• A cocktail is only as good as the ingredients used. Because there are only four ingredients in this one, don't use a cheap vodka if you can avoid it. Mid-range vodkas like Tito's or Kirkland Signature from Costco are perfect. If you can afford Grey Goose, go for it.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to St Germain for the flower drop cocktail recipe and to Corina Rainer on Unsplash for the elderflower photo.

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