ElderFlower Cordial

[Bayleaf]

Very odd Cambden tablets if they stink of bleach.
If you can smell or taste any sulphur dioxide from using Cambden tablets, you are using far too many/too large a piece. ALL wine that you will ever buy, and very many edible liquids sold as long shelf-life are sulphited - exactly the same as using a Campden tablet.

[Hilary B]

Very odd Cambden tablets if they stink of bleach.
If you can smell or taste any sulphur dioxide from using Cambden tablets, you are using far too many/too large a piece. ALL wine that you will ever buy, and very many edible liquids sold as long shelf-life are sulphited - exactly the same as using a Campden tablet.

Campden tablets are metabisulphite, smells similar to (but not the same as) hypochlorite (bleach). Some people can detect sulphur dioxide more readily than others. It often disperses but when working with things to which is has been added, it is quite sufficient to give me a headache (and I said nothing about smelling it, consciously). It is known that some people are 'allergic' to it (not in the strict sense of allergy, but close enough for the non-scientific mind) I seem to be one of them!

[Bayleaf]

Hilary - you may not have mentioned smelling anything, but Snadger certainly did.
As for metabisulphite - that has no smell. Expose it to water, even moist air, and it slowly reacts to form sulphur dioxide - the disinfectant/steriliser - which could be argued has no smell, but more of a sensation in the nose if there is enough.
As I said, all wine contains it anyway.

[Hilary B]

Hilary - you may not have mentioned smelling anything, but Snadger certainly did.
As for metabisulphite - that has no smell. Expose it to water, even moist air, and it slowly reacts to form sulphur dioxide - the disinfectant/steriliser - which could be argued has no smell, but more of a sensation in the nose if there is enough.
As I said, all wine contains it anyway.

Father-in-law used to keep metabisulphite concentrate for sterilising winemaking kit, so I was once VERY familiar with the 'smell'. Purists may not call it a 'smell' but it is close enough for most of us.
NOT ALL wine contains it, for the simple reason that there is a demand for wine without, so some is produced that way.
Our home-made wine contains absolutely NONE!

[Printemps]

For those of you with ice cream makers, make up a strong quantity, ie don't dilute too much - then process to make a fabulous elderflower sorbet!

[Snadger]

My elderflower cordial with added blackcurrants! Aint it bonny!

Camden tablets still smell of line cleaner or bleach to me and a solution that makes your eyes water can't be any good for your insides methinks!!

[Lemon]

My elderflower cordial with added blackcurrants! Aint it bonny!

Camden tablets still smell of line cleaner or bleach to me and a solution that makes your eyes water can't be any good for your insides methinks!!

WOW Snadger! That looks fab! Looks like you're making it in a garden flexi-tub!?!!!

AM tempted to make some! Is elderflower nice? Maybe I should try before I make? Why is it made in buckets as opposed to a large stainless steel stock pot?

[Snadger]

..................Why is it made in buckets as opposed to a large stainless steel stock pot?

Cos I aint got one.................. and buckets are cheap!