Elderflower Fritters with Gooseberry Sauce

The scent of elderflowers is a strange one – people either love or hate it. The lacy heads of flowers, deep-fried in a case of airy batter, make a dream of a pudding for those who fall into the former camp.

For the best fritters, use elderflowers no more than a few hours after they are picked. Choose heads that are relatively insect-free, and growing as far away from a main road as possible.