Honeysuckle, known for its tradition of nectar-sucking, offers a delightful honey-floral flavor with bitter undertones. With its enchanting aroma, elegant curved blooms, and soft yellow and red-pink hues, the common honeysuckle stands as one of the most graceful British wildflowers.
You're reading: Bartenders’ Guide to Foraging: Honeysuckle
Getting to Know Honeysuckle
- Common name: Honeysuckle
- Latin name: Lonicera species
- Plant family: Honeysuckle (Caprifoliaceae)
- Edible part: Flowers of certain honeysuckle species (berries and leaves are mildly toxic, although some species have edible berries)
There are more than 180 honeysuckle species, and among those with edible blossoms are common honeysuckle (or European honeysuckle) and Japanese honeysuckle. These highly fragrant honeysuckles can be found blooming in woodlands, scrublands, hedges, gardens, and along roadsides during the summer. They gracefully wind around shrubs and trees, showcasing their elongated, tubular, trumpet-shaped flowers with upper and lower lips.
Common Honeysuckle
One notable species is the common honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum), also known as woodbine for its twining habit. As a wild native, it can be found abundantly in British hedgerows and woodlands, as well as throughout much of Europe. The clusters of stalkless flowers are arranged in whorls, transitioning from yellow-cream to orange-yellow and often flushed with pinkish-red. Their sweet, heady perfume carries hints of jasmine, honey, and vanilla, followed by clusters of red berries in autumn.
Japanese Honeysuckle
Native to eastern Asia, Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) has become naturalized and invasive in the US, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of southern Britain. This species has pairs of flowers that start white and turn yellow, followed by small black berries. Although it can be destructive to native shrubs and trees, it remains a versatile plant for culinary use.
Exploring Culinary Possibilities
Honeysuckle blossoms are used in various traditional beverages around the world. For instance, a traditional Korean wine incorporates honeysuckle blossoms, while British country wines and meads also feature these delicate flowers. Additionally, honeysuckle adds a touch of floral elegance to spirits such as vodka, liqueurs, and cider. Notably, it is one of the botanicals found in Bloom London Dry, Damrak Gin from Amsterdam, and the unconventional Monkey 47 Gin.
Pairing Honeysuckle with Other Flavors
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Honeysuckle pairs well with citrus, yuzu, mint, sage, peaches, strawberries, and other floral notes such as elderflower and rose. Although honeysuckle syrup has honeyed notes, it may not always be the perfect substitute for honey syrup in cocktails, as its flavor leans more towards floral. However, you can still enjoy honeysuckle syrup in fizz drinks, Spritzers, Collins, or in place of honey in a Bee’s Knees cocktail. It can be paired with gin, tequila, whisky, brandy, or rum.
Foraging Tips
For a delightful honeysuckle experience, you only need a few fragrant trumpets to capture their honeyed, floral flavor. Choose flowers that recently opened and appear fresh, ensuring they are clean without washing off the nectar. Honeysuckle flowers have a stronger scent at night to attract pollinating moths, so it’s best to pick them in the evening or very early morning.
When foraging, make sure to harvest lightly, taking only a small amount from each patch and leaving plenty of flowers for bees and moths. Pick open trumpets and leave unopened flowers to bloom, allowing stalks and flower bases to remain for birds and wildlife to enjoy the berries. Placing the blossoms outdoors for a short time may help beetles and other insects inside the tubes escape. While not essential, removing the tiny green part (calyx) at the base of each trumpet may reduce bitterness and enhance the flavor.
Fresh honeysuckle flowers can be used as an attractive garnish or dried for future use. Like many other edible flowers, honeysuckle petals can be infused in spirits for added flavor. Infusing a small handful in a bottle of vodka for up to 24 hours creates a delightful concoction. Fine strain the infusion and decant it into a clean bottle. Depending on your intended use, you can add sugar or syrup to taste.
Expanding the Possibilities
Honeysuckle’s bitterness makes it a suitable ingredient for cocktail bitters. Experiment by infusing honeysuckle blossoms in vodka for a week, along with herbs, other florals, spices, and bittering agents such as roots, leaves, or tree bark.
For a delightful syrup, steep a few small handfuls of honeysuckle blooms in just-boiled water, ensuring the flowers are fully covered. Infuse them for 24 hours, cooling and refrigerating afterward. Strain the liquid through muslin into a measuring jug, and combine it with an equal quantity of sugar in a saucepan. Slowly bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, then add 2 teaspoons of strained lemon juice for each 500ml. After stirring, funnel the syrup into sterilized glass bottles, seal, and refrigerate. Alternatively, let it cool and transfer it to sterilized bottles for freezing, leaving some headspace.
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For a lower-sugar cocktail ingredient, try using fresh or dried honeysuckle petals as a tisane. Steep them in just-boiled water for at least 5 minutes until a strong flavor develops, then strain and chill. Another option is to make cold-brew tea by steeping honeysuckle petals overnight in the fridge before straining.
Lastly, be cautious about using flowers that may have been sprayed with chemicals or harvesting from busy roadsides. It’s worth noting that some individuals may have sensitivities to honeysuckle, which could cause dermatitis upon contact.
Foraging Responsibly
When foraging, always stay on public footpaths if you’re on private land. It’s crucial to use reliable field guides to identify your finds with 100% certainty before consuming them. When in doubt, it’s better to leave it out as a precaution.
For more information on foraging, visit Sarah’s website at wildfeast.co.uk.
Suck My Honey
By Sarah Watson, Wild Feast
For a unique twist on a Gin Rickey cocktail, I used Ginderella, a herbaceous gin from Belgium infused with freshly foraged herbs. However, you can substitute it with a light, floral gin such as Bloom London Dry.
- 50ml Ginderella
- 20ml Honeysuckle syrup
- 20ml Freshly squeezed lime juice
- Dash of orange flower water
- A few fresh sorrel leaves (optional)
- Soda water to top up
Muddle the sorrel with the gin and syrup, then add the lime juice and orange flower water. Shake the mixture with ice and double strain it into an ice-filled glass. Top it off with soda water and garnish with a honeysuckle bloom and sorrel leaf. Cheers!
Source: https://designsofapril.com
Category: Snake Plant
