While so many folks dread the dandelions in their yards, each spring I just can’t wait for the explosion of the sunshine on our land!

This is the season I always make a Divine Dandelion Cordial.

Delicious, earthy, it is a ray of sunshine after the dark of winter. Traditionally, a full small cordial glass may be sipped before bed as a liver tonic.

Usually, though, instead of decanting it at the earliest time possible I somehow always manage to let it sit and brew until the following spring.

One particularly medicinally potent batch had been forgotten on a back shelf for two or three years before my rediscovering it, and it was truly amazing!

I found it the day of my May Day party, and all of the guests had one very small drink at the start of the party.

They still talk about it. Some of them still don’t believe it was just a simple cordial.

Very labor intensive, it is also a labor of love and can make a wonderful group project, shared by two or more on an sunny afternoon.

Divine Dandelion Cordial

2 ½ cups dandelion flowers with the green parts all removed (make sure they are organic).

½ cup organic sugar or ¼ cup honey

1/2  organic lemon rind (pulp removed)

Place in quart-sized jar. Cover the rest with vodka. Don’t buy super cheap vodka, but it doesn’t have to be super expensive either if affordability is an issue.

Let it sit two-three weeks in the dark and one week in the sun and then decant and cork. Or, let is sit for a year…or  two.

The easiest way that I have found to de-green the dandelions is to use a pair of scissors, snip the very bottom off, and then pick the center flowers out while partially unrolling the outside green bit.

I’d rather go fast and waste some of the petals than spend too many hours on the green. The green bits make it bitter. That, being said, I don’t think I have ever successfully made a batch in these last 10 years that didn’t have any green, no matter how hard I try.

Cheers!

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Editor: Travis May

Photo: Provided by Author