Wattle Flower and River Mint Cordial

There are an abundance of native foods that we too often don’t know of or understand well, but nevertheless possess an abundance of unique qualities and lessons that we can learn to better our collective conceptions of the land we call home. Common Black Wattle (Acacia Mearnsii) and River Mint (Mentha Australis) are two familiar and fragrant favourites found on Wadawurrung Country with a variety of uses. So, here is a refreshing recipe to experiment with and sip on this summer!

This one has been created by Lachy, our Education Manager. You can learn more about him here!

Ingredients

8ish large bunches Black Wattle flowers

1 lemon

3 cups sugar (white or caster)

4 sprigs of River Mint (or other mint)

1.5L water

*note: 1/8 cup citric acid – if preserving long-term

When harvesting wild flowers, be sure…

- To identify the species confidently (Acacia mearnsii) before harvesting, as some species may not be edible.

- The plant has not been exposed to anything toxic e.g. pesticides or heavy car fumes.

- You have appropriate permissions to harvest. Harvest from protected areas (national parks etc.) only if you have a permit or permission from the landowner.

Method

Step 1:

Harvest your wattle flowers into a large bowl. Shake gently to remove any bugs or dust – don’t rinse or you’ll lose all the tasty nectar.

Step 2:

In a large pot place your flowers, water, and thinly sliced lemon. If bottling and preserving, add citric acid at this stage.

Step 3:

Bring pot to a boil, gently pressing the flowers into the water to submerge them.

Step 4:

Remove from heat and leave to steep for at least 4 hours. The longer the better. Leaving to steep for 24 hours will produce a much deeper flavour.

Step 5:

Strain out flowers using a nutmilk bag or cheesecloth. Squeeze the flowers in the bag to extract the last of the flavour. Return liquid to pot.

Step 6:

Add sugar and mint to liquid and return to boil. Move to low heat and reduce the mixture until the syrup reaches the desired consistency – usually an hour or two.

Step 7:

Remove from heat and pick out mint sprigs.

Step 8:

Store in a bottle in the fridge for 2 weeks. When ready to consume, mix cordial at a ratio of 1:5. Best served chilled with sparkling water.

*If preserving, place in sterilised preserving jars when liquid is hot. Stores for several months in cool environments.

Enjoy!