Invariably, they arrive after a hot, sunny weekend, in a great bag delivered by my friend. His cheeks are ruddied by the sun, having the previous day unleashed his children on an unsuspecting elder – the tree that is, not a statesman, though given the current political climate, it’s quite tempting – with the promise that a great, big bag full of beautiful umbels of elder would earn them twenty nicker from Jeremy at the restaurant.

I never ask where the denuded elder stands. I learnt this a long time ago from a chef I worked with in Scotland who never asked where the salmon came from when a chap appeared at his kitchen door bearing two mighty ones – all very John Macnab. The idea of two kids carrying swag bags bursting with elderflowers on their shoulders, dodging groundsmen in Regent’s Park or Stoke Newington cemetery, is worthy of an Ealing comedy.

That said, my conscience is not too troubled by a bag of blooms. The petty cash tin is raided, a few crumpled notes are handed over, and the elderflowers are ours.

Every year, I promise myself to stock up with tartaric acid – which is vital to preserve an elderflower cordial. The umbels are steeped in syrup and the acid makes the mixture bright and clear. Of course, I always forget.

Curiously, in times past, Boots didn’t sell tartaric acid. Every year I had to cycle all the way from Tower Bridge to the tiniest pharmacy on Sloane Street to beg for the last bag in the capital. Every chemist I asked along the way shook their head, saying: no, not stocked here. Ah, how times change. I rather miss that jolly little trip on my bike – nowadays I just buy it online.

Elderflower cordial is the first of the great many cordials, preserves and pickles made as summer settles in. Bottles by the dozen are sterilised, the cordial decanted, lids attached and into the store they go. A bumper crop of elderflower can result in a fair few bottles. There is a rather good way of dispatching much of this fine brew. With the addition of lemon juice, a little water and a spoonful or two of sugar, elderflower cordial makes a fine sorbet. Pistachio biscuits would sit happily alongside.

An even happier thought is sgroppino, for which the cordial might be topped with prosecco for the most refreshing of drinks ...

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Elderflower sorbet

Makes about 1 litre (feeds 6-8, generously)
For the cordial (makes 2 litres)
20 large umbels of elderflower or 30 smaller: as fresh and lovely as possible
1kg sugar
2 lemons, sliced
25g tartaric acid
2.2 litres boiling water

For the resulting sorbet
150ml fresh lemon juice
300ml elderflower cordial
75g icing sugar
100ml water

1 Put all the elderflower umbels into a bowl along with the rest of the ingredients and stir well. Cover, then put the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours to steep.

2 Strain the resulting cordial through muslin, then decant into sterilised bottles. Seal them tightly and keep refrigerated. When not refrigerated, the bottle tops have an alarming habit of fizzing and popping off. A most unwelcome scenario.

3 Put all the sorbet ingredients in a bowl and whisk well until the sugar has dissolved. The best result is made using an ice-cream machine, following the maker’s instructions. Alternatively, you can put the mixture in the freezer, whisking every hours until set.

Pistachio biscuits

These are best done by hand, but of course can be done in a machine, keeping a very beady eye that the dough is not overmixed. Buttery, delicious and from another era … so good.

Makes about 24 biscuits
120g chilled unsalted butter, cut into very small pieces
150g self-raising flour
50g caster sugar
20g whole almonds, ground
30g whole pistachios, ground, plus a further 30g to chop and strew atop

1 Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/gas mark 2. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.

2 Put all the ingredients bar the chopped pistachios in a bowl. Deftly crumb the ingredients and then knead lightly to form a sticky dough – it can be tricky to handle until cold. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate.

3 Cut the cold dough into 24 roughly equal pieces. Lightly press each into a rough circle about 5mm deep. The biscuits benefit from a minimum of handling and looking handmade.

4 Lay the biscuits on the baking sheets. Chop the remaining pistachios, and strew on top. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a rack.

• Jeremy Lee is the chef-proprietor of Quo Vadis restaurant in London; @jeremyleeqv