A botanical cordial, beloved in Europe, is stealing the taste buds of locals.

Elderflower cordial is distilled from the flowers of the elder tree. It’s so ubiquitous in Europe that most of Carmel Berry Company co-founder Katie Renker’s European clients share a similar taste memory. It goes something like this: plucking elder flowers with grandma, then after boiling it down, adding just a touch of sugar and maybe lemon until it becomes a lightly sweet and subtly herbaceous concoction.

Renker is responsible for introducing the taste to many non-European patrons with her locally grown and small-batch products. “It sounds corny, but it really tastes like warm spring day,” Renker says.

She’s right. Cordial mixed with water evokes the freshness of spring with notes of lychee and a tinge of Meyer lemon. She encourages different uses for the cordial, like macerating strawberries, then topping the mixture with dry Champagne, or adding it to whiskey for a less aggressive sour.

CARMEL BERRY COMPANY’s syrups and cordials are available at various retailers in Monterey County. 238-9973, carmelberry.com