Do they think of lobster, clams, the ocean, the pine trees in the beautiful Maine woods? Well some certainly do, but not as many as you might expect. I’ll tell you what octagenerian Europeans in the 1980′s and early 90′s used to immediately think of when I told them I’m from Maine, “That’s where the airport for refueling is…in, what’s it called…Bangor, yes, Bangor, Maine!” For those of you who don’t know, in the past airplanes depended on the fuel they got at Bangor Airport after crossing the Atlantic from Europe so they could go on to their other US destinations. Ever hear the old joke about the German guy who got off too early, was jet-lagged and confused and wandered around Bangor looking for the Empire State Building?

But those souls who remember the traditional Bangor refueling stop are few and far between nowadays. And what has replaced our state’s world-reknown as a significant transatlantic stopover? Skking and kayaking? Our thriving arts festivals? Maple syrup? The drum roll please… when I tell people I’m from Maine they usually say, “Oh, where that horror movie where all those people mysteriously die is set, what’s it called…”It” by Stephen King. Is that where your from?” Um yes, where the film is SET, not where life is like that, lol.

Yes Stephen King has put us Mainers in the international consciousness. Which is great, as long as people remember to separate all those gruesome story images they have in their heads from our picturesque state! I think I have “proof” that they do: the second most commen association Europeans have with Maine is … Angela Lansbury’s “Murder she Wrote”. Granted, this, too gives people a skewed view (thank goodness) of how much crime and violence exists in the Pine Tree State. However, people are usually thinking of the idyllic scenes depicting coastal Maine when they mention the series.

Thus has our state’s identity, in the minds of your average European Joe or Jane, evolved over the last decades.

The pancakes are as simple as can be:

Just take your favorite pancake batter, dunk whole elderberry blossoms in it, and fry as you would a pancake. Serve covered with powdered sugar.

And here is my husband’s tried and true family recipe for elderberry blossom syrup (Hollersirup in Austrian, Hollundersirup in German):

Put 18 freshly picked elderberry blossoms in 3 liters of water and let it steep for 17 hours. Then remove the blossoms and filter the liquid through a tea or coffee filter. Add 3 Kilos of sugar and 90 grams of citric acid and let it disolve into the liquid at room temperature. Your syrup is done! Put in pretty bottles to give as presents and refridgerate. To drink, mix it with fresh cold water or soda water for a little fizz. The syrup lasts about 2 to 3 weeks in the fridge.

not much here yet…

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