For only a few weeks in late spring, fields of elderflower bloom throughout Northern Europe, and are especially prized in the French Alps. For generations, these delicate white flowers have been harvested during the brief blooming season, dried, and used to flavor traditional desserts and liqueurs. The lacy white appearance of elderflower fields is beautiful from afar, but up close, it is the flower’s subtle, sweet fragrance of honey and vanilla that captivates inhabitants of this region. Due to the short growing season and ephemeral nature of the elderflower, it must be handpicked and promptly dried to preserve the full integrity of the delicate blossoms. Although its use in traditional preparations dates back hundreds of years, elderflower has recently grown in acclaim through use in cuisine by some of the world’s most renowned chefs and in popular cocktail liqueurs like St. Germain. Recognizing its growing appeal, and in celebration of the significance of the elderflower to the inhabitants of the Alsatian region, regional family-owned cheesemaker Haxaire has begun infusing traditional Alsatian cheese with the elderflower blossoms, creating a new regional tradition.