Violet Syrup
Violet Syrup:
Picking and Preparing the Violets:
For this recipe you are only picking the flower portion of the plant, but don’t worry about getting the stems – they won’t hurt anything. One important note here: Be a responsible picker! Use the Native American method for collecting wild plants and only pick every third flower that you come across. The idea goes something like this: leave one for Mother Nature, one for someone else who needs it more than me, and then I take the third one. There is not an exact number of violet flowers that you will need; just get as many as you can. The beauty of this recipe is that the measurements do not have to be exact. For the recipe below, I usually try to get 30 or 40 violets, but again, more or less won’t hurt.
Once you have your violets, wash them thoroughly and drain them. Place the violets in a bowl with approximately 6 cups of water and allow them to sit, covered, on the counter for about 48 hours. Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator and allow them to sit for another 5 days. You can decreasing the soaking time, but I find that if you extend it to about a week then you get a better flavor in your final product.
For the Syrup:
Drain out the flowers. To the violet juice add the juice of ½ of a lemon and 3 cups of sugar. If you want clear syrup then use white sugar. If you want darker syrup then use raw sugar. Simmer on the stove over medium heat until the mixture reduces to the desired thickness. If you allow it to simmer too long then the sugar will start to crystallize and the mixture will become too thick. If this happens, don’t worry about it. Just add a little more water to thin it down, and simmer it again.
Uses:
I use this as a substitute for Maple Syrup as long as I have it around. My favorite way to use it is on homemade blueberry pancakes (with fresh blueberries). The flavors of the blueberries and the syrup mingle to create a wonderfully complex taste. You can also use this over ice cream or vanilla pudding.
Picking and Preparing the Violets:
For this recipe you are only picking the flower portion of the plant, but don’t worry about getting the stems – they won’t hurt anything. One important note here: Be a responsible picker! Use the Native American method for collecting wild plants and only pick every third flower that you come across. The idea goes something like this: leave one for Mother Nature, one for someone else who needs it more than me, and then I take the third one. There is not an exact number of violet flowers that you will need; just get as many as you can. The beauty of this recipe is that the measurements do not have to be exact. For the recipe below, I usually try to get 30 or 40 violets, but again, more or less won’t hurt.
Once you have your violets, wash them thoroughly and drain them. Place the violets in a bowl with approximately 6 cups of water and allow them to sit, covered, on the counter for about 48 hours. Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator and allow them to sit for another 5 days. You can decreasing the soaking time, but I find that if you extend it to about a week then you get a better flavor in your final product.
For the Syrup:
Drain out the flowers. To the violet juice add the juice of ½ of a lemon and 3 cups of sugar. If you want clear syrup then use white sugar. If you want darker syrup then use raw sugar. Simmer on the stove over medium heat until the mixture reduces to the desired thickness. If you allow it to simmer too long then the sugar will start to crystallize and the mixture will become too thick. If this happens, don’t worry about it. Just add a little more water to thin it down, and simmer it again.
Uses:
I use this as a substitute for Maple Syrup as long as I have it around. My favorite way to use it is on homemade blueberry pancakes (with fresh blueberries). The flavors of the blueberries and the syrup mingle to create a wonderfully complex taste. You can also use this over ice cream or vanilla pudding.
