Violet Syrup

Servings: 1
Ingredients:

4 c  Violets; freshly picked
-unsprayed
2 c  -Boiling water
6 c  Sugar
1    Lemon; juice of
2 c  -Water

To serve syrups: place several tbsp in tall glasses and fill with
sparkling water and ice cubes

Select only the freshest and most unblemished violets in your garden.
Place violet petal in a deep bowl and pour the boiling water over
them. Weigh down with a heavy dish to keep them submerged. Place the
bowl in a draft-free place at room temperature for 24 hours.
Line a colander with layers of rinsed cheesecloth and place over a
bowl. Pour violets and liquid into colander, squeezing out juice from
the violets; discard the violets.
Place sugar, lemon juice and water in a saucepan and boil into a very
thick syrup, near the candy stage. Add violet water and bring to a
rolling boil. Boil 10 minutes or until thickened. Pour into sterile
bottles. Allow to cool, then seal and refrigerate. Serve with ice
water or club soda.

VARIATION: Substitute 4 cups fragrant rose petals and add 1 cinnamon
stick per bottle of syrup.

MAKES: 2 QUARTS
SOURCE: _From My Grandmother’s Kitchen: A Sephardic Cookbook_ by
Viviane Bichech Miner