Wild weather and Violets

Windy and wild, this morning I picked the most pungent violets I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing..... 

I found a British hedgerow recipe almost a year ago, which I will share with you here...

RECIPE:

Take 3 or 4 handfuls of clean, fresh violet flowers, 150 ml boiling water,  300gms castor sugar..

Remove stalks and green centers of flowers, and put them in a clean ceramic or stainless steel bowl, then tip over boiling water and cover. Leave for 12-24 hours....

Then put the violets and water into the top of a double boiler, or a pot that fits over the top of another one. Add sugar and stir...

In a lower pot (under the one with the violets in it) bring water to a gentle boil, and; carefully stir the violet mixture until sugar is completely dissolved... now it is a syrup!

Now, strain off the violet syrup,put into a clean, sterilized jar, label and refrigerate up to 12 months...


Use in cakes and baked things like scones, biscuits, and in butter creams, ice-cream and custards.... Oh! how about a sprinkle in slightly sweetened organic whipped cream on a freshly baked, warm scone, with a bit of home- made crab apple jelly....


or add a dash of this syrup to chilled fizzy drinks and lemonade... I rather fancy trying it sprinkled over some delicately flavored, chilled fruit, such as fresh lychees..on a hot summer afternoon... soon...