It’s that wonderful time of the year when violets make their brief appearance, and my yard is filled with the beautiful little deep-purple flowers. A few years ago, I posted a tutorial on how to make violet syrup, and I thought it would be fun to revive that recipe with a twist. I made the same basic syrup, but added some vodka to the mixture to make a lovely violet cordial that can be sipped by itself or added to other beverages to make a light floral cocktail. The variety of violets I have in my yard are only slightly fragrant, so the cordial has a mild floral flavor. Different varieties will yield different tastes.
I began by gathering 2 cups of violets, making sure to choose only those blooms that were open and free of bites and blemishes. When you are harvesting edible wild flowers, make sure that you are picking them from locations that are free from pesticide or other chemical applications.
I placed the violets into a colander and rinsed them thoroughly.
Then placed them in a Mason jar and covered them with 2 cups of boiling water. The water almost immediately began to turn a gorgeous sapphire blue! I let the violet infusion cool, then placed it in the refrigerator and let it steep for 24 hours.
After 24 hours, I strained out the violet blossoms, squeezing them to get out all the gorgeous purple hue. I placed some in a bowl so that I could show you what a brilliant color it made.
I placed the strained liquid into a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Then added 2 cups of organic cane sugar and let this mixture come to a boil.
I then turned down the heat to medium and let it cook at a low boil for about 10 minutes, stirring often.
I removed the syrup from the heat, then added the strained juice of half a lemon. The acid from the lemon made the syrup go from deep violet to a beautiful magenta color.
I then mixed the syrup, 50/50, with organic vodka and bottled it in sterilized capped glass jars, which I bought at the Container Store.
After letting it sit for 2 weeks, it was ready to decant. It is very sweet by itself, but makes a lovely addition to champagne or sparkling water. Enjoy!
I made this summer before last and it was so good… The perfect indulgence drink after a tough day on the job 🙂
LikeLike
Yes. It’s like drinking a bit of spring sunshine!
LikeLike
This sounds great! No violets here, but I’ll bet there are other edible flowers from my desert environment that would work in this recipe.
This post reminds me of Chowards violet mints. Old-time candy that I discovered as a kid and have enjoyed throughout life since. The flavor is startlingly floral. Have you ever had them?
LikeLike
Thanks! After reading your most recent blog post, I would suggest that it might be fun to use some of the fragrant jasmine flowers you have in your yard. Jasmine makes a nice addition to tea, so why not cocktails? I have seen Chowards violet candy, but haven’t tried it. It is now on my to try list!
LikeLike
Jasmine flowers sound like a really cool idea. I’ll have to check if they’re edible. If so I’m on it!
LikeLike
I know jasmine flowers are used in teas, and according to Mountain Rose Herbs, they can be used in a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Please let me know how it turns out! http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/jasmine.php
LikeLike
I have only just started exploring this idea of infusions and I really like it.
LikeLike
Infusions can be made with so many different herbs, there are seemingly infinite possibilities. Happy infusing!
LikeLike
Pingback: How to Make Violet Facial Toner | herban lifestyle