wild violet syrup
““...the thoughts and loves of these first years would always make part of their lives. We could never have loved the earth so well if we had no childhood in it—if it were not the earth where the same flowers come up again every spring that we use to gather with our tiny fingers…what novelty is worth that sweet monotony where everything is known, and loved because it is known?” —Mary Anne Evans, The Mill on The Floss
much of our community garden are carpeted with wild violets, all in the shadows of the mighty trees, the crevices of our concrete studded landscape, still holds such wonders waiting to be found….
There is something profound about learning the names of wild flowers and awaiting their return each spring, watching the birds returning with full song, and the tender shoots that push up from the soil. It feels deeply magical the way our old earth dances to the beat of a steadfast rhythms and rhyme.
And yet, I must confess, I have had to make margin for knowing this old earth and it’s gentle yet wild ways. My children taught me to look closely and notice gentle rhythms of the earth. We had only been in Chicago a few years when my children seem to know every spritely patch of moss and remember where the mushrooms come up each spring. The very first sentence my son spoke was, “look, the violets, they have come back to us.” I did not know it till then but he studied the very little bit o’ earth we were privy to here in the city and knew every little patch by the shape of their leaves.
We typically make our violet syrup in late April when they make their very first debut.
It has been a difficult winter and spring for me. Despite my slowness to share on here and on social media, friendships have continued to blossom and flourish as providential gifts from above. What began as a tradition with my eldest continues with my youngest gathering stems of wild violets, “saving them” from the villainous weed hackers that Chicago Parks District often bring.
From these bountiful weeds come the most beautiful of syrups.
Here’s our simple recipe using just violets, sugar, lemon, and water:
Gather about 2 cups of violets (flowers only) and soak them in water overnight.
The next day we bring water to boil. As we wait, we rinse our violets once more using a colander. Then we place them inside a mason jar or bowl (large enough to add a cup of water to). Once the water comes to a boil, add one cup of boiling water to the jar, let it steep overnight.
On day three, strain using a fine mesh colander and add the juice of about half a lemon to the violet liquid, watch the color change.
Finally, add two cups of sugar to a small pot and add the violet liquid to it, carefully stirring until the syrup dissolves. Do not let it boil. Once all the sugar is dissolved, pour into mason jars and allow to cool
After close to a decade of making this syrup, we’ve found breaking the process over days gives us margin to wonder and enjoy its beauty.
