It’s been a while since I’ve done an installment of Diary of a Kitchen Witch, but I’m back with a Lilac Simple syrup.
I gathered my lilacs from this graveyard. I gather a few bunch of flowers from there each year. There are many trees/bushes that grow over this one enclosed grave site. I always ask before taking, and if the blooms are resistant, I leave them. I figure the person/people (?) buried here wanted others to enjoy their lilacs as well!
Lilac season is short lived, 3 weeks at most? I love lilacs and always have. I have a very distinct memory of my dad telling me about lilacs when I was very young. He told me that we only have 2 weeks to enjoy them because the season is so short. If you miss the blooms, you have to wait an entire year for them to come back. Well, I was little and had no comprehension of 2 weeks let alone a year. I’ve talked before about my connection to plants as a kid, and I would definitely add lilacs in there as another one that I associate with sunny childhood days.
Making lilac syrup or any syrup is significantly easier (to me) than making a hydrosol. It is equal parts water, sugar, and bloom. You put things to simmer or boil depending on what you are making then let it steep. The waters/hydrosols can be finnicky, and you need to have ice (which has not always been accessible to me). I use them in very different ways so I am happy to go through the process for both!
Ingredients
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 cups lilac blooms (~4 large clusters from a tree)
Equipment
small pot with a lid
wooden spoon or whisk to stir
bowl for collecting your lilac petals
heat-proof storage container of choice
Directions
Soak and clean your blooms (mine had dozens of buggies… gross)
Pick off each flower making sure not to get any stems or leaves. You just want the blooms. Put them in a bowl.
In a pot, bring your water to a simmer.
Add in your sugar. Whisk until dissolved.
Add in your lilacs. Stir gently. Cover.
Remove from heat.
Let your syrup steep for 4-5 hours.
Strain your syrup. Leave the used flowers as an offering or toss them. Up to you.
Add your syrup to a container of your choice.
Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.
I put in the intention of renewal and rebirth into my lilacs as I pulled them off the stems. As I began to space out, I changed my intention for the other half of the lilacs to childlike wonder and joy. Lilacs are a sign, a symbol of spring. Spring is all about those new beginnings, and to me, it brings out the child in me. It brings out joy, hopefulness, exuberance, excitement.
I also associate this flower with Persephone. Although it can be gifted, offered to any deity you are feeling connected with. Perhaps lilac syrup is just an offering to yourself.
This syrup is light and fresh. I boiled my water as I was following a recipe. I think the boiling water burnt it. Next time, I am going to reduce the heat so that the blooms don’t burn. I think I would also add in closer to 3-4 cups of lilacs rather than the 2 I did, which was still double the original recipe. I like the taste, but I want it to be more floral.
The question I always get when I talk about making syrups is “What do you use them for?” You can use them however you want, truly! I prefer to put mine in club soda to make fancy little sodas!
What is something that you have made in your kitchen lately?
Wishing you well this week! May your life offer what you need in this moment.
With love,
Aventurine ✨