We have two old lilac trees (is it a tree or a bush? ours look like proper trees anyway), one next to the kitchen, and one of a darker hue, at the very end of the garden, next to the stone wall and shed. I love the smell of the lilac, it brings memories of May in Russia. Somehow I don't see any florists selling the lilac bunches here, while in Russia they are very popular in bouquets. When I was young, we lived in the ground floor apartment with the lilacs waving in my windows. They have such a pronounced sweet aroma that you cannot take it for any other perfume. Heady and lush.
Lilac syrup
Ingredients:
1 mug of granulated sugar
1 mug of water
a handful of lilac (see photo below)
Bring 1 mug of water and 1 mug of sugar to the boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the lilac to the sugar syrup and simmer for about 10 minutes on very low heat.
Let it cool before pouring into a clean jar or bottle after removing the flowers.
Et voilà!
The syrup turned out to be surprisingly pale straw green. I expected it to gain the colour of the blossom, but it didn't happen, and the flowers themselves changed colour to blue.
I have decanted it in a glass jar (yes, it is a bottle for mixing the salad dressing but I haven't used it as such).
This syrup is supposed to keep well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, but we are already half-way through, so I don't think it will last that long. Perfect for a cold drink with ice on a hot May day. Just add a dash of syrup, top up the glass with water and add the ice cubes. Enjoy!
