Lilac Syrup

So last year was a big year of foraging for me. I learned a lot, found a lot, and made a lot. But the one thing that I was too late on was lilacs. Specifically lilacs to make lilac syrup. And I was almost too late this year too! But I found a bunch of lilacs just in time. I've since found more but my schedule is so busy right now that we'll just go with the one batch I made and call it good. Ready for a tutorial on making this very simple syrup?

Collect lilacs. Note for next year, I picked these on May 22nd and it was almost too late. So start looking earlier next year. The thing about lilacs is is that they bloom and then die very quickly. Within a week. So find your lilacs, pick as many as you think you will need. The ratio is 2:1 (2 times the lilac florets to the water/sugar combo).

Pick the florets off the lilac stems. This is pretty easy to do. Just pull them off in a downward motion (kind of like you do with rosemary). Then put them in a strainer and rinse thoroughly. Pick out as much dead stuff as you can, but don't stress it too much as you will be straining it later.

On the stove, combine your sugar and water. This is a 1:1 ratio, i.e. 1 cup water to 1 cup sugar. Melt sugar into water and then put in florets. You will need 2x the florets. In the case of the 1 cup sugar water, you will need 2 cups florets. Bring mixture to a boil (I use medium heat for all of this). Then turn heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

Cover, let steep until desired taste.

Once to desired taste, or in my case--once it's cooled completely--strain through mesh or cheesecloth.

Then pour into a jar. Oh my word, y'all. It smells and tastes just like lilacs!! It will keep in the refrigerator just as simple syrup will. I'm looking into canning it for next year. I can't wait to make sun tea (once the sun comes back after all this rain we've had) and adding a little lilac simple syrup. You can also make a fancy cocktail using this as well. I'm not a fancy cocktail maker so this is lost on me. But I bet it would be good.

What would you use lilac simple syrup in? I need to think about how to use it in a pie!! A lemon pie with lilacs perhaps? Going to work on that recipe now.