Spring Breezes Floral Syrup

Have you ever been swathed in a blanket of white plum petals, an ethereal tide of spring surfing the winds and surrounding you in softness? Have you ever been filled with the mysteries and layers of jasmine and steam? Have you ever allowed yourself to be taken by the elderflowers and their moonlit magic? Do you know how to speak the language of spring?

Can we speak in flowers.

It will be easier for me to understand

--Other Language

(by Nayyirah Waheed)

There’s something about the tidal wash of white spring blooms that feels particularly bewitching and ephemeral to me. The local plum trees (in many varieties) begin to bloom while there’s still a high probability of late spring snow flurries. Sometimes I see them drifting past my window and have to look closer to verify whether it’s a message of winter or spring that has come to visit me. Those free-dancing petals speak of ephemeral beauty shrouded in a bewitching scent of sweet almonds and nectar. They are the first signs of spring’s wild proliferation; I know that soon after the white blooms have arrived, an explosion of springtime will fill the city streets I live on and the wildflower foothills I hike in. They are the opening act to spring’s grand show, elegant in their pastel shades and as free as the winds that carry them.

And oh, those spring winds, how magical they are! It feels as if the earth is awakening from the heavy slow slumber of winter and once again breathing deeply. I, too, am reminded to inhale, to fill my lungs with the plethora of bewitching scents born to me from miles away. Just think of those vibrant days of early spring when the windows are open, letting in fresh air and new scents. Think of walking along and then pausing as a bewitching smell tickles your nose. It’s those sensual and awakening moments I hoped to capture in this special spring syrup blend.

Spring Breezes Floral Syrup

This is the kind of complex, balanced syrup that can be used in delicious alcohol-free cocktails, or used in special baked goods, even drizzled over pancakes. It is sumptuously floral, which can be tamed with the addition of something bitter or something citrus. Try it as a mocktail by adding 1 Tbs. syrup, 1 dash bitters, 2 Tbs. lemon juice, ½ c.water, and 1 egg white to a cocktail shaker. Shake well, add a bit of ice, shake again, and serve immediately.

Ingredients:

½ c. fresh plum blossoms, all leaves removed

⅛  c. dry jasmine tea blend

¼ c. dried elderflower blossoms

1 tsp. dried fir tips

¼ tsp.sea salt

1/4 tsp. Butterfly pea flower powder (optional- gives it a lovely aqua hue)

2 ½ c. water

2 c. sugar

Directions:

1. Mix the plum blossoms, jasmine tea, elderflower blossoms, fir tips, and sea salt in a heat-proof bowl. Bring the water to a boil, then wait 5 minutes. Once it has cooled slightly, pour it over the floral blend in the bowl. Allow to steep for 20 minutes, then strain.

2. Pour the infused water back into a small saucepan. Add the sugar and cook over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.

3. If you want your syrup to have lovely clarity, strain it through a very fine mesh or coffee filters.

4. Syrup will last for a month or so in the fridge, or you can can it using the water bath canning method to keep it fresh for about 6 months.

Flower work

Is

Not easy.

Remaining

Soft in fire

Takes

Time.

-Nayirrah Waheed

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