Honeysuckle weekend : : blossom cordial

The year is scampering away from me like a mischievous puppy. June has arrived already and according to the met office it's summer. We've had thunder and showers and bright sunny days, and when the doors and window are open the scent of honeysuckle wafts indoors, right into the heart of the kitchen. The perfume stops me, mid-everthing, intoxicated... It happens each year. That sudden paralysis. I wished that I could bottle it, for grey February days. 

Then I remembered reading this, and thought, 'maybe I can.' 

There are lots of recipes for flower syrups. Each varying the ratio of :- 
flower heads : water : something to sweeten : acetic acid/lemon juice, or both.

I like the one below (found here) because it simply uses honey, honeysuckle blossom and water:

Honeysuckle syrup

Ingredients:

Use the following proportion of ingredients for the quantity that you desire

• four cups of filtered tap water
• two cups of honeysuckle blossom
• one cup of honey

Method:

1. Collect nice fresh blossoms making sure that no pesticides have been sprayed on them. Not the berries as they are poisonous. Pick over and then rinse. 
2. Place in a saucepan and cover with the water. Bring to the boil.
3. Reduce the heat, stir in the honey and simmer for twenty minutes to infuse the flavour and aroma. 
4. Remove from the heat and strain. 
5. Pour into clean jam jars, screw the lid on and then leave to cool. 
6. Keep refrigerated when not using.

      

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other weekend highlights...

• a surprise friday supper in London with A
• stocking up on favourite Scadinavian foods
• totalling up the final grade on the last of the exam papers that he marked. 
• a naughty, naughty, slice of cake but healthy pot of tea here 
• a sewing day
• my wild and wonderful garden.

I'm joining karen to see what she's been up to this weekend...are you coming too?

debx