it has been a heady day in the kitchen -- all things LILAC
Having a bumper crop of gorgeous heaven-scented lilacs this year, I set out to look for lilac recipes. Wow. I had no idea that so many temptations existed!
Today I made batches of lilac-infused sugar, to use for shortbread, for dusting, whatever.
And I made three quarts of lilac syrup, for use in beverages and pastries.
And I have six quarts of spring water infusing with lilac overnight, to use in making lilac jelly Friday.
The fragrance has been ...... well, you know.
The other day I took two big bunches of the perfect Persian lilacs to give my two aunties at our Tuesday lunch. And I learned that taking a bunch of fragrant lilacs into the gathering rooms of a retirement center is a way to bring smiles and sighs and expressions of great pleasure. Probably fifty people there wanted to bury their faces deep into the bouquet, to inhale. With lilacs, it seems that part of the allure is the little bitty petals cool on one's cheeks -- almost a caress of late spring.
Tomorrow, more lilacs will be gathered for candying.
Next Tuesday, at luncheon with aunties, I'll take slices of pound cake and little jars of the lilac syrup to drizzle. That should be fun!
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I'm not in the desert, but my ground soil is clay-heavy.
However, your story has inspired me to give lilacs in pots another try. 
Last edited Sat May 12, 2012, 09:45 AM - Edit history (1)
Will do further research as I'm now determined to do some lilac cooking of my own.
edited b/c I realized I switched my a and b
Have fun and I'm sure your Aunties will love it .
I love it that you can make so many different food products with lilacs. I bet you have the most romantic smelling house in the USA. 
I read it twice. Fun to imagine how lovely your house smells and what it must have been like at the retirement center. You're such a sweetie, Grasswire.
If I had lilacs, I would do the same. Unfortunately my only lilac died of old age this year, so I had to settle for some lilac wallpaper for my computer.
Cher
I have to report that the jelly is a spectacular color, and delicious. I followed the blogger's suggestion to use 3 cups of sugar instead of 4, so it is tart.
The syrup is more redolent of the lilac scent, and it is going to be really interesting drizzled on pound cake, or made into a cocktail or beverage. I tweaked the color with two drops of red food coloring, as it was almost colorless. It's still very pale, but pretty. Delicious, too.
Jelly recipe is here: http://www.localharvest.org/blog/25051/entry/lovely_lilac_jelly
Syrup recipe is here: http://www.citypages.com/slideshow/lilac-syrup-and-drink-recipes-diy-on-the-fly-29804235/
The cocktails look charming:
For some reason, I've been reading "lilac" and thinking"lavender" even though I definitely know the difference. 
It's lavender that I've not been able to grow and I, in fact, have a little lilac plant that was gifted to me when it showed up as a volunteer under a neighbor's bush.
I was putting on some lotion at bedtime last night... lavender lotion... and suddenly 
.
Oh well, at least I have a tiny lilac bush that I hope will someday get big enough to bloom so I can use those wonderful recipes.