Lilac has always been part of my life. Growing up, there were three purple lilac trees in our garden and one double white lilac which bloomed slightly later than the others. I inherited two lilac bushes in our suburban garden, but they succumbed to the hedge trimmers for having the temerity to spoil straight lines! Last year, I suggested they be allowed to grow and this year, they have rewarded me with a few choice blooms which fill the air with scent as I walk past.
I’ve never
considered lilac to have medicinal qualities or really to be used in food but
this year I have learned otherwise. Having said that, it always worries me when
none of the herbalists I trust make any mention of the plant, but there is
always a first time and experimentation is a wonderful thing.
Lilac’s Latin
name is Syringa vulgaris and the huge flower heads are known as racemes
became each single flower has it own stem attached to the main stalk. Raceme
was a completely new term to me before I became acquainted with black cohosh
and Himalayan poke, but now it is more familiar.
The flowers symbolise
new beginnings such as the return of spring and hope and, like blackberry
flower essence, can assist with spiritual awakening. The scent can bring a
sense of serenity, helping to purify an area or person and is also associated
with youth.
As with all
strongly scented flowers, they could be dried to make a potpourri or flower
sachet or infused in honey or layered with sugar to use for baking.
Lilac is said
to stimulate the digestive system, helping the process and reducing bloating.
Lilac is an astringent, so can be made into a floral water to help soothe and
tone irritated skin. It could also help quell insect bites, minor burns and
rashes but I suspect I would use it in conjunction with my usual go to herbs
for those conditions, plantain, chickweed and calendula, rather than relying
just on the lilac.
This week saw
us at the farm in a minor heatwave amidst a plethora of lilac blooms so there
had to be a harvest and some experiments.
Lilac Floral
Water
Remove all the
flowers from several lilac blooms, enough to half fill a small saucepan (about
9-10). Cover with one pint of water (568ml). Bring the saucepan to the boil
with the lid on and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and
leave overnight with the lid on. In the morning, strain and measure the volume of
liquid. To that liquid, add one quarter volume of vodka. Pour everything into a
clean bottle, seal, label and date. Store in a cool, dark place until needed.
Drip the floral water onto the skin site or soak a small cloth or piece of
cotton wool and leave on the site until cooled down. Can also use as a face
wash.
Lilac
Flower Honey Syrup
3 lilac
blooms
250ml (1cup)
water
150ml(5
fl. oz.) honey
Sterilised
bottle or ice cube tray
Remove the lilac flowers from the raceme, taking care not to include the green stems which are bitter. Cover the flowers with water in a container and refrigerate for 24-48 hours. Strain the liquid and stir in the honey. Decant into sterilised jars and keep in the fridge or ice cube trays and freeze.
To be honest, I was very wary of this recipe because it used tap water for a long, cold infusion without any heating. A herbal tea only lasts for 24 hours and a decoction for 48hours. Lilac does have any anti-viral, antibiotic properties that I know of which would make the cold infusion completely safe.
I left it
covered in the fridge for 36 hours, After straining, the cold infusion did
taste of lilac but was completely colourless, but the flavour was very subtle. I then tried to mix in the amount of runny honey, which didn’t mix well. As I always sterilise bottles in the oven on 100
degrees C for ten minutes, there was no way I was going to add a cold liquid to
hot glass, so I heated the honey/water infusion until it began to steam, then
poured it into the bottle and sealed. Tasting the remainder in the saucepan,
the only taste is honey, as I was expecting, so I won’t be doing this again.
I still had
loads of lilac bloom remaining, so I decided to make my own kind of syrup/cordial.
I had some lemon rind left after using the juice for icing and some squashed,
ancient clementines, so they were used within the recipe as well.
Lilac
Citrus Cordial
2 lemons
1 lime
2
clementines
12 lilac
blooms
20 sprigs lemon balm chopped with scissors
2 pints
(1.136litres) water
2lbs (907g)
sugar
Remove the flowers from the lilac blooms and place in a large bowl with the chopped lemon balm. Slice the citrus fruits and add to the bowl. Pour the water and sugar into a saucepan and heat, stirring gently until the sugar has all dissolved and the liquid just reaches boiling point. Pour the sugar water over the bowl of flowers and fruit and stir. Cover and leave overnight in a cool place. The following day sterilise sufficient bottles to hold the amount of strained liquid. I needed six small bottles. The plastic lids were boiled in a saucepan for ten minutes. Heat the liquid until it just reaches boiling point and pour into the hot, sterilised bottles. Seal immediately. When cool, label and date. Store in a cool, dark place. Once opened, keep in the fridge.
To serve, add a small amount of cordial to a glass and fill with cold water. Adjust the strength to suite your own taste. We found it delicious and very refreshing.
It’s wonderful to find a new flower you can add to your repertoire and I shall look forward to using lilac in future years.
