Violet Syrup, Et Cetera

For many years now, long before The Essential Herbal existed, we've made violet syrup. It isn't for the medicine (although it is mildly expectorant and demulcent, so can be useful in coughs and colds) - unless you consider the incredible luxury of it, or the whimsy, or the pleasure. Yes, now that I think about it, it is very medicinal. This batch was made on the eve of May Day, so it is some of the most special ever.
In any case it was always one of  Molly's favorite things to help with. At three years of age, she could feel pretty important and accomplished. The less stem, the better, and everyone knows little kids just pop off the flower with no stem. Yesterday she wasn't home, but I heard the weed-whacker in the distance and decided it was time to go pick violets.
What follows is the results and the directions. I walked down the path with a bucket, picking all the way. The different colors of blossoms blended together to make a wonderful bouquet, and sticking my schnoz in the bucket, I was able to inhale the fleeting sweet treat that is the scent of the violet flower. Note the blues above. The recent record hot weather seems to have affected the flowers and their color.A quart jar was about 3/4 packed with the flowers when the picking was done. A hamstring muscle was screaming, but don't those flowers look pretty? Meanwhile, about a quart of water was set to boil.

The boiling water is poured over the flowers in the jar. Notice that immediately the water turns a shade of aqua blue? That color deepens to a cobalt blue as time passes. This color is very odd. Violets usually dye the water some shade of pink, lavender, mauve, or purple. This blue is why I think the temperatures have changed the quality of the color. Here we strain the flowers from the water. This water is then set to boil with about 3 cups of sugar. It was 2 cups of the violet tea to 3 cups of sugar. It is allowed to come to a rolling boil. If there is any scum, it should be removed.
A tablespoon of lemon juice changes the pH of the syrup and results in this gorgeous purple color!