The Kitchen Herbarium: Violet Syrup

Violets (Viola odorata) are one of the first flowers to bloom in spring. Throughout March and April, they can be found on the edges of forests, growing on humid meadows and in parks, under hedges and along fences. While it is mostly their flowers that are used in the kitchen for syrups, candy, and more, the entire plant from root to blossom is used in herbal medicine.

Violets in Folklore

In antiquity, violets were a sacred plant, and people used to wear wreaths of violet blossoms on their heads during ceremonies in honor of the god Saturn. The violet’s botanical name, too, links to antiquity: In Greek mythology, Zeus fell in love with a woman named Io (Viola in Latin). His wife, Hera, grew jealous, and so, to hide Io from Hera, Zeus turned her into a white heifer. Then, Zeus performed another transformation. He turned the grass that Io was grazing on into violets so that she would have something sweeter to eat.

While violets are associated with love—Viola odorata’s relative, the wild pansy (Viola tricolor), is said to be an ingredient in Cupid’s love potion and has a long history as a symbol for queer love—it is also associated with death and mourning. Violets used to be scattered on tombs, especially those of children, and in Lithuanian and Prussian folklore they are associated with the god of darkness and the underworld (Polkius), and the god of death (Patulas).

Medicinal Uses of Violets

From antiquity until today, the violet has been a valued plant in herbal healing. Especially its roots have mucus-dissolving properties since they contain a lot of saponins. Violets can also relieve irritations, ease inflammations, and purify the blood. They are therefore used for ailments such as colds, throat inflammations, and respiratory conditions.

An infusion of violets can be used topically to help with skin problems such as acne and rashes. Possibly, violets are even useful as treatments for headaches and insomnia.

Violet Syrup – The Fast Method

While the slow method of making violet syrup (see below) takes ten days, this recipe takes only 24 hours, resulting in a syrup that is slightly sweeter than the one you’ll get with the slow approach.

Ingredients

• Fresh violets

• Water

• Sugar

• A splash of lemon

1. Place fresh violets in a heat-proof container and add enough boiling water to cover the violets. Cover the container and let it sit at room temperature for about 24 hours.

2. Strain the liquid and measure it. For each ml of liquid, you will use 1 ml of sugar. So, if you have 100 ml of liquid, you will also use 100 ml of sugar.

3. Add both sugar and liquid into a pot and dissolve the sugar over medium heat while stirring. Once the sugar is dissolved, add some lemon juice. (The lemon juice is optional, but it adds a little bit of acidity and changes the syrup’s color from a greenish blue to pink.)

4. Store the syrup in sterilized bottles in the fridge.

Violet Syrup – The Slow Method

This syrup combines the sweet and floral flavours of violets with an acidic punch. It takes a little longer to make, and you won’t be able to see the color of the syrup change, but you’ll get a less sweet syrup with a longer shelf life.

Ingredients

For approximately 1 liter of syrup

• Fresh violets

• 250 ml white balsamic vinegar

• Sugar

• Water

• 1 lemon

1. Half fill a glass jar (or other container), with a volume of approximately 1.5 l, with fresh violets.

2. Top up the jar with sugar, but make sure to leave some room for the remaining ingredients.

3. Slice and add the lemon.

4. Fill the container with the vinegar and add as much cold water as needed to fully cover the other ingredients. 

5. Stir, then cover the container with a lid and place it in the fridge or a cold basement. 

6. Stir the syrup for ten days until all the sugar is dissolved. Then, strain it to take out the lemon and violets and fill it into sterilized bottles.

Article and photos by Merle Emrich.

Sources

Frohn, Birgit (2007) Lexikon der Heilpflanzen und ihrer Wirkstoffe, Weltbild: Augsburg.

Inkwright, Fez (2021) Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow-Lives of Plants, Liminal 11.

Laïs, Erika (2018) Les vertus des simples: Secrets des plantes medicinales, Rustica editions.

Pore, Jenny (2024) “The Spirit of Violence”, Isabelle Stewart Gardener Museum, accessible here.