Simple Syrups
This past week on Instagram, we’ve been sharing some of our foraging finds. Using an app called PictureThis, has helped to identify plants we thought might be edible but we always double check online before picking or eating anything. As for plants and flowers growing in your or someone else’s garden, please make sure they aren’t being sprayed with any pesticides. We’re pretty sure it’s not terribly healthy for you. And you might want to think about where you’re picking from if you have dogs.
Other than pesto, the easiest concoction to make with those foraged items is simple syrup. We’ve done them with a variety of flowers and herbs and we’ve also made them with jalapeño, radicchio with rosemary and rhubarb with vanilla. Before we go onto a list of some of the simple syrups we’ve made, you’re probably wondering what to do with them. Well, you name it! You can replace the sugar or honey in your tea with it, pour it over ice cream, sweeten your homemade lemonade, sweeten your macerated fruit, put it on your pancakes or you can sweeten and flavour your sparkling water or club soda and if you drink alcohol, it makes your Gin & Tonics, Vodka Sodas and even Margaritas a little extra special.
Before we start flavouring, here’s your basic recipe for a simple syrup. Mix equal amounts of water and sugar, that’s a 1:1 ratio. Bring to a boil then simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool. Put in a jar or a fancy bottle. That’s it! You can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or freeze it to keep it longer. Most simple syrup is made with white sugar but if you’re looking for a richer flavour, you can make the same recipe using a Demerara sugar or other brown sugar. This syrup works great with cocktails made with any amber coloured alcohol or for a Red Sangria. Now, if you want a thicker syrup, you make a 1:2 ratio of water to any sugar. This would make a good syrup for pouring over food but also to change the viscosity of a drink.
Flavoured Syrups
If you decide to flavour your syrup, the process changes a bit because you want to make sure to infuse all those lovely tastes into your syrups. We will include the links to the recipes we’ve used on our Pinterest page so you can check that out but here are the basics. If you’re using edible flowers, just pick the petals off and measure into a jar, adding an equal amount of boiling water. Let steep around 24 hours, then strain. Use this liquid with white sugar and follow above instructions. You can change the colour of your finished syrup with a few drops of lemon juice. This is great for darker to lighter colours and we’ve used it with violets to go from blue to purple and peonies and lilacs to make a lighter pink. This also gives us a nice variety of colour.
If you’re making syrups with something a little more substantial, you can add it to your pot when you bring your water and sugar to a boil and then let it steep before straining. Often, this is done with herbs or foods that have a stronger flavour like thyme, rosemary, pine tips, radicchio or jalapeño. The length of time you let it steep will increase the flavour, bitterness or heat but we’re talking minutes so taste test until you’re happy with your syrup.
We thought about writing a list of flowers and plants you can use but this changes from area to area so it’s probably best for you to do a little research about plants you can forage in your area.
Bonus recipe – Radicchio Syrup
In a small casserole, bring to boil 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar. Remove from heat. Add 3/4 cup of chopped radicchio, 6 rosemary sprigs and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Infuse for 20 minutes. Compost radicchio and rosemary. Filter the syrup into a bottle or jar and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate. (Recipe translated from French from RICARDO magazine) ricardocuisine.com
Whatever type of syrup you decide to make, don’t be scared to experiment. Have fun! Get creative! And, please, let us know what you’ve tried.
