The Purple Possibilities of Spring!

photo by ana traina ~ 2011 ~

I love lilacs, always have and always will. I love the sweet scented air of them after it rains. I love their honeyed and bitter taste. I love their thrilling pale purple. Of course, purple is my favorite color. Also, purple lilacs are symbolic of mellifluous tenderness. It is for all these reasons and the rising temperature of my spring fever that my heart skipped a beat this morning when I happened upon this delightful recipe for...

Lilac Crystals in my “A Kitchen Witch’s Cookbook” by Patricia Telesco.

1 oz. gum arabic
6 small bunches of lilac buds
(about three cups)
1 tablespoon corn syrup
if you are like me and are not a fan of corn syrup you can always ~ For each cup of light corn syrup in a recipe, substitute 1 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup water. For each cup of dark corn syrup, substitute 1 cup of packed brown sugar and 1/4 cup water.
1 cup of sugar

Now, you must dissolve the gum arabic in 1/2 cup of hot water. Then dip the lilac buds in the mixture and let dry. Heat the corn syrup, sugar and 1/2 cup water until it reaches the soft ball (240 f) stage, when a small amount dropped into very cold water will form a ball but will not hold its shape. Dip the lilacs in the syrup and lay on wax paper. Finally, sprinkle with sugar.

And so it is, let the spring madness begin!