Wild Violet Pink Lemonade

A few years ago one of my herbalist friends told me how to make pink lemonade using wild violets. This beverage is a fun chemistry experiment for kids and adults because the violets work like a litmus test. Violet infused water changes from a light blue to a vibrant pink once the acidic lemon juice is added.

Wild violets are some of our first spring flowers- they are delicate little edibles with a refreshing and unique flavor. This week, as our pyscho weather kept flip-flopping between spring and winter, I managed to get some of the purple blossoms before an unexpected snow dump, and I made the pink lemonade for my first time while watching snow melt off my garden.

The following "recipe" will make two tall glasses of lemonade. Feel free to adjust to suit your own taste preferences.

Ingredients
A handful of wild violet blossoms
2 cups hot water
2 spoonfuls of sugar
6 spoonfuls of lemon juice
Ice

Instructions
Place the blossoms in a heat safe bowl like a pyrex liquid measuring cup. Make sure there are no stems attached as they may impart a bitterness to your lemonade.

Pour very hot (but not boiling) water over the blossoms and let steep until the water turns blue. The longer you steep, the deeper the color will be. You can steep it for a little as 15 minutes or as long as a few hours. I let mine steep until the water completely cooled.

Divide the violet infused water evenly between your two drinking glasses. Add about 1 spoonful of sugar to each glass and stir to dissolve.

Next, added your lemon juice and watch the color change! I added about 3 spoonfuls of lemon juice to each glass to get this color. You may enjoy your lemonade either sweeter or more tart - you do you.

Add ice and enjoy! Oh, and as the violet flowers themselves are edible, you can add a few to garnish or put some in your ice cube tray and cover with water before freezing. They make very pretty ice cubes :)

Cheers!
Susan