| 1 | Select only the freshest and most unblemished violets in your garden. |
| 2 | Place violet petal in a deep bowl and pour the boiling water over them. |
| 3 | Weigh down with a heavy dish to keep them submerged. |
| 4 | Place the bowl in a draft-free place at room temperature for 24 hours. |
| 5 | Line a colander with layers of rinsed cheesecloth and place over a bowl. |
| 6 | Pour violets and liquid into colander, squeezing out juice from the violets; discard the violets. |
| 7 | Place sugar, lemon juice and water in a saucepan and boil into a very thick syrup, near the candy stage. |
| 8 | Add violet water and bring to a rolling boil. |
| 9 | Boil 10 minutes or until thickened. |
| 10 | Pour into sterile bottles. |
| 11 | Allow to cool, then seal and refrigerate. |
| 12 | Serve with ice water or club soda. |
| 13 | Variation: substitute 4 cups fragrant rose petals and add 1 cinnamon stick per bottle of syrup. |
| 14 | Makes: 2 quart |
