LILAC FLOWER SEASON

Nothing smells better than lilac flowers, am I right? The smell reminds me of the start of summer, and whenever I walk by a lilac bush, I have to stop and take the scent in. But did you know that lilacs are more than just pretty flowers–they are edible and absolutely delicious!

You can use the flowers to flavor syrup and ice cream or decorate cakes, desserts, or salads. My favorite is lilac flower-infused honey, and that’s the recipe I’m going to share with you in this blog post. 

It is so sad that the lilac flower season flies by so fast, but this flower-infused honey is the perfect way to preserve the flowers and make the season last longer.

Lilac flower-infused honey is the best way to preserve the smell and taste of summer, a jar of summer if you like, that gets you through the darkest and coldest months of the winter. Just imagine this delicious lilac honey drizzled on your porridge or pancakes after a walk in some snowy weather.

In Norway, the lilac flower season is often late spring in May or early summer in June. The season is far gone by the time you read this blog post, but make sure you save this recipe so you know what to do when the lilacs are blossoming again! 

A FEW TIPS ON HARVESTING LILAC FLOWERS

When you are harvesting lilac flowers, you should have a few things in mind. As with everything you forage, you should be 100% certain that you have identified the right plant. Better safe than sorry! 

I’m using flowers from the Common Lilac, not a Persian Lilac/Chinaberry bush.

If you have lilacs in your garden, you are probably good to go since you know they are clean and without any pesticides or herbicides. But if you are gathering from your neighborhood, make sure you get permission and confirmation that it’s clean. It’s also a good idea to skip the lilacs polluted by heavy traffic.

Scissors and a basket is helpful tools while harvesting lilacs. You should pick the flowers before they get brown (it happens way too fast). Four or five large flower clusters are enough for this recipe, but you can also use them for decoration. Give the branches a good shake so that insects can find a new home. If you’re not using the flowers right away, you should put them in a vase with lukewarm water a soon as possible. 

The flower fragrant is more potent the more colorful the lilacs are. I don’t wash the flowers because I don’t want them to lose any fragrance, but if you wash them, make sure the florets are completely dry before using them in this recipe. 

RECIPE LILAC FLOWER INFUSED HONEY

This lilac flower-infused honey is easy to make and is the best way to preserve the smell and taste of summer. It’s perfect for drizzling on pancakes, porridge, smoothie bowls, or use in tea or drinks. And isn’t this just the most lovely edible gift?

This honey lasts throughout the winter, so you can have a spoon of summer whenever you like. The florets will shrink and get brown after a while, but honey is acid, so you don’t have to worry about mold. You can strain the honey if you want to, but you don’t have to. I just leave them in and eat them too. I store the jar in the pantry or leave it just on the counter. 

You can also make lilac flower-infused sugar by layering sugar and lilac flowers. If you want me to share a recipe for this please let me know in the comments below.

I hope you like this easy and delicious recipe for lilac flower-infused honey. If you make it make sure to tag @anetteselnes on Instagram, I would love to see it.

// Anette