PEONY SHERBET / ŞAKAYIK ŞERBETİ: TRADITIONAL METHOD OF MAKING FLOWER SYRUP

FULL RECIPE FOR THE PEONY SYRUP Syrup is an essential cold drink in traditional Turkish Cuisine Fresh flowers are the favourite ingredients for summer syrup recipes Field poppy and wild rose are the most popular flowers since they give wonderful colour, fragrance, and flavour to the syrup I applied the traditional method and used the peonies from my garden; The results were amazing!! Ingredients 200 g fresh peonies (or wild rose, or field poppy) 1 tsp citric acid (or the juice of 1 lemon) 3 cups filtered water 2 cups sugar Directions PREPARATION Collect the peonies in mid-bloom Discard the green leaves and stems Submerge the flowers in clean water and let them sit in the water for 5-10 minutes. So any dust, insects, etc., are thoroughly removed If it is necessary, repeat the process with a new batch of clean water Then, drain the excess water using a spinner or a strainer Pick off the petals of the flowers and place them into a clean jar All other parts of the flower should be discarded carefully to prevent a bitter taste (!) For a stronger fragrance, simply use more flower petals following the same recipe Once the jar is filled with petal, add 1 tsp of citric acid and 3 cups of filtered water Cover the jar with a lid and place it in a spot where it will get sunlight but remain at room temperature to prevent fermentation (!) LET THE SUN COMPLETE THE JOB FOR YOU! 4 hours later, you will notice the colour seeping into the water After 24 hours, the petals will have lost their colour and fragrance At this point, the colour of the liquid will turn a rich magenta and perfume of the petals will dissolve into it Remove the petals by gently squeezing to extract as much of their essence as possible Since this will be a raw drink, I recommend using a pair of gloves for hygiene (!) Then, strain the flower extract and add 2 cups of sugar You can adjust the sweetness for your preference Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved Transfer the syrup into a serving container; carafe or a bottle with a lid Let it chill in the fridge as the syrup develops character! Couple of hours later, it will be ready to serve! SERVING Serve the Peony Syrup cold! You can dilute the syrup to your liking with ice or cold water The fantastic colour and flavour of the flowers will amaze you as you enjoy their healing effects on your body!! Each flower syrup has a unique taste and fragrance that refreshes your senses on those hot summer days I definitely recommend you to try this recipe with Wild Rose and Field Poppy to experience their unique flavours and colours in your syrup Enjoy the fragrance of the flowers! More recipes and directions SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW the “Fairies’ Cuisine” on its YouTube page, link below:    / @fairiescuisine