As the photo at the very top shows, the basic ingredients in violet syrup are quite simple--sugar, water, and violets. And the preparation is easy, too. The only catch is that a batch requires a significant quantity of purple violets. If you have the good fortune of access to a huge patch of them as I do, feel free to double the recipe. Note that only unsprayed organic viola varieties should be used. The tropical houseplants called African violets are not in the viola family at all and are not edible. Remember that the deeper the hue of the violets, the more intense the color of your finished syrup will be. An inky bluish shade (see pic above right) naturally results when the common purple woodland violets shown throughout are employed. However, if you prefer a slightly warmer purple color--like the hue at left below--stir in just a few drops of lemon juice. Keep adding in drops of juice for an even lighter, brighter magenta. adding in drops of juice for an even lighter, brighter magenta. (Note that commercial violet syrups have been tinted with synthetic dyes; these will not change color when combined with acid.) Tip: Store your syrup in very clean bottles or jars, preferably ones that have been well scrubbed, then rinsed in boiling water. To keep the syrup sterile, once it has been boiled, don’t add any more ingredients or stir it further. If you put it in a measure for pouring that should be rinsed in boiling water, too. Always store in the refrigerator; it will keep up to 4 or 5 weeks.