[Sca-cooks] Edible Violet Water?

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

Without repeating my post to the other list in its entirety, here's 
what i hope is the gist...

While there are many flowers in the Genus Viola, only one has the 
fragrance used in cuisine, confectionery, and perfumery. That is 
Viola odorata, aka Sweet Violet and English Violet, which lends its 
odor and flavor to violet syrups, violet candies and candied violets 
(two different things), as well as violet eau de toilette and violet 
perfume.

Alas, Viola odorata does not grow naturally or happily in Southern or 
Northern California, where i live.

Viola sororia is the species that grows commonly in the American East 
and Midwest, and is the state flower of Illinois, Wisconsin, Rhode 
Island, and New Jersey. It looks lovely but lacks the fragrance of 
Viola odorata.

A number of Viola species are grown here in California, such as 
heartsease (Viola tricolor) and pansies (Viola x wittrockiana). And 
they are edible. I've purchased them and used them in salads and as 
garnishes on dishes. But while they look lovely, they have little 
fragrance and they are not the violets used to give violet flavor and 
violet fragrance.

So, while "recipes" for making one's own violet water may help those 
living in the right climate and with the skill and land to grow Viola 
odorata, they won't help me :-(

That's why i'm looking for edible violet water i can purchase.

I have found some violet syrups available for Internet purchase. 
Unfortunately one costs $33 for a tad over 8 oz. Another (Monin 
brand) is reasonably priced at $9 for around 16 oz. But shipping is 
more than $7, pushing the price of the reasonable one to over $16, 
which i think is too much. Some local shops sell Monin brand and 
they're willing to special order and sell me a *case* of violet 
syrup, but, well, i don't want to part with over $50 for something 
i'm not likely to ever use it. And i can't convince enough ocal cooks 
to go in on a case with me.
-- 
Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM)
the persona formerly known as Anahita