You know how that old poem says that "Roses are red, violets are blue"?
Violets are traditionally a romantic flower, particularly associated with lesbians. Mostly because Sappho wrote about them in poems about her lost love, with lines like "Close by my side you put around yourself [many wreaths] of violets and roses."
More generally, the Ancient Greeks considered violets a symbol of love, and used to use them to make love potions.
Sappho's poetry was really... just gosh. It's a pity the whole poem apparently hasn't survived intact, but this part of it goes:
“Close by my side you put around yourself
[many wreaths] of violets and roses...
And many woven garlands
made from flowers
around your tender neck...
And on a soft bed
...tender...
you satisfied your desire...”
💜
food, alcohol, violets
@InvaderXan
Let us not forget that great cocktail, the Aviation! Violet liquor is required, dangit!
alcohol, violets
@hafnia
Ooooo, I haven't tried that before. What else is in it?
alcohol, violets
@InvaderXan @hafnia Gin, marascino, lemon juice.
It's my favourite cocktail visually, somewhat soured by not liking gin that much 😅 (so I have to be in just the right mood).
Well made ones are beautiful though.
alcohol, violets
@swift
The bar I used to get them at also added a splash of sparkling wine. They were so good!
@InvaderXan
alcohol, violets
@InvaderXan @hafnia our conversation prompted me to finally unpack my spirits from their moving box (and lament my lack of garnishes).
food, alcohol, violets
@InvaderXan Oooh, I can imagine that would taste beautiful! Would be fun to play with that in cocktails.. seems it'd get on well with gin (providing the botanicals weren't too spicy) and dark rum.
alcohol, violets
@porsupah
Another fork of this thread has people talking about a cocktail called an aviation which uses gin. 🙂 Rum though... that's an interesting idea.
Recently, I've become quite enamoured with the flavour of violets. I tried some of this liqueur around Xmas time, and it's... a difficult flavour to describe!
food, alcohol, violets
I did not know any of this when I picked up this bottle of violet liqueur.
Violets are edible and have a distinctive flavour. The fresh flowers can be used to decorate salads and other dishes, while violet essence can add flavour to desserts.
Candied violets are also traditionally used as confectionary and cake decorations, and are traditionally made in Toulouse, France, together with violet syrup.
There are other violet liqueurs too, with names like Creme Yvette and Parfait d'Amour.