HoneySuckle All Year Round

[vfem]

Today I am taking my daughter out into the yard and we're picking honeysuckle flowers. I need approximately 2-3 cups. We're going to make honeysuckle jelly.

I have a vine growing up my porch, and another vine growing at the entry path to the woods behind our pond. I'm hoping this comes out well because I want to preserve this lovely taste for the rest of the year.

Anyone make this before? Does it comes out as good as it smells? My whole porch smells AMAZING! Everyone who comes to the door 'oooohs, and ahhhhhhs' from the smell. I'd like to send them home with a jar of it!

 

[patandchickens]

We're going to make honeysuckle jelly.

Recipe, recipe, recipe!!?


Pat

 

[PunkinPeep]

That is intriguing!

Is the whole flower edible?

I really want to know how this turns out for you.

 

[jojo54]

waiting for results - pics and taste test.

 

[journey11]

Oh, yes, tell us more! I have honeysuckle all over the place out here. It is the most intoxicating smell on a balmy summer night... As children, we used to collect the blooms, pull the style out and suck out the tiny drop of nectar. If they were poisonous, I'm sure we would have found out the hard way!

 

[Southern Gardener]

As children, we used to collect the blooms, pull the style out and suck out the tiny drop of nectar. If they were poisonous, I'm sure we would have found out the hard way!

We'd do the same - we'd try and collect the nectar in a cup - imagine how long that took!

 

[vfem]

You need to collect 2 cups of honeysuckle... remove or trim the stigma and clip the little green piece connecting the flower to the vine. (those little green ends are bitter.)

Note**This is going to take a LONG time to do... I just finished up, but I've had things on my mind and my husband and daughter helped me pick after a trauma this morning.**

Now boil 2 cups of water and then seep the flowers in the water (I'm using cheese cloth) for about 30 minutes. I'm doing an hour. You can refrigerate any extra for batches another day.

Now you can boil the infused water with 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp of lemon zest (optional) and 3 oz liquid pectin. Boil until it can not be stopped by stirring and add 4 cups of sugar, again bring to a boil for 1 minute.

Then add to sterilzed jars, seal and water bath for 10 minutes.

 

[rebbetzin]

That is something I never thought of doing! I do make an "infusion" of Honeysuckle in water, letting it set for about an hour then strain it and drink it. Very refreshing! And it is said that honeysuckle will lower blood pressure.

I will have to see if I can get enough flowers to do this. I assume you need really fresh flowers, since once they get a bit dry, they don't seem to have much fragrance. I notice different times of day they seem to lose some fragrance.

 

[vfem]

That is something I never thought of doing! I do make an "infusion" of Honeysuckle in water, letting it set for about an hour then strain it and drink it. Very refreshing! And it is said that honeysuckle will lower blood pressure.

I will have to see if I can get enough flowers to do this. I assume you need really fresh flowers, since once they get a bit dry, they don't seem to have much fragrance. I notice different times of day they seem to lose some fragrance.

Yes, first thing in the morning is best and beginning getting them ready right away!!! You need a lot of fresh flowers to do this. I have vines everywhere so I collected from 3 places to get 2 1/2 cups worth. I clipped half a batch at a time leaving the other half in the fridge to keep fresh while I clipped away. I'm about to make the jelly part of the recipe now.

 

[rebbetzin]

I have only two vines, One is over 12 ft tall, but... I still doubt I could get that many good flowers from it. I do have neighbor with a corner lot whose front fence is covered with flowering vines at the moment.. I wonder.... she told my neighbor she can have as many flowers as she wants last year, (since we like to drink the Honeysuckle water.)

Maybe early on Monday I will go over and pick some flowers from her vines???