CHERRY BLOSSOM AND LEMON SIMPLE SYRUP

3 cups of cherry blossoms

32 ounces of spring water

35 ounces of sugar

three large organic lemons

Gather your cherry blossoms and remove all stems and leaves and place blossoms in a large glass jar.  Cut the lemons in half and squeeze the juice into the jar containing the cherry blossoms and then add the remaining squeezed lemon halves into the jar.  In a separate pot, bring the water and sugar to a boil, stirring the mixture to dissolve the sugar completely.  Once the sugar has dissolved remove from heat.  Add a metal knife, fork or spoon to the jar to conduct some of the heat from the sugar syrup so that your jar does not crack or break.  Slowly pour the sugar syrup in the jar making sure to fill the jar with the syrup and cover the blossoms and lemons.  Place lid on jar and close tightly.  Allow the syrup to infuse for three full days and then strain the syrup through a colander that is lined with cheesecloth to remove the blossoms and lemons.  Once strained, you can transfer the syrup to glass jars or bottles and you can store the syrup in the refrigerator for up to one month.   If you would like to store the syrup for a year at room temperature, then after straining, bring the syrup to a boil and pout it into clean, sterilized canning jars or bottles leaving about 1/2 inch of head space.  Place lids on jars tightly and then process the jars in a boiling water bath (Bain Marie) for ten minutes... voila!  now you can enjoy this syrup during the next twelve months when the summer season is long past and cherry blossoms are but a memory waiting to be rekindled the following spring!   Enjoy!