Strawberry Balm Syrup

2 pt Strawberries

3 c Sugar; approximately

10 Lemon balm sprigs, fresh

-VARIATION

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-LEMON THYME SYRUP

- 2 pt Raspberries; 4 half pints

3 c Sugar; approximately

10 Thyme sprigs, fresh

"Delicious with ice cream, waffles, or in a drink. Try making it with lemon verbena or lemon thyme, too." To make a drink: put several tbsps in bottom of glass, add cold or sparkling water and ice. Wash and hull the strawberries, place in a bowl, and crush with the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher. Line a medium bowl with cheesecloth, pour the crushed strawberries and their juice into the cloth, then gather up the corners and squeeze until all the juice has been extracted. Weigh the juice, then combine it with an equal amount of sugar and the lemon balm in a non-aluminium saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil it for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, skim any foam from the top, and let cool. Discard the lemon balm before bottling. Store in the refrigerator. MAKES: 1 TO 2 HALF PINTS SOURCE: _The Herbal Pantry_ by Emelie Tolley and Chris Mead