Shirazi Thyme and Honey Syrup (Avishan)
شربت آویشن شیرازی و عسل
thymepepperyfloral honeyContains honey
draft — not yet taste-tested Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| dried Shirazi thyme (avishan-e Shirazi, Zataria multiflora) | 1 tbsp |
| water | 150 ml |
| mild honey | 150 g |
Equipment: small saucepan with lid, fine sieve, clean bottle.
About this syrup
Avishan-e Shirazi is the wild thyme of the hills around Shiraz and across the southern Zagros, a different plant from garden thyme, sharper and more peppery. It is sold dried in every bazaar in Fars and sprinkled on yogurt, soups, bread and cheese, and brewed as a tea for coughs. With mountain honey it makes a syrup that smells of a hillside in May.
How to make it
- Bring the water to the boil, take it off the heat and add the thyme. Cover and steep 8 minutes.
- Strain through a fine sieve, pressing the leaves.
- Stir in the honey while the infusion is still warm, until dissolved. Cool and bottle.
Yield and storage
- About 250 ml.
- Refrigerate up to 3 weeks.
Tips and troubleshooting
- Do not boil the honey; it loses its scent.
- Garden thyme works but is softer; use 1½ tablespoons.
- Pairs with gin, bourbon, lemon and orange blossom.
Different concepts of this syrup
1. Classic avishan and honey
The recipe above.
2. Avishan and lemon peel
Steep the peel of half a lemon with the thyme.
3. Avishan sugar syrup
Replace the honey with 150 g sugar for a cleaner, less floral version.
4. Beyond cocktails
A spoon in hot water with lemon, the Fars cold remedy.
Allergen note
Contains honey.
Development notes
- Status: draft recipe, not yet taste-tested.
- First proposed formula; measure your own yield and adjust.