Gilliflower

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According to American Heritage Dictionary: A gilliflower is:

• The carnation or a similar plant of the genus Dianthus.
• Any of several plants, such as the wallflower, that have fragrant flowers.

Its name came via French giroflée from Greek karyophyllon = "nut-leaf" = the spice called clove. Some say that "gillyflower" originally referred to scented plants that were used in Europe as a cheap substitute for the spice called clove.

An archaic recipe for gilliflower wine is mentioned in the Cornish Recipes Ancient & Modern dated to 1753:

“

To 3 gallons water put 6lbs of the best powder sugar; boil together for the space of 1/2 an hour; keep skimming; let it stand to cool. Beet up 3 ounces of syrup of betony, with a large spoonful of ale yeast, put into liquor & brew it well; put a peck of gilliflowers free of stalks; let work fore 3 days covered with a cloth; strain & cask for 3-4 weeks, then bottle.[1]

”

Gilliflowers are mentioned by Mrs. Lovett in the song "Wait" from the Sondheim musical Sweeney Todd.

[edit] References

• dated 1753
• from St. Stephens W.I. in Cornish Recipes, Ancient & Modern, 22nd Edition, The Cornwall Federation of Women's Institutes 1965.
• First collected & published by Edith Martin, Tregavethan, Truro, 1929, for The Cornwall F.of W. I.