Please Click above on "Welcome" to return to Front Page

FOOD  AND  DRINK ( see also Gifts Section)

VIOLET   FLOWERS AND LEAVES ARE EDIBLE

Please wash them carefully before use .

Known in cooking chiefly for their looks and fragrance, violets have been used extensively as garnishes. However, their culinary value is greater than adding beauty and colour alone. Violet blossoms and leaves are high in Vitamin C. In fact, violet leaves are higher in Vitamin C than any other domestic green vegetable, and also contain Vitamin A.

For TIPS on Preparation Click Here

Here is how to candy flowers.

By Jill Ann Williams © Sudden Elegance, Ltd. 1997-1999, all rights reserved (Special Gift Kits are available  from the above)

	Using either the basket of a salad spinner or colander, place blossoms in a container and rinse with cool water. Then place the container with blossoms in a bowl of cool water for 15 minutes. Drain water. Spin dry or wrap a tea towel around the colander and shake blossoms until dry
	Spread a small layer of drying material in the assemblage box. Add flowers, more drying material, a second layer of flowers and more drying material. Close box and do not disturb for 24 hours.
	After 24 hours, separate drying material from flowers using the plastic grid supplied with the assemblage kit. Dried blossoms stored in plastic bags or metal containers will keep for one year in a refrigerator or freezer.
	To candy, hold blossom by quarter-inch stem and squeeze a bead of candying gel on center of flower. Spread gel with feather pastry brush. Place candied blossoms on plastic grid and allow to dry 15 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar if desired.

SOME DELIGHTFUL RECIPES USING VIOLETS HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTED.

DO YOU HAVE ANY?

• FRIED VIOLET LEAVES, by Jill Ann Williams

Fresh Violet leaves can be dipped into pancake batter and fried and
served with the following.  Finely chopped Violet leaves can be mixed with butter or margarine and formed into molds, if desired.  Violet blossoms can be stirred into honey.  A simple corn syrup based syrup can be made and infused with violets.   The Violet honey and Violet syrup should be stored in a cook dark place.

MORE RECIPES AND PICTURES , and Ideas for Children, from Jill Ann Williams will be in The Violet Society Journal at    www.sweetviolets.net including;

• APRICOTS with COTTAGE CHEESE/VIOLETS.
• HONEYDEW MELON with VANILLA YOGURT and VIOLETS.
• CORNBREAD MUFFINS WITH VIOLETS.
• POUND CAKES with  LEMON PUDDING and VIOLETS.
• CREAM CHEESE with ORANGE MARMALADE and VIOLET BLOSSOMS
    
  For information on how to prepare these.....read The Violet Society Journal

• VIOLET JELLY from Karen Garner
  8 cups fresh violet blossoms*
  31/2 cups boiling water
  1 pkg pwdered pectin
  1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  4 cups sugar
  Rinse and drain blossoms; place in a glass bowl. Pour boiling water over
  them and let set 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Strain and reserve
  violet water, press with a spatula to extract all possible color.
  Discard blossoms. Measure violet liquid; add water to equal 31/2
  cups(color will be blue-green). Stir in pectin and lemon juice(liquid
  will turn a lovely violet color). Pour into a stainless steel pot and
  bring to a rolling boil. Add sugar and return to a rolling boil . Boil 1
  minute. Remove from heat; skim foam if any, and ladle into hot jars.
  Process in boiling water bath 5 min.
  Yield: 5 half-pints
  * may use pansy blossoms as well,  be sure all blossoms are from plants
  untreated with pesticides or weedkillers.
  

We welcome contributions to this page please contact us Admin@sweetviolets.com