Last week we talked a little bit about perennial edibles, and I found out what you guys have going on in your yards: asparagus, chives, oregano, rhubarb, thyme, and spiderwort! Spiderwort was a surprise for me, we have some in our yard, so I'll be asking for recipes soon!
Since we pretty much let the "weeds" run the show in our yard, they grow more plentiful by the year. I'm okay with that, though apprarently Venus and Adonis had a grand old time in my backyard.
In the excitement of the bumper crop this year, I spent an hour one afternoon picking most of the violet flowers from the back yard. I had to leave some for the bees, you know. I tasted a few along the way, the flavor was pretty bland and nondescript. More than anything I'm interested in eating them for their abundance of vitamins A and C.
Overall, I yielded a cup of blossoms, which I then rinsed and strained several times. The amount of dirt that came off was surprising. At that point I was stuck, I didn't know what to do.
Garnish a salad? Freeze them in ice cubes for a pretty addition to lemonade this summer? In the end I was undecided and dried them off, put them in a sterile jar and covered them with honey. They're happily tucked away, ready to sweeten a cup of hot tea, sweeten a recipe, or simply top some fresh fruit for dessert.
Any suggestions? Any favorite violet flavor combinations? Have some violets of your own? C'mon and try them with me!
Renee Garner has a passion to make things grow, although her brownish thumb wants her to believe otherwise. When mud pies aren't on the menu, you can find her doodling the days away at Wolfie and the Sneak.
