To be such a small blossom, violets seem to be awfully polarizing. I love them!
Others call them vicious names like “WEED”! Hopefully, this post will change the minds of those haters! 😉
Our yard hosts four different varieties of violets. Two are purple, light and dark, along with one that is swirled and sort of gray. We even have one that is yellow!
In Arkansas, the State Butterfly is the female Diana Fritillary, whose host plant happens to be violets. Blooming in early Spring I think they make a beautiful ground cover for tulips. Are you loving them yet? Do you know they are edible? To me they taste sort of like a blend of berries mixed with a few grapes.
Here is my fun little recipe for Violet Freezer Jam, sure to heal any winter blues! 😉 It is a blur of two recipes.
I made JIM LONG’S RECIPE FOR VIOLET JAM a couple of years ago and I recently posted a review of COOKING WITH FLOWERS. One recipe suggests placing the violets in a blender while the other one suggests making a strong tea with them. I did both! 😉
Violet Freezer Jam
2 1/2 cups Violet Blossoms, no stems (rinsed and loosely packed)
Juice from 1 Lemon
1 cup Violet Lemon Balm Tea
4 cups sugar
1 box 1.75 ounces Fruit Pectin
First, prepare the tea so it can steep. Place 1/2 cup Violets and 1 cup Lemon Balm leaves in a glass container, pour just over 1 cup boiling water on top of them and cover. Let steep at least 20 minutes. The longer it steeps, the stronger the tea will be. Strain to make 1 cup. You may need to press the leaves to get enough liquid.
In a blender combine 2 cups Violets, Lemon Juice and Violet Lemon Balm Tea. Process until smooth. Pour contents of blender into a medium saucepan along with the sugar and pectin. Stir constantly until mixture begins to boil. Boil for 1 minute. Skim any foam. Pour into small, clean jars. This is a freezer jam. Let cool and then store in your freezer.
(You can see I was impatient and took photos before it was set!)
Isn’t it a beautiful color? I would describe the flavor as herbal lemon berry.
Please tell me. What do you love about violets?
😉 -Marci
