Violet Recipes

Violet leaves and flowers are edible, and rich in vitamin A and C. They can be mixed into salads or used as tea. Their medicinal purpose is to induce sleep, and they are said to "Comfort and strengthen the heart."

Sugared Violets are a "Message of Love". Cook 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup water and dash of cream of tartar. Stir until sugar grains. Dip fresh violet blossoms (without stems) and dry on platter.

Violet Jelly: Cook violet flowers in boiling water. Strain; add sugar, pectin and juice from 1/2 lemon. Simmer until it jells.

Violet Syrup: Cover violet blossoms with water. Let stand for 2 days and strain. Cook with honey and juice of lemon. Bring to boil and put into jars and seal. Good for coughs and colds.

Greens: Wash and cut up leaves of blue violets. Cook with a little water 12 minutes. Serve with butter. Or cook with bacon bits or mix leaves with dandelion greens, milkweed shoots and top with bacon and hard-boiled eggs.

VIOLET JELLY

2 c. violet blossoms (no stems)
1 lemon
1 pkg. powdered pectin
4 c. sugar

Snap off heads of violets; discard stems. Place blossoms in shallow bowl for 1/2 hour (insects will leave).
Rinse blossoms in cold water. Put blossoms in quart jar and cover with boiling water. Put on lid and let infuse for 24 hours. Next day, it will look awful, like bits of lettuce floating in blue dye (but never fear). Strain out blossoms. To 2 cups of the infusion, add the juice of 1 lemon and 1 package pectin. Watch the color come back! Bring to a boil; add 4 cups of sugar and bring to a hard boil again for 1 minute. Pour into glasses and seal.

VIOLET JELLY 2

Around the first of May, pick about a quart of violets (Johnny Jump Ups), just the heads, not the stems. Pack your jar good and full. The more flowers, the better the flavor. Look violets over for any hitchhiking bugs; then put violets back in jar and cover with boiling water. Place lid on the jar and let them steep overnight. Next day, strain out the wilted blooms. At this point, the liquid will be a murky blue, not very appetizing, but wait! Measure two cups of the "juice", stir in one box of Sure-Jell and the juice of one lemon. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add four cups of sugar and boil hard one minute. (Don't cook it too long or your jelly will be bubbly.) Pour into jars and seal.

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