its may day + i'm ready to share my violet experiences of spring. oh what a fragrant flower full of flavor, popping up all over my yard. in the violaceae family, flower and leaves are quite edible and nutricious. it was so lovely to sit with a patch, enjoying the flower medicine.
i had to really ponder on what to create first, at the time i was unaware of the abundance about to unfold. so i went with a violet honey, because i love tea. flower honeys are very easy to create, simply place the flowers in the honey to infuse over time. giving a good stir when you are getting some out of the jar. i don't mind little flowers floating around in my tea. so i don't strain the flowers out, i'm sure you could though. sounds messy to me. the smell of the honey is wonderful, it gives the honey a nice flavor too. i generally like to let things infuse for at least a full lunar cycle, more preferably. but i've been dipping into the honey. fill a jar half full with flowers of choice, make sure they are edible of course. top with honey, local is always best.
in all of the recipes i used both flowers and leaves. violet leaves are very nourishing, they aid in the functioning of our nerves, lungs, immune and reproductive systems. so adding them to salads is a fabulous thing to do.
the flowers also make the most delightful salad vinegar. in fact that is what i use as dressing 2 tablespoons good quality olive oil, and 1 or 2 tablespoons vinegar that i've made, and a nice cheese. feta, blue, or parmesan. making the vinegar is easy and rewarding. fill a glass jar halfway full with flowers top with apple cider vinegar, cover with a breathable cloth. it will turn a beautiful color within a day or two, and have a wonderful flavor soon after.
the vinegar on the left has only been infusing for about a week, its so so good. speaking of good we had a little brewed in good cheer while making spring rolls.
spring rolls go together quite quickly, and what you put in them is completely up to you.
i used what was in the fridge and growing outside. grated carrots, julienne cukes, fresh basil, dandelion greens, violet leaf + flowers, and brown rice (cooked in bone broth) you can purchase the spring roll skins at a specialty food or health food store. they carry them at heavens peak organics. dip a skin in warm water, i like to put the water in a pie dish. 10 seconds is about good enough, if they get too wet they will rip apart before you roll them up. lie flat fill with the goods, and fold both left and right sides in. flip bottom up over the goods, and roll.
best dinner ever, the dipping sauce recipe is
1/4 cup peanut butter (tahini or almond butter)
1/4 cup maple syrup (honey)
2 T soy sauce
2 T fresh lime juice
1 T champagne vinegar (wine or rice vinegar would work)
2 cloves minced garlic (ginger)
i put some substitutions in there, because really you can use whatever you have on hand, no need to run out and purchase all these things if you don't use them often. try this dinner you won't be disappointed. i did also dry a few leaves and flowers for future teas. the last little violet project was an infused oil. i love to infuse all sorts of things in oil, for balms, creams, and soapmaking. not sure yet what it will be, but its obtaining the plant medicine right now through solar infusion. fill a jar mostly full with violets and cover with oil of choice. olive, avocado, almond, or jojoba are all nice for infusions. i went with avocado oil, because it works well in massage oils + butters. stay tuned could be a limited item.
after the oil is in the jar, cover with a breathable cloth and place in a window for at least a lunar cycle. check it every few days or so to make sure its not molding on top. you can stir it as well. i have had such a wonderful spring thus far, and i look forward to a lifetime relationship with violets. green blessings are everywhere. if you have a tale of violets leave a comment, i'd love to hear. stay in touch at my website simplyjosephine.com by subscribing or visiting the shop. have a happy happy spring, namaste
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