Charm of the Carolines

Wild Violet Blossom Jelly Recipe

PHOTO CREDIT: Scott Smith

Wild Violet Blossom Jelly

• 3 cups boiling water
• 1 package (1-3/4 ounces) powdered fruit pectin
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup homemade Wild Violet Syrup (recipe here)

Pour all ingredients into a large and tall stainless steel saucepan; bring to a rolling boil and stir constantly. Boil 1 minute. Remove from the heat and skim off any foam. Ladle hot liquid into sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. air between the top of the liquid and the sterilzed lids. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and allow to cool. No need to put through the canning process. The sugar content will prevent it from spoiling. 

Wild Violets Syrup

Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it. ~ Mark Twain

Yesterday was a Goldilocks kind of day. Middle Tennessee has experienced chilly, rainy weather for the past week, we were beginning to think spring would never come. Then yesterday, it' poked its head in the door and hollered, "Howdy!" like an unexpected, beloved visit from a long lost friend. 

My dear friend Scott Smith spent the afternoon at Cross Bridges collecting a basket full of wild violet blooms to make Wild Violet Blossom Syrup. 

Wild Violet Blossom Syrup

(Only pick flowers from chemical-free woods or lawns. This includes fenced-in yards like my own where a host of dogs have lived for the past decade. Just saying.)

• 2 cup wild violet petals, cleaned and ALL greenery removed 
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon, optional (turns blue syrup to purple and brightens flavor)

Remove all of the green, stalks and leaves from the violets and put the flowers into a
non-reactive glass or metal pan or in the top of a double boiler. (no aluminum).

Pour the boiling water over the flowers, cover with a lid or dishtowel and allow to infuse for 24 hours.

After infusion, add the sugar to the water and violets mixture. Bring the water in the bottom of
the double boiler to a boil and keep stirring the violet mixture until the sugar has
completely dissolved. Keep the water at a rolling, but gentle boil. If you don’t have a
double boiler, make your own by placing the sauce pan on top of larger pan with water underneath or place pan directly on the heat, but keep the heat very, very low. If you put the pan directly on the heat and allow it to get too warm, you'll lose that beautiful blue/purple color. 

Strain violets after the sugar is dissolved and cooled, bottle the violet syrup in a sterilized bottle and keep in the refridgerator for up to
6 months.

Use in cakes, cookies, pancakes, icings, butter creams, ice creams,  beverages, and cocktails. 

DO NOT use blooms from the houseplant African Violet which are not edible. 

Aviation Cocktail

• 2 ounces gin
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ ounce homemade violet syrup 
• ½ ounce maraschino syrup

Add to cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds, strain into cocktail glass of choice, garnish with fresh violets, lemon peel spirals,cherries. 

 

PHOTO CREDIT:  Kari Elizabeth

Blue Moon

Same recipe as above, but leave off maraschino syrup and strain into a stemmed cocktail glass. 

Bonny Boy cocktail

1 ½ oz. vodka

1/2 oz. malört

1/4 oz tequila 

¾ oz.  dry vermouth

Add to cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds, strain into Martini glass. Garnish with lemon peel spirals.

Violette Royale

• 4 oz Champagne
• 1/2 ounce Violet Syrup

Pour syrup into bottom of champagne glass, add chilled champagne, apply some Violet-scented moisturizing cream

and put on some "Violet" music

or read a Violet Carlyle historical mystery. 

Don't forget to save a few, fresh violet blossoms to add a gorgeous new color to your tossed salad.

Enjoy the blossoms of spring!

PHOTO CREDIT for Cross Bridges pics: Scott Smith

PHOTO CREDIT: for cocktail:  Kari Elizabeth

Remainder are promotional photos from Amazon.

In some bullet points I may link to more information, related news, or to a product on Amazon.
As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
Originally the account was created years ago to benefit "Happy Tails" animal rescue,
but now it benefits my pack of rescue dogs and assorted fosters at Windy Acre Cottage.
Thank you!

Hard Freeze and Frost Protection for your Garden

In graduate school I had a "Graduate Assistantship" whereby I worked 20 hours a week in the International Student Services office and was paid minimum wage, however all of my tuition was waived. It was worth it!  Not only did I take the required courses for an MBA, but I also took German, Vegetable Gardening, and a variety of other fun classes. Furthermore I worked for Handicapped Student Services taking notes for two students, one a quadriplegic junior and the other visually impaired freshman. So not only did I have my classes, but I sat in their classes taking notes. I love classes. I love to learn. It was a fun gig.

In Vegetable Gardening I learned that a tomato is biologically a fruit but legally a veggie. Who knew?  I also learned that in middle Tennessee April 15 is the 50% mark for a hard freeze. Meaning you have a 50% chance of frost after this date. April 16 is a 40% chance of having a frost after this date. Just to be on the safe side, I would never plant my annual garden before May 1, and I have planted as late as June 1. But that is the annual garden. The perennial garden is another story. 

Some years spring comes early to middle Tennessee. Last year on January 31 I painted en plein air at Andrew Jackson's Hermitage, and it was sunny and 70*.  This year in February we enjoyed many days in the 70* range and one day hit 80*.  However tonight, March 7, temperatures are predicted to dip into the 20*s, and we are expecting flurries. Many of my perennials are already showing tender shoots. And there is no guarantee, but in order to give them a fighting chance I'll cover most of them. 

Soft woods, actively blooming plants, and potted plants are the most susceptible to frost damage. It's best just to bring the potted plants indoors. For those planted in the ground, it's best to use natural fabrics like cotton or linen or even newspaper as a covering to protect plants from frost. Do not use plastic bags or plastic tarp. Plastic can hold the moisture in that will freeze and ruin your budding plants. 

Fabric coverings will allow moisture to escape but will still protect plants from frost by preventing the freezing air from coming into direct contact with the moisture. Bed sheets work well for covering large plants and shrubs.

 

I had to use a sheet on the cluster of Quince, tulips, and peonies. 

Old tea towels or hand towels work well on small, young sprouts. Newspaper can be used on low-growing foliage, but won’t stay on top of larger plants well. In fact, if wind is in the forecast, newspaper doesn't work well at all. You have to put towels on top to keep them from blowing away. Just use the towels, and for extra protection against the wind, I put these little wire border fence sections around the plants and tuck the towels.

 

I use tea towels on the peony spouts. 

   
I use old T-Shirts to cover the small lilac bush and the rose bush I cut back drastically last fall.  If the threat of frost is prolonged and temperatures remain low during the day, I leave the fabric covering on for several days. Just be sure to cover your plants before sunset.

     
I didn't cover the daffodils because they are pretty hardy. I didn't cover the lilies, iris, azaleas or the plum trees because they are not blooming yet. I also didn't cover the mature roses, figs, or hydrangeas. They've weathered foul weather for years without regret. But I'll say a little prayer for them anyway, and give thanks there is no such thing as a Sou'easter. 

Help me keep our New England friends close in thought and prayer this evening as they have more to worry about than a frost-damaged peony. 

Today's Harvest

Loving the turn into mid-summer. Produce beginning to come in. Harvesting fresh fruit and veggies daily.

Vintage Belle Jewelry

I found the most charming blog while looking for a vendor for Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangeas, Vintage Belle Jewelry. The blog supports their handmade jewelry made from silver and broken fine china. I love it, and have already pinned a photo of one of their bracelets for Santa's list.

 

I can't wait to read each and every post, but I found one that caught my eye immediately and wanted to share part of it here. The blog post is on the 50 State Flowers and their meanings.

Here is an excerpt....

Tennessee: Iris – The Legislature in 1933 designated the Iris as the state flower of Tennessee. Iris flowers occur in purple or white and are native to central and southern Europe. They are brilliant spring flowers and are well-loved garden plants. The flower symbolism associated with the iris is faith, wisdom, cherished friendship, hope, valour, my compliments, promise in love, wisdom.

Flowers? China? Jewery?  Add an Etiquette book and I'll be hooked!! Love Vintage Belle!

Oh, in case you've never seen Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangeas....

 

Drool.....