Easter Sunday evening, Kitchen Intern & husband had popped by for a drink. Sitting under the gloriously blooming pink dogwood, they couldn’t help but notice our yard was a carpet of violets in bloom. They inquired if I was going to do anything with them – like make violet jelly. The idea had not occurred to me, but later in the week, Pat mentioned he needed to mow soon, so if I was going to pick those violets, I needed to get on it.
I had a few deadlines looming as well as a to-do list the length of my arm, so of course I decided that yes, violet jelly was exactly what I needed to do with myself. While I spent time crawling around the front yard on my hands and knees harvesting violets, Brian came over to keep me company. Which reminds me, I owe him a jar.
I wish I could say the jelly was amazing. Cooking with Flowers, a cookbook I got last year, had a pretty basic recipe for flower jelly. It called for four cups of sugar to two cups of liquid. I just can’t do overly sweet anymore and I knew four cups of sugar would make my teeth hurt. I found this recipe that reduced the amount of sugar by half, so I decided to try my hand at making the jelly with just two cups of sugar to two cups of liquid.
The resulting jam is incredibly beautiful to look at. I did not strain the foam off as you can see and I can’t say the flavor is anything to write home about. I may have used too much pectin, but hey, I got it to set! That right there is something considering the years of bad jam I have subjected my family and friends to.
And the jam is so pretty. Sometimes, that’s all that matters. I mean, who doesn’t like to eat pretty food? Isn’t that what food porn is all about?
I shall keep a jar until next winter when we are snowed in and then I will pull it out as a reminder that spring does come, even when you think it’s never, ever going to come again.
Chicken Wire & Paper Flowers 
How incredible to have that beautiful pink dogwood in your yard! Violet jelly, I never would have thought of that! It is pretty even if it doesn’t suit your taste buds!
I’ve had it before, but I’ve never made it. It doesn’t have much of a flavor, it’s just sweet. I may have used too much pectin. It is pretty though!
On Tue, Apr 29, 2014 at 8:58 AM, Chicken Wire & Paper Flowers wrote:
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What a coincidence! I had a gf who used to make violet syrup. I’m not sure what other uses it had but she used to make yummy cocktails, with dark rum. And when she added lemon juice the chemical reaction would turn the drinks pink as that dogwood in the photo there. Fun times!
I have recipes for that too! It’s used for cocktails, in place of maple syrup or to make rock candy!
I love the idea of violet jelly –we also have a field of violets in a part of our property, and I love the idea of preserving that somehow.
I’m also making violet sugar. There are plenty of ways to preserve them!
I pinned your pin to the recipe. It looks lovely and I’d like to make it, but I don’t think I have access to any violets that haven’t been peed on by dogs. (I’d also really like to make candied violets someday.)
Our yard is covered and thanks to the rain, isn’t getting mowed anytime soon. Feel free to come over & pick! I know the yard just behind the house is practically a carpet of them!