Lilac Syrup
Makes 1 cup
​
1 cup lilac flowers-newly opened for best fragrance
½ cup sugar
½  cup water
2 blue berries-added for color

1. Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the sugar melts.  Remove the pan from the heat and add the flowers and blueberries, gently stirring to immerse the flowers. Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature. 
2. Strain the syrup, pressing on the flowers to extract as much liquid as possible. The syrup can be refrigerated 2-3 weeks or frozen for later use.

 
Uses:
Lemonade, iced tea, cocktails, drizzle over yogurt, ice cream, and cake.

Lilac Bees Knees
Makes 1 cocktail

2 ounces gin-Beefeater's or other non-botanical gin. Too much flavor in the gin will overpower the lilac
3/4 ounces lemon juice
3/4 ounce lilac syrup
5 ice cubes

Place all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake until the shaker is frosted, about 20 seconds. 
Strain into a coupe glass and serve with a lemon wheel or a few lilac flowers as garnish. Or, pour the cocktail and ice into a rocks glass. Garnish and serve. 

Forsythia is the first edible flower blooming in my garden. It's bright yellow blooms create the most beautiful syrup. I use the syrup in cocktails and drizzled over berries and Greek yogurt. 

Makes 1 cup

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cup forsythia blossoms

1. Combine the sugar and water in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. 
2. Turn off the heat and add the forsythia flowers. Cool to room temperature. Strain and discard the flowers.
3. Add to a drink to taste or use in a cocktail.
4. Store your syrup in the refrigerator in a covered jar or squeeze bottle. Store for up to 2 weeks. 

Variations: Prepare as above using different herbs 

• Basil syrup- 1/2 cup basil leaves
• Lavender syrup- 1 tablespoon lavender petals (not leaves)
• Chamomile syrup- 1 cup of chamomile flowers-use flowers that have just opened 
• Rosemary syrup- 1 tablespoon leaves
• Lemon verbena syrup- 1/2 cup leaves
• Cilantro syrup- 1 cup leaves and stems
• Lilac syrup- 2 cups flowers-use flowers that have just opened 

Makes 10-12 summer rolls
​ 
1 cup white vinegar, rice vinegar, or red wine vinegar
⅓ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon loose leaf hibiscus tea (or 2 tea bags). See other tea options below.
1 package 8½ inch spring roll wrappers
4 ounces thin rice noodles or 1 package Shirataki noodles (rinsed well and drained)
2 cups shredded carrots
2 cups shaved red cabbage
2 cups thinly sliced snow peas
3 chopped scallions
¼ cup roughly chopped mint leaves
15 thinly sliced basil leaves (Thai basil or sweet basil)
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 cup edible flower petals (rose, violet, calendula, chive, pansy)
 
To prepare the dipping sauce:
Combine the vinegar, sugar, and crushed red pepper in a saucepan and bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugar, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the tea leaves. Steep for 5 minutes then strain the tea leaves from the sauce and set aside to cool. 

Prepare the noodles according to the package and run under cold water to cool. Combine the noodles, vegetables, herbs and flower petals in a bowl and toss gently.
 
To assemble the summer rolls you will need to soften the rice papers.

1. Pour 1 cup of cool water into a pie plate. Place one rice paper into the water until it is soft and pliable, about 30 seconds. Move the softened rice paper onto a clean cutting board.
2. Place a handful of the noodle/vegetable filling onto the center of the rice paper. Lift the edge of the wrapper closest to you over the top of the filling. Fold up each side and then roll into a tight log. Set aside and repeat to prepare remaining summer rolls. Serve with dipping sauce on the side. Store the summer rolls in a dish or , cover with a slightly damp paper towel and refrigerate until serving.
3. Store the summer rolls in a dish or plastic container that’s roomy enough to hold them without their touching. Place a damp paper towel in the bottom of the container to keep the rolls moist. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.

Variations:

• Tea options: jasmine, lemon, chai. 
  
• Any combination of shredded vegetables and leafy greens can be used. I like shredded zucchini, raw shredded beets, pea tendrils, sprouts etc.
• Shredded chicken, smoked turkey, or cooked shrimp can be added. 

Enjoy these herb syrups in lemonade, limeade, cocktails, coffee drinks, tea, drizzled over fruit, and cakes.

1 cup sugar (honey can be used instead of sugar)
1 cup water
1 cup mint

1. Combine the sugar and water in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. 
2. Turn off the heat and add the mint leaves. Cool to room temperature. Strain and discard the mint leaves.
3. Add to a drink to taste.
4. Store your syrup in the refrigerator in a covered jar or squeeze bottle. Store for up to 2 weeks. 

Variations: Prepare as above using different herbs 

• Basil syrup- 1/2 cup basil leaves
• Lavender syrup- 1 tablespoon lavender petals (not leaves)
• Chamomile syrup- 1 cup of chamomile flowers-use flowers that have just opened 
• Rosemary syrup- 1 tablespoon leaves
• Lemon verbena syrup- 1/2 cup leaves
• Cilantro syrup- 1 cup leaves and stems
• Lilac syrup- 2 cups flowers-use flowers that have just opened 

This recipe is featured in my cookbook "Beautifully Delicious-Cooking with Herbs, and Edible Flowers". 
Make dessert or breakfast special with these beautiful crepes. Delicate and light, they provide the perfect landing place for fresh fruit, sweetened yogurt, and honey. I use pansy, calendula, violet, rose, bachelor button, and dianthus petals.  

Makes 8 crepes 
 
⅔ cup milk
⅔ cup water
3 eggs
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons additional melted butter (for the pan)
1 cup edible flower petals 

Fresh fruit or fruit jam

1. Place milk, water, eggs, and melted butter in a blender and mix until smooth. Add the flour and salt to the blender and mix, scraping down the sides of the jar as needed. The batter will be thin.
2. Heat an 8-inch crepe pan or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, brush very lightly with melted butter. Pour ¼ cup of batter into the pan while tilting it to cover the surface with the batter. If using a 10-inch pan, prepare crepes with 1/3 cup of batter.
3. Sprinkle the batter with flower petals and place whole flowers face up. Cook for 30-45 seconds. Turn crepe over and cook another 30 seconds. Remove the crepe and place on a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining batter. Cooled crepes can be stacked if needed.
4. Fill crepes with jam, sweetened ricotta, chocolate sauce, or fruit. You can drizzle with maple syrup, honey, or other sauce.

 
Variation
 
Herb Crepes with Lemon Yogurt Cream      
Replace the edible flowers with freshly chopped herbs and cook crepes as above. Dill with savory ricotta, cheese, or other savory filling. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Herb options: parsley, chive, basil, dill, tarragon, and cilantro. Add smoked salmon or smoked trout to your crepe for a special brunch dish.

Serves 4
​1 lb cucumbers, peeled, seeds scooped out, and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 small handful mint leaves, roughly chopped
3 scallions, sliced on the diagonal into long, thin slices
1 Kosher or sea salt & lots of freshly cracked pepper
¼  cup white wine vinegar
¼  cup walnuts, almonds, or pecans, lightly toasted
½  cup yogurt, plain-whole fat
1 tiny handful rose petals
½  tsp rose water
 
1.Place the cucumber slices into a colander or strainer and toss with 1 teaspoon of salt. Let sit for 30 minutes to allow the salt to draw out the excess moisture. Blot the cucumbers dry with a paper towel. Transfer to a large bowl.
2.Mix the rose water and vinegar together, add to the cucumbers and toss. Add the yogurt and toss again. Add the scallions, nuts, mint, and cracked pepper and toss again. Taste and adjust with more vinegar, salt, or pepper.  Serve soon.

​Serves 6
¾ cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 small seedless watermelon
1 pint cherry tomatoes (assorted colors)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced red onion or scallions
2 tablespoons chopped mint
2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Pepper, freshly ground
½ cup feta cheese 
½ cup assorted edible flower petals (nasturtium, calendula, garlic, chive, cherry tomato, cucumber)

1. To create the glaze, bring the balsamic vinegar and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the vinegar is reduced and syrupy, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool. *You can purchase a balsamic glaze if you prefer.

 

1. Remove the rind from the watermelon and slice into 1 ½- inch thick slices. Cut disks from the watermelon slices using a 2 ½- inch cookie cutter. Save the leftover melon for nibbling.
   
   
2. Slice the tomatoes in half from top to bottom. Cut the feta into tiny cubes and set aside for garnish. Combine the sliced tomatoes, onion, herbs, and olive oil in a bowl and toss gently with salt and pepper to taste.  
   ______________________________________________

To serve as a plated appetizer:
Place a watermelon disk on each plate. Evenly distribute the tomato and herb mixture onto the top of each watermelon disk and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Finish with a sprinkling of feta and flower petals.
 
To serve as a salad:
Remove the rind from the watermelon. Cut the watermelon into 1 inch cubes. Place 4 cups of watermelon into a large bowl. Combine with the tomatoes, slice onions, and herbs. Toss gently with 2-3 tablespoons of the balsamic glaze and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Finish with flower petals and feta. Serve.    

Anyone can make these pretty little canapés. Will it help you to think of them as little open-faced sandwiches? That is really what they are. They are little sandwiches prettied up. There are a few tips I want to share to help you enjoy the preparation and the decorating of these tasty treats.

Tips:

1. Bread-I like Pepperidge Farms white or wheat bread-the thinnest they make. In general, I use thinly sliced breads. I stay away from breads that are dry and crumbly, and I don't find those little rye breads very tasty. I do like crackers that don't break apart with the first bite-too crispy is not good.
   
2. To keep your canapés bread or cracker from getting soggy the first layer should be some type of fat. Cream cheese, butter, hard or soft cheese-any high fat, spreadable condiment should be fine (not oil). The fat acts as a barrier between the bread/cracker and a water containing ingredient.
3. Decide if your flavor will come from the spread or the toppings. Canapés are a small bite and the flavor is a big factor. If you want the spread to provide the main flavor, you can season the spread with herbs, spices, citrus, or anything you would like. I like pesto, olive tampanade, and other spreads. If the toppings add the flavor, keep your spread simple, but of good quality. Plain salted butter or cream cheese are excellent choices. 
4. Toppings should be thinly sliced and easy to bite. 
5. Garnishes of herbs and edible flowers should be fresh and dry.
6. Design with color and texture. Think of each canapés as a blank canvas and you are the painter.
7. If preparing ahead of time, store in the refrigerator with a lightly dampened paper towel sitting directly on the canapés. Cover that with plastic wrap loosely wrapped on top or in a covered container. Preparation can be done 2-3 hours ahead.

Ingredients from the photos above:
Cream cheese, radishes, dill flowers, bachelor button petals, chamomile flowers, Thai basil flowers, dill, borage flowers, marigold petals.

Serves 4
3 black plums, pitted and thinly sliced
Cucumber-about 2 cups thinly sliced (peeled or unpeeled)
¼ cup parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped mint
2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons rosewater-to taste (1/4 tsp rose extract-adjust to taste)
¼ cup fresh rose petals for garnish
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
 

1. Combine the plums, cucumber, parsley, and mint, in a bowl. 
2. In a small jar combine the oil, vinegar, and rosewater and shake to combine.
3. Toss the salad with the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls with the rose petals.

This is the week to make your lilac syrup. You want to be sure to use flowers that are newly open. If you don't have time to make your syrup; while the flowers are their best, cut your stems and put them in water and store them in the refrigerator for upto 4 days. This help to keep the flowers from opening more and baking in the sun. Make plenty of syrup and store it in 4oz containers in the freezer. You'll have lilac syrup for months to come.

1 cup (packed) lilac flowers-newly opened for best fragrance
½ cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 blue berries for color


Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the sugar melts.  Remove the pan from the heat and add the flowers and blueberries, gently press the flowers  to immerse them. Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature.

Strain the syrup, pressing on the flowers to extract as much syrup as possible. Store in a covered container. The syrup can be refrigerated 2-3 weeks or frozen for later use.
 
Uses:
Lemonade, iced tea, cocktails, drizzle over yogurt, ice cream, and cake.

2 oz lilac syrup
juice of one large lemon
seltzer or soda
Ice

Combine the lilac syrup and lemon juice in a tall glass with ice. Add seltzer to taste. Enjoy!

Cocktail Ideas: Add 2 ounces of gin or vodka for a tasty cocktail!

Nigella Lawson is still the queen of food television for me. Her recipes are wonderful and her style is sexy as hell! I've discovered her website and so should you. www.nigellalawson.com 
This ice cream recipe is amazingly easy and so delicious! No more store bought ice cream for me. You may feel the same way too.

1 1/4 cups heavy cream, well-chilled
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (1/2 of a 14 ounce can)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste or 1/2 teaspoon rose water

1. Whisk all the ingredients together just until the whisk leaves trails of soft peaks in the bowl. 
2. Fill two 1-pint airtight containers, and freeze for 6 hours or overnight. Serve straight from the freezer.

Variations:

• To add a fruit swirl, gently swirl 1/3 cup of a fruit puree into the soft peaks then fill your containers and freeze. I use my Blueberry Sauce or 1/3 cup of raspberry puree made from fresh or frozen raspberries that I have thawed and crushed.
• Instead of pureed fruit, you can add 1/4 cup freeze dried fruit powder.
• To add fresh fruit, chop 1 cup of fruit into small pieces and add to whipped ice cream base.
• To flavor heavy cream with herbs:
  
  • Heat the heavy cream to a simmer, add 1-2 teaspoons of an herb and remove the pan from the stove. Let the cream cool to room temperature. Strain out the herb. Refrigerate the cream for 2 hours (needs to be very cold to whip properly). Add the cream as written above. Lavender, rosemary, mint, thyme, basil, lemon verbena, anise hyssop, and sage are all delicious. 
    

1 1/4     cups heavy cream, well-chilled
2/3       cup sweetened condensed milk
2          tablespoons instant espresso powder
2          tablespoons espresso liqueur

1. Whisk all the ingredients together just until the whisk leaves trails of soft peaks in the bowl, and you have a gorgeous, caffe-latte-colored airy mixture. 
2. Fill two 1-pint airtight containers, and freeze for 6 hours or overnight. Serve straight from the freezer.

 
Variations: 
Go to Nigella Lawson’s website for 6 variations for her One-Step, No-Churn Ice Cream
 https://www.nigella.com/recipes/no-churn-ice-creams

I was inspired this week to create a few things using the edible flowers I had been drying throughout the summer. I was inspired by Loria Stern's Instagram posts of her beautiful flower cookies. She opened my eyes and my imagination to new floral ingredients and edible ideas. 
I went into my storage of bee balm, calendula, blue bachelor buttons, chive blossoms, and lavender. Here are some photos of a recreated "Confetti Cake" from my cookbook "Beautifully Delicious", flowered shortbread cookies, and homemade ricotta with my Herbes Salee and chive blossoms. I've also included some photos of my drying racks. 

I served this punch at my recent garden tour and so many of you asked for the recipe.  

Serves 8
2 cups cranberry juice (unsweetened if possible)
¼ cup frozen limeade
1 tsp. rose water or to taste
4 cups seltzer(or to taste)
Ice
Rose Petals for garnish
(use only petals that are not treated with pesticides)

1. Combine cranberry juice, limeade, and rose water. 
2. Just before serving add the seltzer.  Finish with rose petals and ice. 

 
Enough for a party:
​1 1/2 gallon:
32 ounces cranberry or pomagranate juice (unsweetened)
1 can frozen limeade
2 liter seltzer
2-3 tablespoons rose water (to taste)
1 5-pound bag of ice.  

Serves 8

2 quarts water
1 cup pearl barley
1 Tbs dried lavender*
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 Tbs honey, or to taste


1.    Place water in a heavy pot with the barley and bring to a boil. 
2.    Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
3.    After 30 minutes turn off the heat.  Add the lavender and steep for 5 minutes. 
4.    Strain the barley tea into a container and set barley aside for use in a salad.
5.    Mix in the lemon juice and honey, stirring well.  Let the lemonade cool and refrigerate until chilled.  Serve well chilled over ice.

Notes:
·         Any flavored loose leafed tea may be substituted.
·         Use frozen lemonade if you’d like instead of the lemon juice and honey.
·         Add soda water for a refreshing fizz.
·         Use cooked barley for breakfast, a grain and vegetable salad, or as a substitute for cooked rice.

Edible flowers were on the menu for my program at the Winthrop MA Public Library last night.  A great crowd of 40 attended my program "Cooking and Gardening with Edible Flowers".  I shared a slide presentation of my gardens and then prepared two recipes cooked and garnished with edible flowers.  The Herbs Salad with Edible Flowers was a hit.  Sadly, I didn't take a picture of the finished dish but take my word for it, it was beautiful.  Garnished with hibiscus, daylilies, petunias, marigolds, bee balm, garlic chive, and bachelor buttons it was an eye full!  Below are the recipes from the class (Herb Salad with Edible Flowers, Lavender Barley Salad) along with some photos from my slide presentation.

Serves 6

1 cup uncooked pearl barley
*6 cups water (if you are planning to make Lavendar Barley Lemonade, cook the barley in 12 cups of water.  See recipe below for further instructions)
1 tsp Lavender flowers (source: Bulk Apothocary)
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs red onion, minced
½ lb Petite peas, frozen and then thawed
1 lemon, zested
¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Assorted edible flower petals for garnish (bachelor buttons, pansies, garlic chive)

1.    Bring the water to a boil in a large sauce pan.  Add the barley and return the water to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the barley is tender, about 30-40 minutes. 

2.    Turn the heat off and add the lavender and let steep for 5 minutes.
Strain the cooked barley ( save water for iced barley water if you like).  Run the barley under cold water to cool down. Set aside in a large bowl.

3.    Add the olive oil, onion, thawed peas, lemon zest, parsley, and feta cheese to the cooled barley.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Serves 6-8
 
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cups mixed baby salad greens
2 cups baby arugula greens
2 cups red cabbage, shaved thinly
2 tablespoons fresh red onion, diced
1 cup assorted fresh herbs
1 cup assorted edible flowers
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
 
 
1. Whisk together the balsamic vinegar and the olive oil and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and toss the salad with the vinaigrette.  Season with salt and pepper.   Serve immediately.
 
Herbs: dill, mint, flat leafed parsley, cilantro, purslane, nasturtium leaves, salad burnett
 
Edible Flower Petals: nasturtium, pansy, calendula, bachelor button, tulip, hibiscus, daylily, rose, chive