Infusion:  bring 6 – 8 oz. of water to just under a boil.  Turn the water off and remove from heat source for thirty seconds.  Then pour into a cup with ¼ teaspoon of dried, or 1 large teaspoon of fresh herb. Cover and steep 6 minutes. Strain and drink.

For road warriors who find the road a little too lonely and make an alcoholic beverage their best friend, consider drinking a cup of Violet flower infusion first thing in the morning; it’s a hangover’s best friend.

Violet has a way of balancing the body with the mind in a rather Zen fashion – just take a moment to really study a Violet flower and be mesmerized by it’s beauty of simplicity.

CURATIVE

Got an ugly bruise?  Take some fresh Violet flowers and leaves and place them in a mortar. (photo 1)

Center the pestle in the middle of the mortar and rotate the pestle clockwise, using firm pressure against the side of the bowl of the mortar.  (photo 2)  A few turns of the pestle and you’ll have a “bruised mixture”, which releases the active properties of the plant.

Turn out the mixture onto clean cheesecloth (photo 3) that’s long enough to wrap around your bruise.  Leave on the bruise for one hour.  This procedure can safely be repeated up to four times a day – or leave on overnight for a significant reduction in the black & blueness. 

This compress is especially helpful if your injuries are:  a sprained ankle, hit your thigh on a sharp corner of your desk, or stubbed your toe in the same place you always do on your bed frame.

Got a sore throat?  Infuse 1 teaspoon of dried or 4 teaspoons of fresh flowers and leaves in 6 oz. of water, let cool to lukewarm temperature, strain and gargle away.

 Alert:  Sipping an infusion of only Violet leaves may result in expectorant action (clears the respiratory system). 

Gathered Violet Leaves

Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Heartease

 

 COSMETIC- A gentle astringent. 

Is daily stress wreaking havoc with your skin? Place 4 tablespoons of dried Violet leaves and flowers into a sterile jar with a tight fitting lid and add 6 tablespoons of vodka.  Keep in a dark place for two weeks.

After two weeks, strain (use an unbleached coffee filter and a funnel) and add 12 drops of glycerin and 3 tablespoons of good quality witch hazel. 

Keep in the refrigerator for a refreshing treat to your skin.  Apply with a sterile cotton ball.

 CULINARY

Presentation is everything.  Now you can be the envy of all your friends by placing candied Violet flowers on top of cakes, floating them on top of strawberry soup or sprinkling them on your prized peach shortcake.  Perfectly edible,  these colourful garnishes always elicit ooohhs and ahhhhhs.  And so easy to do!

To candy:  pick fresh perfect flowers and quickly dip them in a bowl of cool water.  Using tweezers to pick one flower up out of the water and using a tiny spoon sprinkle extra-fine sugar to coat them, then place on a sheet of waxed paper to dry (at least 24 hours).  Once dry they can be safely stored in a tin for keeping.  (They must be fully dry or else they will mildew and mold). 

Alert:  I always have used an organic egg white to coat my flowers instead of water.  And I have used a small artist brush to apply the organic egg white to the petals of the Violet.  As you know there are many warnings about eating raw eggs.  I have found that the organic egg white does a far superior job of coating the flower and the sugar has more to grab onto.

Use only Violets that have not been sprayed with chemicals or have been in the path of a lawn mower.  If you’ve purchased Violets from the florist or a commercial greenhouse, chances are your Violets have been sprayed with harsh chemicals rendering them unfit to eat! 

Infuse Violet flowers with an excellent grade vinegar and watch the metamorphosis of the vinegar as it turns a brilliant tint.  The flavour will challenge your taste buds as it mixes with your best olive oil as a superb dressing for a plate of mixed greens.

CROPS

Violets are extremely resilient.  They grow from a short rootstock and thrive in damp, shady places.  Native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa they naturalized throughout the temperate zones.  Violets propagate quite nicely and they don’t require special attention.  Just let them alone and in a couple of years you will have enough Violets to enjoy and harvest.  They love to spread out, so either contain them in pots or give them lots of room in your garden.

Harvesting is a short window of opportunity.  In the Northeast, where I live, once they sprout up in April, harvest time ends for flowers by the beginning of June.  But take heart, their lovely distant cousin known as Viola tricolor, common name Heartsease, (see photo above) is ready to substitute for harvesting of flowers for the rest of the summer.  

Please be a responsible harvester.  Never harvest more than 1/3 of your crop.  The plants and Mother Nature thank you.

 COMMON LORE

Ah, the language of flowers.  In Victorian times Violets were placed in a bouquet and stood for modesty.  

Quoted in an old English sonnet, “Violet is for faithfulness, which in me shall abide”.  In Shakespearian times Violets had been associated with death of the young.

“We are Violets blue, for our sweetness found Careless, in the mossy shades, Looking on the ground.  Love’s dropp’d eyelids; and a kiss – Such our breath and blueness is.”

Author:  Leigh Hunt (James Henry Leigh Hunt) Songs and Chorus of the Flowers – Violets

 Violets are ruled by the planet Venus, which suggests a mild nature.

Violets have a way of humbling us.  They have near human expression, but as all herbalists know, Violets resonate at a higher level of existence, bringing a calming and peaceful energy to all who gaze upon them.

Tags: anxiety, bruise, curative, hangovers, heartease, herbs, infusion, tea, viola odorata, violet