Brenda over at thecfarm was looking for a recipe for candied flowers. This was too long to post under her comments, so I'm posting it here. Brenda, I hope this is what you are looking for. This is the recipe that I've always used. It works well with violets, pansies and Johnny-jump-ups.

Candied or Crystallized Flowers Recipe

Candied flowers make beautiful decorations for desserts and can last up to one year. This job takes a little patience. It seems to go more quickly if you do it with a friend. The following recipe will coat quite a few flowers, but if you need more, mix up a second batch.

INGREDIENTS:

Rinsed and dried edible flower blossoms, separated from the stem (see Notes)
1 extra-large egg white, at room temperature
Few drops of water
About 1 cup superfine sugar
A small paint brush
A baking rack covered with waxed paper

PREPARATION:

In a small bowl, combine the egg white with the water and beat lightly with a fork or small whisk until the white just shows a few bubbles. Place the sugar in a shallow dish.

Holding a flower or petal in one hand, dip a paint brush into the egg white with the other and gently paint the flower.

Cover the flower or petal completely but not excessively. Holding the flower or petal over the sugar dish, gently sprinkle sugar evenly all over on both sides. Place the flower or petal on the waxed paper to dry. Continue with the rest of the flowers.

Let the flowers dry completely; they should be free of moisture. This could take 12 to 36 hours, depending on atmospheric humidity. To hasten drying, you may place the candied flowers in an oven with a pilot light overnight, or in an oven set at 150 degrees to 200 degrees F with the door ajar for a few hours.

Store the dried, candied flowers in airtight containers until ready to use. They will keep for as long as a year.

Notes: Suggested flowers include apple or plum blossoms, borage flowers, lilac florets, rose petals, scented geraniums, violas, violets, Johnny-jump-ups, and pansy petals.

Source: Texas A&M Horticulture

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Jul. 3, 2007

4th of July Dessert

Posted in My Country Kitchen and Pantry

I recently started up another blog to write about more than just homestead type topics. I just posted a favorite dessert that we always make for our 4th of July picnic. You can see the recipe for, Wave Your Flag Cheesecake, at: backyardtreasures.wordpress.com

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Jul. 3, 2007

Simple Uses for Grass Clippings

Posted in Gardening Goodies

We use grass clippings alot in our garden beds. My husband is always on the lookout for people that put bags of clippings along the curb. He refers to them as "bags of gold" since they are so valuable for the garden.

The following little bit of wisdom comes from Storey's Country Wisdom and Know-How book.

Grass clippings are great for improving garden soil. There are several ways to use them:

Add them to your compost pile. They'll give you the nitrogen you need to make the pile "cook." Mix them well with other materials, such as weeds, leaves, or hay.
Spread them around the garden area, then till them in. They're an excellent green manure.
Let them dry, then spread them in the garden, or spread them in thin layers when green. They are one of the best mulches you can find.

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Jun. 25, 2007

Pictures from the herb farm

Posted in Everyday Happenings

I'm a little late in getting these posted, but here are a few pictures from my trip to the herb farm. I saw so many pretty herbs and flowers and came back with lots of ideas to use in my own yard. I came home with a few new additions for the gardens too......Spicy Globe Basil, Golden Oregano, Berggarten Sage, Red Rubin Basil (a variety of purple basil that I'll use for flavored vinegar), another lavender, and a dwarf pomegranate.
We also made a stop at another nursery on the way home and I came away with two new plants for my hummingbird/butterfly garden......Indian Pinks and a plant that I never heard of before, Knautia. Both of these will hopefully keep my butterflies and hummers happy.

One of the formal gardens

I thought this was a neat idea....peppermint growing inside an old log.

Some interesting garden art.....this fellow is made from old metal parts.
His head is a metal watering can.
The birds in the background and the sunflower bird feeder next to him
are also made of scrap metal.

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Jun. 12, 2007

A day at the herb farm

Posted in Everyday Happenings

Today I'm going to be spending some time away from home. Taking my two youngest children, I'm going with my sister and Mom to Gilbertie's Herb Gardens.
Sal Gilbertie has been one of the biggest names in the herb growing business for over 35 years. His herb growing business is one of the largest in the whole country. And to think he's right here in little, ole Connecticut. It's been years since I been there and I am so looking forward to this time away. Not only can you find the common herbs there, but there are hundreds of unusual ones....many that are used for medicinal purposes. These are the ones I'm looking for....something different...something that I don't already have. Herbs are a passion of mine. Hopefully I'll be able to check back tonight or tomorrow and share some photos.

~~Anne

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