The Wisconsin Gardener

Violets-- Viola odorata a sure sign of spring in Wisconsin. We're in Viroqua, Wisconsin, with Stephanie Ames to learn of her very old recipe using violets. Violets aren't a new part of your diet, are they? No, they're not. I've had them ever since my grandmother was around. She used to take a piece of bread and butter and put the violet flowers on it and give it to us when we had a cold. It's pretty, but what good is it? It has vitamin C and vitamin A. It was almost a spring tonic? I bet it was beautiful to look at, too. It was. But your grandmother wasn't the only one that invented this? No, a lot of different countries that use violets in different ways. England used to sell vitamin paste in their pharmacies. Made from violet flowers. Because of the vitamin C and vitamin A content. You've discovered another recipe so you're continuing the tradition in a slightly different way. I found a book called Foxfire Book of Appalachian Cookery. In there, a lady had a recipe for violet jelly. And I loved the recipe. It's very simple, and it's the one I use. She got it from one of the English pharmacies. So, we're really continuing the tradition. I've been just dying to touch these. These are gorgeous. You get different colors from different colored violets all the way from white to the deep, deep purple which gives you this. So, the dark purple are these. These clear colors are from whiter violets. You said even a crummy growing season will give you different colors. But this beautiful one on the end here the deep purple is a typical color? That's the typical color. I would put it on my window sill. A lot of people do! It's also good for you. How does it taste? I think it tastes great. You've got some here, look in that jar. That is so pretty. I can see this on a delicate piece of toast. Look at it on the cracker, it's just gorgeous. Is it hard to make? Very easy to make, very easy. All it takes is two and a half cups of water a third of a cup of lemon juice a box of Sure-Jell, three cups of sugar and a cup of your violet blossoms. You'll get different colors depending on the violets. You boil that all together and put it into sterilized jars. From there, just follow your standard canning procedures. It's good for you. It's gorgeous. Thank you, Stephanie. You're welcome. Good, isn't it? It's beautiful! Be careful when harvesting violets from the wild. Make sure you're in an area that hasn't been sprayed with any chemicals.

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I'm Shelley Ryan. Thanks for watching the Wisconsin Gardener.