in praise of violas Spring s early (and versatile) bloomers deserve a spot on every table. These recipes and projects use them in unexpected ways.

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Bertram Whitehead
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1 in praise of violas Spring s early (and versatile) bloomers deserve a spot on every table. These recipes and projects use them in unexpected ways. FEATURED IN the April 2017 issue of Better Homes & Gardens magazine PROJECTS RECIPES page 2 DECOUPAGED EGGS page 3 PRESSED FLOWERS page 4 KOKEDAMA page 5 PRINTABLE PLACE CARDS page 6 PRINTABLE NOTE CARD page 7 Projects by Kim Hutchison

recipes VIOLA CANDY BARK Use dark or milk chocolate flavored to suit. Ideas: edible lavender essential oil or orange extract.

chocolate- or vanilla-flavor candy coating (almond bark), chopped 1 Tbsp. shortening 2 drops edible lavender essential oil* or 1/8 tsp. orange extract 1/2 cup violas 1.

Microwave, uncovered, on 100% power (high) for 11/2 to 2 minutes or until chocolate melts, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in lavender oil. 3. Pour mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.

2 recipes VIOLA CANDY BARK Use dark or milk chocolate flavored to suit. Ideas: edible lavender essential oil or orange extract. Violas scattered on the melted chocolate turn this easy-to-make bark into a visual treat. hands-on time 20 min. total time 50 min. 8 oz. dark or milk chocolate, chopped 2 oz. chocolate- or vanilla-flavor candy coating (almond bark), chopped 1 Tbsp. shortening 2 drops edible lavender essential oil* or 1/8 tsp. orange extract 1/2 cup violas 1. Line a large baking sheet with heavy foil; grease foil. Set aside. 2. In a large microwave-safe bowl combine chocolate, candy coating, and shortening. Microwave, uncovered, on 100% power (high) for 11/2 to 2 minutes or until chocolate melts, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in lavender oil. 3. Pour mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread to 1/4- inch thickness. Sprinkle with violas. 4. Chill about 30 minutes or until firm. Use foil to lift candy; break into pieces. Store between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week. Makes 36 servings. *lavender oil source LorAnn Oils; lorannoils.com each serving 44 cal, 3 g fat, 1 mg sodium, 5 g carb, 1 g fiber VIOLA TEA SANDWICHES For an update on classic tea sandwiches, spread a thick layer of this cream cheese spread on brioche or challah slices. total time 20 min. 4 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 tsp. snipped fresh lemon thyme or chives 1/4 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper 1/4 cup violas, chopped 4 slices brioche or challah, crusts trimmed, if desired, and cut into quarters Toppers: thin radish slices, thin cucumber slices, microgreens, whole viola flowers Flaked sea salt (optional) In a small bowl stir together the cream cheese, lemon thyme, and black pepper until smooth. Stir in chopped violas. Spread over brioche slices. Add toppers. Sprinkle with flaked sea salt, if desired. Makes 16 servings. each serving 61 cal, 4 g fat, 21 mg chol, 61 mg sodium, 4 g carb, 1 g pro. PINK PEPPERCORN-VIOLA SHORTBREAD Chopped violas and crushed pink peppercorns add complementary flavors to this buttery shortbread. Whole violas bake on for a pretty flourish. hands-on time 15 min. total time 30 min. 13/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup butter 1/3 cup violas, chopped 1 Tbsp. pink peppercorns, crushed Milk (optional) Whole violas (optional) 1. Preheat oven to 325 F. In a large bowl combine flour and sugar. Use a pastry blender to cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in chopped violas and peppercorns. Knead mixture until it forms a smooth ball. (Mixture will be crumbly at first.) 2. Pat dough to a 1/4- inch thickness. Cut with 1- to 2-inch round cutters. Arrange 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. If desired, brush shortbread with milk, add whole violas, and brush with milk. 3. Bake 15 minutes or until bottoms start to brown. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freezer up to 3 months. Makes twenty 2-inch cookies. each serving 111 cal, 7 g fat, 18 mg chol, 56 mg sodium, 11 g carb, 1 g pro.

3 decoupaged eggs MATERIALS Dyeable ceramic eggs designed for crafting, such as EggNots (eggnots.com) White vinegar Liquid food coloring Cup or mug deep enough to submerge a ceramic egg Egg-drying pin board (see instructions, below) Wooden eggs Matte-finish spray acrylic sealer Decoupage medium, such as Mod Podge Pressed and dried violas (see Pressed Flowers, next page) 1-inch flat paintbrush High-gloss clear spray paint, such as Rust-oleum Painter s Touch Ultra Cover 2X 1. Protect work surface with newspaper or paper towels. Follow the directions on the ceramic egg package to make a liquid dye using food coloring, white vinegar, and boiling water. Dye the ceramic eggs following the package directions. Place eggs on the pin board to dry. 2. Spray wooden eggs with matte sealer. Place eggs on the pin board to dry. 3. Dilute decoupage medium with water in a 3:1 ratio. Attach violas to ceramic and wooden eggs by brushing the decoupage medium over the flowers. Let dry on pin board. 4. Seal decorated eggs with clear spray paint; let dry on pin board. *Egg drying pin board Insert straight pins into a piece of foam-core board, spacing the pins about an inch apart in uniform rows. Drying the eggs on the grid of pins lets the dye drip off rather than puddle around the eggs for even color.

4 pressed flowers Pressed flowers keep spring and summer alive year-round. Follow these tips from when to pick to how to dry. In the morning after dew has evaporated, pick buds about to open or flowers at their peak. The better quality the blooms, the better they will look when dried and pressed. For best results and the most vibrant colors, condition your flowers first. To condition: Plunge the stems into water immediately after cutting, then hold the stems underwater in a sink while trimming the stems at an angle to allow the greatest water absorption. Place flowers in a clean vase filled with water and floral food. The goal is to dry the flowers as quickly as possible to prevent browning. To absorb moisture and aid drying, you will need the appropriate paper; use newspaper, blotting paper, printer paper, flat (noncorrugated) coffee filters or cardboard, or untreated facial tissues. Avoid using paper towels because of their texture and waxed paper because it retains moisture. BOOK METHOD There are two ways to press using this easy, traditional technique. Sandwich flowers between layers of absorbent paper (see list above), then place heavy books on top. Or place the flowers between the pages of a book; leave at least 1 8-inch thickness of pages between each plant if pressing multiple flowers in the same book. (Pigments in the petals, stems, and leaves may stain paper, so if the book is valuable, protect the pages by sandwiching the plant between paper.) Weigh down the top of the book with a brick or other heavy item. Let the flowers dry for a week before checking on them. At that point, you may want to replace the absorbent material. Allow two to three weeks for the flowers to completely dry. IRON METHOD Heat an iron to a low setting. Empty all water from the iron. (You do not want to add moisture with steam.) Place the flower between two sheets of absorbent paper. Flatten the flower with a heavy book first, then press the warm iron on top of the upper sheet of paper for 10 to 15 seconds. (Do not glide as if ironing.) Let paper cool 10 to 15 seconds. Repeat until flower is stiff and dry, checking by carefully lifting the paper. MICROWAVE METHOD This technique speeds the drying process, but the high heat may cause the flowers to brown. A professional microwave press will give best results. If you don t have a microwave press, create one with two ceramic tiles. Place flowers sandwiched in sheets of absorbent paper between the ceramic tiles. Hold the tiles together with rubber bands. Heat for 30 to 60 seconds at a time, allowing the materials to cool before repeating. Or place the flowers inside a book that doesn t have metal in the binding. Heat the book for 30 to 60 seconds at a time; allow the book to cool for a minute or two between zaps. (Do not microwave the book any longer than a minute at a time.) When the flowers are dry, finish the process using the book method, left. The flowers should be ready in a day or two.

Mix peat moss and bonsai soil in a 7:3 ratio in a pan or other container. Slowly add water, and mix until you can form the soil mixture into a ball about the size of a grapefruit or large orange.

5 kokedama MATERIALS Viola or shade-loving plant Peat moss Bonsai soil Sphagnum moss Jute twine Sheet moss Mist spray bottle with water 1. Protect your work surface with newspapers, and wear work gloves. If the plant is large, divide it into small clumps. Clean the soil from the roots. Set aside. 2. Mix peat moss and bonsai soil in a 7:3 ratio in a pan or other container. Slowly add water, and mix until you can form the soil mixture into a ball about the size of a grapefruit or large orange. (When you let go, the soil ball should stay together. If it falls apart, add more water.) Set aside. A TYPE OF BONSAI, KOKEDAMA USES MOSS AS A PLANT CONTAINER. HANG THE BUNDLES, OR SET THEM IN A SHALLOW DISH. 3. Soak sphagnum moss in water until damp. Gently squeeze out excess water. Wrap plant roots with the damp sphagnum moss, binding with twine. Set aside. 4. Break soil ball in half, and center the wrapped plant roots on one side. Add the other side of the soil ball, enclosing the wrapped plant roots and reshaping the soil ball as needed. 5. Wrap the soil ball with the sheet moss, covering all the soil. Wrap twine randomly around the soil ball to bind the sheet moss. Knot the twine, and cut off ends. Leave a long tail if you plan to hang the kokedama. 6. Mist the finished kokedama with water (and also mist periodically between waterings). Water weekly by submerging the kokedama in water, then gently squeezing out excess.

6 Printable place cards Print on cardstock, cut according to crop marks to create four place cards, fold so the flowers are on front. Write a guest s name in the space between the flowers.

7 Printable note card Print on cardstock, cut according to crop marks, and fold in half so the flowers are on the front.

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