CANDIED FLOWERS

• First, pick the flowers you want to candy. Make sure they are edible and not poisonous! Very, very gently rinse them with water, then set them aside to dry on a towel.
• Make a syrup by boiling 2/3 cup sugar (unrefined is best) and 1/2 cup water.
• Boil the mixture about 5 - 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it forms a light syrup.
• Using a fork or tongs, dip each flower into the syrup. Gently shake off the excess. Set flowers on a cookie sheet covered with waxed paper.
• With a toothpick, straighten out any folded or bent petals.
• Let flowers dry in a warm place out in the sun.
• Store them in a tin until ready to use.

Good Flowers To Candy: violets, rose petals, borage, honeysuckle, nasturtiums and gem marigolds

CHAMOMILE COOKIES
makes 5 dozen small cookies

1/4 cup dried chamomile* flowers
1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
1 3/4 cups flour

• preheat oven to 350º
• carefully clean chamomile blossoms & set aside
• cream butter & sugar
• beat in eggs & vanilla
• stir in flour & chamomile
• drop by tsp onto lightly greased cookie sheet
• bake at 350º for 10 minutes or until golden

* you can substitute other flowers or herbs

CRYSTALLIZED GINGER

1/4 pound fresh organic ginger root
1/2 cup sugar (raw is the best)
1 cup water

• Peel off outer skin of ginger. Slice ginger into paper-thin rounds.
• Bring water and ginger to a boil and simmer 10 minutes covered.
• Fork the ginger out and set aside. Remove pan from heat and add 1/2 cup sugar to the ginger water and stir until dissolved.
• Return pan to the heat and cover. Simmer 2 -3 minutes. Remove the cover and continue cooking until a syrupy consistency is reached, about 5 - 10 minutes.
• Add ginger to the syrup and stir well to coat the ginger.
• Fork the ginger slices out of the liquid and into a bowl. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons extra sugar over them and roll in the sugar to coat the slices. Then place ginger pieces on waxed paper spaced apart.
• Let dry overnight.
• Store carefully in a sealed jar in the refrigerator.

DANDELION FRITTERS

1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. salt
dash pepper
cooking oil (olive)
fresh de-stemmed dandelion flowers*

1. Gather fresh dandelion heads; make sure that they are not sprayed or from a dog park!
2. Make batter with above ingredients.
3. Dip dandelion into batter, cover completely.
4. Drop into hot oil (375ºF) & fry until lightly brown on all sides.
5. Drain on absorbent paper.
6. Serve hot - makes great hors d'ouvres.

* Also works well with elderflowers, squash & zucchini blossoms.

LILAC SUGAR

Flower sugars are an easy way to transform plain sugar into a pleasing, fragrant addition to cakes, cookies, custards, whipping cream and all sorts of sweets.

To prepare scented sugar, use a clean pint jar with a tight-fitting lid. Fill the jar about one-third full with sugar; scatter a small handful of lilacs (already de-stemmed and bug free) or other flowers. Cover the flowers with sugar so that the jar is two-thirds full, add another small handful of flowers and cover with sugar to fill the jar, leaving about 1/2 inch head space. Put on the lid, shake the jar, and place it on a shelf in a cool, dark place. The sugar will be ready to use in 2-3 weeks, but will become more flavorful with age. As you use the sugar, add more to take its place; it will take on the fragrance in the jar.

ZOOM BALLS
A Rosemary Gladstar recipe

• 3 cups tahini (drain excess oil from the top)
• 1 cup cashew or almond butter
• 2 cups honey (more or less to taste)
• 5 oz guarana powder
• 2 oz eleuthero powder
• 1 tbl cardamom powder
• 1 oz Chinese ginseng powder
• 1/2 oz nutmeg or mace powder
• 1 oz bee pollen
• 2 vials royal jelly
• 1 package carob or bitter chocolate chips
• 8 oz unsweetened shredded coconut- toasted
• 1 cup finely chopped almonds
• unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 # bittersweet dipping chocolate

1. Mix tahini, nut butter and honey until smooth. Combine the herbal powders, bee pollen and royal jelly and add to tahini mix.
2. Add chips, coconut and almonds - mix in well. Mix in enough cocoa powder to bring the dough to the desired thickness.
3. Roll the dough into small balls. If you want to coat the balls with chocolate, chill them in the refrigerator of easier dipping. You can also spread the mixture onto a baking sheet and cut into squares.
4. Melt the dipping chocolate in a double boiler. Drip the balls 1 at a time and place on waxed paper to cool.
5. Store the balls in baking tins in a cool place. They will last for weeks.