You know that spring is on the way in the North Carolina Piedmont when you can spy a pale lavender crocus flower. But the real indicator that spring has officially arrived is the purple sea of wild violets that will envelope your yard if you have dappled shade and don’t treat for weeds. My boys start checking at the first sign of a violet waiting on the day when there are enough for their favorite kick-off to spring activity – Wild Violet Jelly.
I love this activity with my four and seven year old because we can do all the steps together from picking to processing (minus pouring the hot jelly into jars). This activity gets us outside together, gives us a moment to practice patience, and provides some key moments for scientific observation. Below is a violet jelly recipe that we love from Taste of Home Magazine. Be sure to pause and make predictions with your kids as you follow the recipe. For example, you can ask “What do you think will happen when I pour in the lemon juice?”. Though I found no flaws with the original recipe, I made the following modifications:
- The recipe calls for 3.5 cups of boiling water and I use 4.5 cups.
- I also reduce the sugar from 4 cups to 3 and find that it is plenty sweet and the pectin still performs as it should.
- It calls for a 2 hour steep time but I find that most of the color is drained from the flowers after about 30 minutes.
- Finally, violets have a VERY delicate flavor and you are embarking on this journey mostly for the amazing color. I like to add a teaspoon of rose water or orange blossom water per two cups of liquid- after you remove the jelly from the heat and just before you pour it into the jars – to bump up the floral notes. Both of these ingredients are available at the Savory Spice Shop on Lawndale.
Ingredients
- 8 cups fresh violet blossoms
- 3-1/2 cups boiling water
- 1 package (1-3/4 ounces) powdered fruit pectin
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 4 cups sugar
For complete directions, visit Taste of Home.