Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-04-24

When violets bloom in field and
meadow and along the sandy hillsides or
when, In the early springtime they are
sold upon the city streets for few PEN
MES q bunch, the housewife or tho
young cook who hopes some day to be
may experiment with some
dointy and aesthetic dishes In which
these pretty flowers have culinary
value. The commonest way In which
violets are used in cooking is in the max
ing Of crystallized violets which are used
to garnish cakes, desserts, ices, and fruit
salads, so that it is necessary to become
adept in the dipping of violets.
CRYsrALLIZED vIOLETs.
Prepare q rich thick syrup of white
sugar and boil until it candies. Wash
and set aside to drain some perfect speci-
mems of sweet smelling violet, and when
the syrup is ready, dip the flowers into
1t singly until they are thoroughly coat
ed, allowing each coat to dry before dip
ping the violet second time. The
syrup should not be too hot when the
viole!s are dipped or they are apt to
wither. Set the flowers on sieve to
dry, and when by being repeatedly dip
ped they are sufficiently coated, roll each
flower in confectioner's sugar before the
last coating has chance to become dry.
Set aside for time, and when thorough
ly dry the crystallized violets are ready
for use.
VIOLET CAKE.
Make An angel cake batter, and bake in
q round angel cake tin; when done, frost
all over the top and sides with thick
icing made of milk and confectioner's
sugar, and tinted soft violet by adding
a few drops of grape juice; add the
grape juice drop by drop until the desir-
cd tinge is obtained, then spread the
icing on the cake. Have at hand some
crystallized violets, and before the icing
hardens lay these all around the top Of
the cake just on the edge, and not too
close together; now, with some more
milk and sugar icing that has been made
little sitter than the first, and tinted a
delicate "stem green" with any good
coloring liquid, trace stems from the
violets toward the middle of the cake
using toothpick for the purpose; the
green icing being thicker than that used
on the cake, stands out in relief, and it
is best when making them to look at the
stems of natural flowers and follow their
lines as closely as possible. Neither the
violets nor the stems should be placed
too close together, or the effect is spoil
ed, and they should be at equal distances
apart all round. A second row of can
died violets should be arranged around
and just above the base of the cake, and
the stems from these should wander up
over the sides of the cake, the green
icing stems showing up prettily against
the pale violet icing. In the hole at the
middle of the cake which is made by the
funnel of the angel cake tin, place q
bouquet of real violets, or candied violets
may be used here as we'll, the stems from
those around the edge making ray ef-
feet on the top of the cake. Underneath
the row of violets, that extends around
the bottom edge of the cake, place a
fancy pulled edge of deeper violet
icing, or of the green icing, using pas
try bag and tube for the purpose.
The cake is very effective for an after
noon tea in early spring, or for violet
luncheon, and in the case of any of the
popular GLOVER luncheons" that are
served every spring, the flower selected
could be used instead of the violets,
with the drawback that no flowers
except rose petals make real CONNECTION
like violets, which are "good to eat" as
the children say.
VIOLET sHERBET.
Blanch and soak in cold water for
three hours, six ounces of sweet almonds
and one ounce bitter almonds; drain and
pound to a paste with mortar and pestle,
adding gradually as the almonds are re.
duced to paste half gill of pure rose
water, and any good violet perfume mix.
ed in equal quantities; then add one pint
Of distilled water, and one pint of grape
juice, the juice of one large lemon and
eight ounces of sugar; when the sugar
dissolves in the water, add the other in
gradients and freeze; pack away in salt
and ice to "ripen," and then serve in tall
decorated glasses, laying two or three
candied violets, and green violet leaf
on the top of the contents of each glass.
VIOLET SWEET.
Place a pint of milk over the fire in a
double boiler and when it boils, stir in
three ounces Of fine grained farina that
has been made very smooth in little
cold milk, just enough to give it the con.
sistency of cream; pour it into the boil
ing milk and stir till it thickens,
then remove from the fire, and add while
still hot, one ounce of butter, two ounces
of ground almonds, and five drops OF
strong violet essence; add three ounces
of sugar and enough grape juice to give
it a pretty violet tinge. Pour the MKT.
ure into a mold, and let it stand in a
cold place till firm; rinse the mold in
cold water before filling it with the
mixture, and when it is firmly set, the
'sweet" may be turned out on glass
dish with no difficulty. Decorate with
crystallized violets, chopped pistachio
nuts, and few real violet leaves. Lay
a real violet here and there on the glass
dish around the violet sweet and serve
with cream.
VIOLET BALLS.
Crumble almond paste to the consisten-
cy of meal, add little powdered sugar,
and sufficient white of egg slightly beaten
to bind the mixture; then form into balls,
about the size of hickory nut, and roll
the balls first in the egg, and then in
some crushed candied violets. The paste
may be tinted pale violet color by add
ing drop or two of grape juice, and a
single drop of any good violet perfume
will flavor the CONNECTION delicately.
Place the balls on sieve lined with
oiled paper to dry, and set in q cool, airy
place until ready for use.
VIOLET CREAM.
Prepare French fondant as for wal
nut creams, tinting it a pale violet with
a drop of grape juice, and f1avoring it
with a drop or two of violet essence;
form into flattened balls and press a
crystallized violet on top, or on each side
of the cream; set aside to harden. Or,
a walnut meat may be pressed into one
side, and candied violet into the other.
Crushed crystallized violets may be
worked into the fondant with chopped
pistachio nuts, the green of the nuts and
the blue of the violet making pretty
combination. The flavor of either
violets or roses, added to olive oil, i'm
proves almost any vegetable salad, and
to secure the violet flavor for this pur-
pose or for use in candies or CONNECTIONS
Of any sort, or in, making desserts, deli
cate cakes, etc., lay the leaves of sweet