Violet Season in the American Midwest

It's violet season here in the Midwest! It is a glorious time of year when the daffodils bloom, the tulips come up, the first sign of life is seen in the trees, the grass returns to its vibrant green, wheat fields come to life in the countryside, birds sing their happiest songs as the chill finally turns into a thaw. Violets are just little guys, sitting low to the ground. They often are dwarfed by grass that is ready for the year's first mow. Before your grass is cut, go out there for a lovely harvest.

Yes, these beauties are totally edible! Please note, we are not talking about African violets here, which are not. Viola odorata grow as wildflowers in the American Midwest. I spot them in lawns all over the place, and they appear in wooded areas as well. Other types of violets like Johnny Jump Ups are edible as well, but be sure to check with someone you trust to identify them before you make yourself a salad.

And speaking of salads, I would like to address here that there are so many uses for edible flowers beyond turning them into jelly. If you want jelly, sure, violets can give you a beautiful purple product. But you definitely don't need to use six cups of sugars to get these into your diet. First of all with violets, their flavor isn't sweet or particularly floral. I would say it is similar to spinach with just a touch of tartness. So they actually work great in savory applications.

One of which would be violet hummus! I added about a cup of violets to a homemade hummus recipe...delicious! Can you see the specks of purple? They are obviously stunning as a garnish so they work great in salad, with asparagus, or wilt them into pasta.

Midwest spring time pasta: asparagus, green onions, chicken, and violets.

Stir them into muffin or cake batter for a sweet use. Violets contain a significant amount of vitamin C, so you could also add them to the next cup of tea you brew. They are easy to pick, with or without the stem. (If you don't want to use the stem, just pick the tops and save yourself the work of taking the stems off later.) Avoid harvesting from lawns that have been treated with chemicals; wash before using.

Along with asparagus, and morels, these should be one of the Midwest's most highly prized produce offering in the Spring. They deserve a place at the table of Midwestern cuisine.