welcoming spring.
This post is sponsored by the makers of Ball® home canning products.*
welcoming spring
the energy and movement in spring is intoxicating after a long stark winter. buds on the verge of bursting into leaf + bloom portends renewal and transformation. birdsong rings outside our kitchen window as robins, cardinals + cedar waxwings gather to shelter in the crab apple tree from the late season snowfall. new beginnings as grass turns green is just underfoot. this year, i’m helping my dear friends at Ball® home canning celebrate the freshness of spring with a new arrival, the collectors Ball® Rose Vintage jars. these beautiful jars sparkle in the light + are a perfect addition to hold spring florals and herbal infusions in spring.
looking forward and holding the past
in spring, i gather forsythia branches from a neighbor’s tree to bloom indoors. forsythia blossoms reminds me of when aj + were married nine marches ago, on a friends homestead in california. wisteria, magnolia + forsythia were in bloom as we devoted our lives to each other. little did i know we’d name our daughter magnolia + that i’d enter into an intimate relationship with florals, and learn how to weave them into my day to day. as it feels like spring, is slow to start here in the midwest, I need a floral pick me up to remind me of what it is to come. the garden is not yet ready to be planted, but my anticipation is palpable. i’m antsy.
bring the outdoors in
filled with spring blossoms + blooms this Ball® Rose Vintage jar catches the warm spring light just right. i’ve been tucking florals into every room, drinking nettle infusions and preparing the garden for spring. In the spring i love searching for the first blooms, collecting violet and magnolia blossoms like i did last year + using them in petal inspired recipes. This year, i’m experimenting with forsythia blooms which are also edible + delicious.
forsythia floral syrup
this recipe can be used to make forsythia syrup. In the language of flowers, forsythia holds the energy of excitement and anticipation, and the flower essence provides a catalyst for transformation bringing joy and freedom.
ingredients
1 cup forsythia blooms
1 cup water
1 cup honey or sugar
to make
pick forsythia blooms from a clean and unsprayed location, meaning make sure there are no pesticides used nearby.
add picked blossoms to your Ball® jar. In a saucepan, heat water, add chosen sweetener, stir until dissolved. Add the cooled syrup overtop the blooms and let steep for a couple hours or overnight. strain through a sieve or muslin cheesecloth. Store in Ball® Rose Vintage Jar in the refrigerator for up to two months.
use forsythia syrup to add to baked goods, top pancakes, in lattes or sparkling water for a refreshing spring libation.
spring herbal infusion
i need infusion in spring to revitalize my energy and move stagnation built up over winter. Using spring gathered herbs and some left from last summer's harvest, I nourish my body to get ready for spring. I’m spring cleaning my body and mind before i begin on preparing our home for sale! And before we break ground on our home build. I’m going to need all the energy I can get.
ingredients
one part dried nettle
one part fresh violets, leaves or flowers
one part dried peppermint
using one cup each of dried nettle, violet, and peppermint i mixed and store in a large Ball(R)rose vintage jar. to make i take tablespoon of the mixed herb in cup, top with hot water, cover, and infuse for 4 to 8 hours. strain, add honey + enjoy! I sip this infusion in the garden while i prepared the beds for planting. as I prepare to spring clean, I’m called to fresh greens, herbal infusions to support my body moving stagnation in the lymph and in my digestion.
*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post that is part of an ongoing partnership with the Fresh Preserving Division of Newell Brands. They have provided jars, equipment and monetary compensation. All thoughts and opinions expressed remain my own