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The Versatile Violet (continued from page 6)

into 1/4 inch shreds with kitchen shears. Add very little water and cook in a covered pot for about 15 min. Season with your favorite spices and/or butter. This is a richer source of Vitamin C than any domestic green vegetable. (Stalking the Healthful Herbs)

Violet Greens with Mushroom Soup: This is a good recipe if violet greens are too bitter for your taste. Mix the cooked, chopped violet greens with a can of cream of mushroom soup thinned with 1⁄2 cup of milk. (Stalking the Healthful Herbs)

Remember that violet greens may be slightly laxative to some people. Eat small servings until you determine your tolerance.

P

The violet blossom is by far the most widely used part of the plant in preparing delicious salads, jellies, syrups, candied flowers, as well as other desserts. These recipes are not only healthful and delicious, but also delightful to the taste and beautiful in color. Uncooked violet jam is especially easy to make and, because it is uncooked, preserves all the rich vitamins and minerals.

Violet Jam: Put as many violet blossoms as you can pack into a 1-cup measure in your electric blender. Add 1/4 cup water and the juice of one lemon and blend until smooth violetcolored paste. Slowly add 11⁄2 cups light honey (or 21⁄2 cups sugar and 3/4 cup water) and blend until smooth. (If too thick, add 1/8-1/4 cup water and blend again.) Stir one package powdered pectin into 3/4 cup water, bring to a boil, and boil hard one min. Pour this hot mixture into the blender and blend for about 1 min., then quickly pour into jars and seal. Will keep for 3 weeks in the refrigerator. Freeze some jars for use in the winter. (Stalking the Healthful Herbs)

The wonderful thing about making violet jelly is that if it does not jell, you don't need to worry-you still have delicious violet syrup!

Violet Syrup: Pick one quart violets (firmly packed) on a sunny morning. Pour 1 pint boiling water over them and let them steep until evening or overnight. Strain out the flowers (optional) and add the juice of 1 lemon. This will turn the blue color to purple or violet-red. Heat the infusion and gradually add 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 cup light honey (or use 3/4 cup honey and no sugar). When this mixture reaches a boil, pour in 1/2 package of powdered pectin. Boil one min.; then bottle in clean glass jars (Gather Ye Wild Things) Violet syrup makes a good beverage that delights the eye as well as the taste buds. To make a beverage, just put 2-3 ice cubes in, a glass, add 2 Tbl. violet syrup, fill with water and stir..

Violet jelly is even better tasting than violet jam and one of the most eye-pleasing jellies in existence.

Violet Jelly: Infuse the flowers as in the recipe for violet syrup. (Flowers may be re moved or left in as you desire.) To 2 cups of the infusion add the juice of 1 lemon and one package of commercial powdered pectin. Bring this just to a boil, then add 11⁄2 cups light honey (2 cups sugar). Bring this back to a boil, then boil hard one min. Pour into glasses or jars and seal. (Stalking the Healthful Herbs)

A lovely cake may be made using violet syrup and violet blossoms:

1⁄2 tsp. vanilla 3/4 cup unbleached

white flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1⁄2 cup butter

1⁄2 cup violet syrup 1⁄2 cup molasses 2 eggs, separated

1 cup whole grain flour

Let the butter soften. Butter and flour a shallow cake pan. Set oven at 350°. Cream the butter, then add molasses (sorghum) and whip until smooth. Beat in egg yolks. Sift together flour, baking powder; alternate adding flour and violet and violet syrup. Stir in vanilla. Beat egg whites to soft peaks and fold in thoroughly. Bake at 350° about 30 minutes. Top with your favorite white icing and fresh violet blossoms at the last minute. Double the recipe for a layer cake. (Gather Ye Wild Things)

With all these uses for one tiny wildflower, it is no wonder one herbalist proclaimed long ago, "The violet is a fine-pleasing plant of Venus, of mild nature and in no way harmful."

Footnotes:

1. Stalking the Healthful Herbs, Euell Gibbons, David McKay & Co., New York, P. 64.

2. "Old country herbwomen" is synonymous with "wise women" or "witches".

3. Ceres, Free for All, Thorsons Publ. Ltd., London, p. 118.

Bibliography:

Bianchini, Francesco & Corbetta, Francesco. Health Plants of the World, Atlas of Medicinal Plants; Newsweek Books, New York, 1977.

Boxer, Arabella & Back, Philippa. The Herb Book. Octopus Books, Ltd., London, 1980.

Ceres. Free For All. Thorsons Publishers Ltd., Northampshire, Great Britain, 1977.

Dare, Diane (editor). The Roadside Gourmet. Opdyke, Ilinois. Garland, Sarah. The Complete Book of Herbs and Spices. Viking Press, New York, 1979.

Gibbons, Euell, Stalking the Healthful Herbs. David McKay & Company, Inc., New York, 1966.

Hitchcock, Susan Tyler. Gather Ye Wild Things. Harper & Row, New York, 1980.

Hitchcock, Susan Tyler. Gather Ye Wild Things Calendar. Covesville, Virginia.

Tatum, Billy Joe. Billy Joe Tatum's Wild Foods Cookbook & Field Guide. Workman Publishing Compay, New York, 1976.

Masturbation (continued from page 5)

has to be learned and practiced. When a woman masturbates, she learns to like her own genitals, to enjoy sex and orgasm, and furthermore, to become proficient and independent about it. Because women have no refractory period after orgasm as men do, their capacity for repeated orgasm is potentially limitless. In fact, once again, the male medical establishment has discouraged us from knowing and enjoying the orgasmic potential of our bodies in order to maintain the assumed sexual superiority of the male. There are many myths to be dispelled about this. For example, it is not true that men become sexually excited more quickly than women. Vaginal lubrication occurs within 10-30 seconds for women after the onset of sexual excitement, just as quickly as an erection occurs for men.

As soon as we learn how responsive our bodies are and learn to appreciate this special responsiveness, we can revel in the uniqueness of our sexuality, learn to love our bodies and learn how to make love to them whenever and however we choose. Masturbation, self-loving, self-pleasuring, making love to yourself, whatever you choose to call it, can and should not only be fun, but a means to selffulfillment and self-enrichment as well.

Fern Levy is founder and chairperson of the Greater Cleveland Sexuality network. She was Director of Education for the Cleveland Program for Sexual Learning. She teaches women's sexuality through the WomenFocus Program at Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland Heights-University Heights Community Services, and the Women's Enrichment Center.

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