Candied flowers

1 teaspoon cold water

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 pasteurized egg white*

Clean, dry, organic violets, pansies, rose petals, small whole roses, lavender blossoms,

mint leaves or other edible flowers and leaves

Superfine sugar**

1. Mix: Use a fork to stir water and vanilla into egg white. Mix, as opposed to froth, the egg.

2. Paint: Use a pastry brush to paint one flower with egg white mixture on both sides.

3. Gild: Drop the painted flower into a bowl of superfine sugar. Toss to coat.

4. Dry: Set sugared flower on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining flowers. Let dry 24 to 48 hours. When dry, use to decorate a fanciful midsummer cake, cupcake, ice-cream bowl, cheese plate or anything else.

*Look for a carton stamped “pasteurized” or buy pasteurized egg whites by the pint.

**Stocked next to the regular sugar. Or make it by buzzing sugar in the blender or food processor. Stop

when sugar is finer than granulated sugar and grainier than confectioner’s sugar.