I always let my chives flower because their blossoms are both beautiful and edible. Here are a few ways I use these beauties in the kitchen.

Chives are a member of the allium family. And while onions, shallots, and leeks work hard to infuse flavor at the beginning of your recipe, chives finish it off. Their beautiful, purple flowers carry that same delicate garlicky goodness, making them perfect as an edible garnish for your favorite omelet. You can snip them over your choice of soft cheese, sprinkle on top of your potato or egg salad, or add them into your homemade mayonnaise or vinaigrette. Mostly, I like to toss the flowers into a simple green salad. There are plenty of ways of putting these pretty blossoms to use in your kitchen, so I always allow some of my chives to bolt. I do find a decrease in my summer harvest after they flower, but I keep a patch of chives that I don't allow to bolt to give me a continuous supply until the end of the season. The flowers are only here for a short time, so make good use of their beauty and flavor. Besides just snipping on top of your favorite dish, you can take your abundance of chive flowers and prepare a few simple recipes. My favorite way to save them for the months ahead is to make chive blossom salt. It is very simple to do. Mix some clipped chive blossoms and leaves with salt. I also add the zest from one of my Meyer lemons, finely chopped or grated. This is purely optional. Spread the mixture out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If I make a small amount, I just place the salt on a plate. Allow the salt to air dry for a few days. C'est tout. Make sure the salt is completely dried before you put it into a jar so that the flavor is preserved and the flowers won't mold. You can stir the salt every so often while it dries. Dry time depends on your weather. Usually, 2-4 days does the trick. You can dry the mixture in an oven for 1-2 hours at a very low temperature. Be sure to place a wooden spoon between the oven door so the moisture can escape. Sprinkle the chive blossom salt on grilled meats, eggs, and veggies. It is delicious on top of your avocado toast or finishing a salad. Place in a pretty jar, tie on a ribbon, and you have a lovely gift the next time you are invited to someone's home. You can also use the prepared salt to make chive flower butter. I'll share my recipe for making butter in a future Weekly Voilà. I have to wait for my salt to dry ;) Don't run a knife back and forth across chives' tender hollow leaves. Rather, snip them with scissors to avoid bruising them. Chive blossom vinegar elevates any vinaigrette recipe.  There are two ways to make it: Heating the vinegar and pouring it over the chive flowers. Or not heating the vinegar and pouring it over the flowers. I don't tend to heat my vinegar and find that I arrive at a lovely flavored vinegar. But some swear that the warmed vinegar coaxes out more flavor from the flowers. Just be sure not to boil the vinegar. You are going for just slightly warm. I also don't tend to wash my chive flowers. They are grown in a raised container, and there aren't any dirt issues. I give them a bit of a shake to notify any critters that might have taken up residence to vacate, and then I allow the flowers to sit on my counter for a few minutes so any stragglers can depart. Truly, I have very few pests in the blossoms. It's the bees who love them, and they are happy to pick a different flower to investigate while I harvest. Be sure not to pick all your chive flowers. The bees adore them, and it's important to share with our pollinators. If you prefer to wash your flowers, just plunge them into a bowl of cold water and gently swish them around. Give them a little shake to remove any excess water and lay them on a clean towel to dry.  As for what vinegar to use, a champagne vinegar is a lovely choice (easy to make too). Or use a simple white wine vinegar. In a pinch, regular white vinegar will do the trick. How many flowers? As many as can be stuffed in the container you are using. Crushing them a bit allows the blossoms to release some of their scent and flavor. Don't be gentle. Pour the vinegar over a glass jar stuffed with the flowers to submerge the blossoms completely. If you are using a metal lid, place a piece of parchment paper on the top so that the metal doesn't come in contact with the vinegar. I like to infuse my vinegar in a pretty decanter with a glass stopper. So, no need for the paper. Place the container in a dark, cool spot like your pantry and allow it to steep for a minimum of 2 weeks. Be patient. The longer you wait, the better it will taste. And oh, the color is divine. Strain the vinegar of its spent flowers and enjoy. If chives aren't your favorite herb, you can always pick a handful of blossoms and pop them into a vase to enjoy on your table. Easy peasy. The garden is giving lots of beautiful things right now. I'll continue to share how I'm using the bounty. Even if you only have a few containers on your balcony or a couple of small pots on a sunny windowsill, add your favorite herbs. They are quick to grow, not usually too fussy, and add beauty and flavor in your kitchen. À la prochaine fois, Karen 🇫🇷