[Looking at history and why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.]

What more beautiful time of year than when the native redbuds are in perfect pink bloom through the forest? Last week they popped the day before a very hard freeze, but these are native plants that survived the weather for millennia.

Joyce’s comments and queries prompted the week’s story.

As folks have migrated to the city, they have lost many traditions and traded natural, wild-crafted, organic food for processed in a plastic package or plastic lined can. Personally, I do not prefer the taste of plastic.

Besides being a beautiful harbinger of Spring, redbuds are edible and subtly tasty in a variety of dishes.

First, if you are foraging in your yard, did you or neighbors use any weed or insect treatment last year? If so, that has migrated into the plants and I would avoid ingesting them.

If you are fortunate enough to have access to wild redbuds, you are in for a treat. A large quantity is unneeded and there are so many flowers on one tree that over-gathering is easily avoided, almost difficult to do. The same conditions that cause redbuds to come out also causes serpents to leave their den. They are very active in the gentle warmth. Be aware.

Three or so tablespoons of flower buds is all that is needed to make an intriguing cup of tea. A quart (liter) of the flowers and buds are enough for a little over four 8-ounce jelly jars. A small handful is great on a salad.

Gather the buds and flowers. Three things are notable: buds, flowers, and a woody tab. The woody tab, as expected, is more astringent and bitter so I remove it. Some leave it attached for a tart flavor and slightly easier preparation.

The buds are deeper color and retain their shape in preserves and pickled.  The flowers open to expose the pollen on the stamen. This is the sweetest form, but will wilt and make pickles or jelly cloudier. Make your trade-off.

What is the flavor profile? As would be expected from such a small delicate surface, the flavor is subtly sweet with a little tart from the high vitamin C content.

In a tea, use three or more tablespoons of flowers and buds, then use the hot water from a Keurig to stimulate the flavor. Avoid boiling, which reduces the delicate flavor and wilts the petals. Steep for about 15 minutes. Some people remove the flowers. I leave them and nibble on the succulent, slightly crunchy bud as the tea flows from the cup. That crunchy bud may be my favorite part. Just a swish of raw, unprocessed, local honey in the tea helps bring out the flavor.

Adding a little lemon juice changes the tea from a green color and flavor to the pink of the flowers. This also hikes the flavor profile. Hot tea is generally the preference during the redbud season, but iced tea with the lemon creates a novel, pleasant lemonade.

Jelly is not on my normal menu because of the high quantity of sugar. However, sugar brings the pretty redbud flavor toward a subtly tart cotton candy silhouette.

Mom used massive amounts of sugar in her jellies. Being raised in the area that sugar was invented, cane grown, and the confection processed, sugar then did not seem to have as deleterious health effects. Perhaps it was different processing, or non-GMO cane, or different fertilizers and pesticides that caused the change. Raw, minimally-processed cane sugar actually had nutrient value, unlike the present presentation in the mega-mart.

Dad bought 10-pounds of sugar and 25-pound cloth sacks of flour regularly at the market. Mom and Granny used the flour sacks to make our shirts. We had biscuits and gravy with jelly every morning for breakfast. After school, Mom insisted on sweets for us to get energy. She even explained that necessity to the co-author, who graciously listened then avoided the sugary energy burst when no longer observed. Something was different, since Mom lived to ninety-four.

I have not experimented with alternative sweeteners for the subtle redbud jelly. Since redbud is so pleasant with honey, I call it good.

What is a salad? Whether greens like spinach or fruits, redbuds add beauty, texture, and flavor. Have you tried banana and walnuts with a flowering of redbuds? Yum. Roll your own mix.

Tea, salad, jelly, pickled, and cinnamon-redbud bread are all treats from a common, beautiful flowering tree that you have seen and marveled but likely never tasted. Enjoy the many flavors of nature.

Before gathering and ingesting, be sure you have the correct plant, parts, and preparation. Beside food, plants are also medicinal, so notice the feelings from any new veggie and research their effects which may negatively or positively impact you.

Think about other native plants that were traditions in your heritage. Natural plants can be not only beautiful, but smell good, and be tasty. Learn the gifts of nature. If you have limited access, plant a 5-gallon-container garden without herbicides and pesticides. It is so worth it.

Send us your histories, stories, and traditions including memories or twists. We would like to bring them along. Life is good. Enjoy!