Something Blue for Summer Skies and June Brides

June is busting out all over with blue skies and soon to be brides, all good reasons to start entertaining again outside or otherwise.

From a lunch or afternoon tea it is very easy to incorporate something blue into a table-scape or menu.

Blue flowers of hydrangea, delphinium and pansies create beautiful centerpieces, but edible blue flowers are showstoppers when added to savories, soups, sweets and shakes.

Blue Theme Table Settings ~ Soup, Luncheon, Dessert

Butterfly Blue Pea Flower Infusion has no caffeine, filled with vitamins and antioxidants is refreshing served hot or iced. The longer it steeps the darker blue it will become. Add citrus and it will turn pink. Experiment to add to your recipes for cakes, cookies, puddings, icings and shakes to find your favorite shade of blue.

Afternoon Tea Sandwiches with Edible Violas, Oyster leaf and Borages

Blueberry Mini Muffins ©Ellen Easton

Blueberry Bowls with Edible Orchids, Dianthus and Begonias, Rose Sugar and Cream

Blue Decorated Afternoon Tea Sweets ~ Cookies, Icings, Puddings, Petit Fours and Cakes~

CHILLED BLUEBERRY SOUP or SHAKE with Crushed Edible Crystal Flowers

©Ellen Easton

CHILLED FRUIT SOUP

• 1-Cup Cold Milk
• (Substitute the variety of liquid of your choice but whole or nonfat Lactaid milk is best)
• 1 Cup of frozen or fresh Blueberries
• 2 TBS of nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 tsp. pure Vanilla Extract
• (I use Nielsen- Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla)

SHAKE

To make into a shake add 1 TBS at a time of nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt to thicken to consistency desired or if feeling no guilt, a big heaping scoop of vanilla bean ice cream!

Place all ingredients into a blender and pulse until the berries are mixed into the milk.

Garnish with crushed Edible Flowers or additional Berries.  Serve immediately or chill over night in the refrigerator. Yields one serving.  Multiply recipe for additional servings per person.

Note:  Blueberries complement many other fruits, herbs and spices, including but not limited to other berries, peaches, citrus, melons, dates and figs, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, lavender, honey, lemon verbena and the aforementioned lemon, mint and vanilla.

Who knew there were blue strawberries and bananas?  I certainly didn’t until I found these photos on the Internet.

 If anyone has ever seen or tasted one please let us all know.

NurtriBullet

Mini Cuisinart

Butterly Blue Tea Flower

Edible Flowers