"Shiso no Mi"

I think it is the end of the season for "Shiso" at Union Square Farmer's Market.
The leaves are getting fewer on the stems, the flowers are no longer blooming, but seeds are getting bigger and more on the top of stems. 
I'm sad about not getting more leaves, but I'm happy to see the "Shiso no Mi (Shiso Seed)". 
I can collect them and I can make "SHISO JIO" for cooking. It is simply a mixture of "Sea Salt" and "Dried Shiso Seeds" I do use them for Quick Pickling. "My first pickling recipe" is including this salt.
I used to get "Shiso no MI" only from Japan.  The mother of my friend in Tokyo got them, dried them for me. When I found "Shiso" at the Farmer's Market this spring, I thought that I may be able to get them in New York City...
Soon after I realized that I didn't know what to look for and what they look like before they're dried.
I tried more than few times to collect them from the stems.  I had never seen fresh "Shiso no Mi" before, therefore I had no idea how I could do this.  
This time, I think I finally got it !  
You have to wait for "Shiso" to get tiny purplish white flowers on them. After that you will still wait for flowers to fall down from flower caylx. You will finely find those Flower Caps with seeds. It will get bigger as you wait. That is the "Shiso no Mi" which I was looking for.  Washed them well when they were still on stems, under the running water, then dry them on a sunny table for day of so. And I carefully cut them off the stems into a basket. I could take out little things I didn't want to mixed with seeds by sifting.
I kept them in the sun to dry a bit for a day or so. Some got darker, some stayed green. 
I think you can mixed them with "Sea Salt" at this time, but I still have "SHISO JIO" for the time being, so I decided to freeze them. I know for sure that it is OK to freeze them, because my old "Shiso no Mi" did get frozen.
Until next Fall, I have to use those fantastic little things fresh or dried.  Little bit of this "SHISO JIO" will give vegetables a specific flavor (very Japanese) especially in Salad or quick-pickles.  I'm thiking to use them for "Onigiri (rice ball)" with "Umeboshi (Salt Pickled Plums)".
Have you ever had "Onigiri"?  They're like Sandwiches for Japanese. Now days you can find them in any Japanese Markets or Japanese Take-Out places.
We put something such as "Umeboshi" or "Baked Salmon" or "SeaWeed" in the middle of rice balls then wrap with "Nori (dried seaweed sheet)" or simply sprinkle with Salt and Sesame-Seeds. 
Best one in New York City is at "Oms/b" on East 45 street.
I think "SHISO JIO" will make a very special "Onigiri"

this is "Shiso no MI" before freezing.

when you need to make into "SHISO JIO" you mix with Sea-Salt.

you keep it in glass jar with tight top and keep in fridge.