"Purple Herb Flowers"

Do you know some of herbs will get Purple Flowers ?
Last Saturday at the Farmers' Market I found them on "Garlic Chives" and "Lemon Thyme".
They are pretty enough to look at, and they are also edible. Not just helping to make a dish colorful, they also make it taste better. 
Just wash well and make them dry before you use them for cooking. If you dry them well you can even use at the very last minute to sprinkle over your dishes, or use them as garnish.  
And if you can't use them all at once you can always keep in a glass with water. Then put them on the table as a bouquet. They will keep fresh for a while.
The Hot Weather stayed with us almost all week, I just kept making simple and cold dishes for meals.
One afternoon, I had friends over for Lunch.  Most of dishes had herbs and herb flowers in them. Some were visible in dishes and some were not.  But my friends certainly tasted their presence in my dishes.  
When days are Hot and Wet you will have craving for simple and familiar dishes. But sometimes it is necessary to have something new with them to enjoy !

 

Here I made "Red Salsa" with Tomatoes, Red Onions, and Red Radishes, accompanied by "Whole Wheat Pita Chips" for a Starter.
Jersey Tomatoes were sliced, then stacked with Mozzarella Cheese, and I plated it like a "Millefeuille", then dressed with Basil Pignoli Sauce. I added lightly pickled Red Onion Rings to give it a bite.  That was a my Salad Course. 
Then I made Scramble Eggs with Italian Parsley, Lemon Thyme, and Stems & Flowers of Garlic Chives. And I rolled up them with Smoked Salmon in Whole Wheat Flat Bread to be a Burrito.

Jonathan always says that I make too much food when I have company. 

But I always get so nervous right before my guests arrive. 

"Do I have enough food for the number of people I invited ?"

So I almost always end up with a couple additional dishes to a original menu.

For this lunch, I quickly put together a Cold Salad from leftover Rotisserie Chicken and Romaine-Lettuce & Cucumbers & Chive Flowers. 

I also made "Shiso Brown Rice". 

This Brown Rice was so easy to make and very Fragrance. Right before you serve, you quickly mix Brown Rice with Sesame Seeds and Julienned Shiso Leaves. I served it with a stack of "Nori" on the side. So guests could make their own Hand-Rolls with it. 

If you can't make Hand Roll by yourself, do like I do.  

Cut "Nori(Seaweed Sheet)" into 4~6 small square sheets, then put rice on half of the "Nori". Them simply fold it in half and eat them right away. 

It is small enough to put the whole thing into your mouth. So nobody will see how you made your Hand Roll.

"Garlic Chive Flowers"

"Shiso Leaves" were so green, I just had to make something pretty to look 

while I was waiting for them to dry.