My Favorite Fancy

Ceece is throwing a bridal shower for her sister today.

Hmm, I'd be curious to know how many showers I've orchestrated or been a part of. Let's just say, "Plenty." I told Ceece I'd help her out, and she ordered her favorite dish, Fruited Chicken Pasta and some homemade garlic/parmesan rolls, oh, and garden flowers.

I finally learned how to keep hydrangeas from wilting.

Anyway, to be such a Plain Jane, I really love fancy details for parties. As a matter of fact, the little detailed things are my mostest favorite!

I learned to do this from a class at Stream Cliff Farm one summer years ago. Brandt Carter led a class on using flowers in cooking.

I think this is best done on a big round of cheese, but those are quite pricey. I had hoped to find a wee round, but there were none at my Kroger and I was out of time. Still, I just love the look.

First, I made foil collars for chunks of cheese, fastened with a toothpick and sprayed with oil spray for good measure.

Then a trip to the garden to pick some edibles like pansies, rosemary, parsley, sage. As I pick, I drop them in a bowl of water, give them a good rinse, then on a drying towel. I never spray anything, so all my stuff is safe for snacking.
Next, 1/2 cup of water in the pot. Sprinkle one package of unflavored gelatin over the water and wait a few minutes. Then add 1 and 1/4 cups white wine. Stir over medium heat until there are no more bubble and it's clear.
Put into a bowl, inside a bowl of ice and stir until it gets thick. Smear some of it on top of the cheese.
Add the flowers in the way that you like best. Then blop some more gelatin stuff on the top until everything is covered. Stick in the frig until the gelatin is set. Peel off the foil.
Wha-la. Isn't it loverly. It looks like the flowers are under glass on the cheese. I like to put a lovely green from the garden on a cake stand and set the flowered beauties in the greens. Slice and serve your wine and cheese with crackers. Though I'll warn you, unless you have some odd peeps, most people just look until you insist they try it. I guess they they think it would be like pulling off a chunk of a flowered dish to munch on. Ahh, so pretty.
Linking today with Creative Friday.