The idea of using flowers in candy, or even as candy, began in the Middle East, where confectioners would pulverize and coat the petals with sugar. This trend continued throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in the U.S. where they appeared in Martha Washington’s Cookbook as well as African American cookbook author, Rufus Estes’ about one hundred years later.

The violet, in particular, is a native flower, but candied violet petals are not. The methods for candying the violet are pretty much the same as the rose and so are its uses. What separates them are three things: the flavor, but that’s obvious; it’s place of origin, also obvious; and Napoleon. Napoleon and his wife Josephine were enamored with violets, which became a French favorite during their lifetime. Once Napoleon fell from favor, the French love of violets fell, too and so, it seems, did almost everyone else.