Have you seen those purple balloons that float up from the centers of garden chives? Did you know that they’re edible?

The tough stems of chive blossoms mean they’re typically excluded from the chive bunches sold in stores and markets. But these beautiful flowers can be turned into blush colored vinegar, flavored butter and make for an elegant garnish.

Below are a few ideas for what to do with chive blossoms.

CHIVE BLOSSOM GARNISH

Wash the blossoms and pat dry.

Pinch the florets with your fingers and gently pull the separate them from the blossom head.

Sprinkle the florets on salads, eggs, pastas, you name it.

CHIVE VINEGAR

Wash the blossoms well and pat dry with a towel or in a salad spinner. If the stems are still attached, trim off at the base of the blossom.

Fill a jar with the blossoms, loosely packed.

On a medium-high stovetop, heat enough white wine vinegar to fill your jar. When it’s hot, but not boiling, fill the jar with the vinegar and cover with a lid. Don’t to use a metal lid or the vinegar will react with the metal; I cover the jar with a square piece of parchment paper and a rubber band.

Place the jar in your fridge until it reaches our desired flavor level (about 1-2 weeks). The longer you let it sit, the rosier in color it will become.

When it’s ready, strain out the flowers and pour into a bottle, or keep in the jar.

Use anywhere you would vinegar, like a vinaigrette salad dressing or as a flavor-enhancing acid in sautes and stir-fry.

FLAVORED BUTTER

Ingredients:

• 1 lb butter, softened
• 6 chive blossoms, separated into florets
• 2 T chive leaves, finely chopped
• 1 pinch of salt

Mix butter, florets, chopped chives and salt in a bowl and blend well with a rubber spatula. Place butter mixture into a small bowl, a mould, or roll in parchment paper. You can also use a melon-baller to make individual portions.

Cover with plastic wrap, place in the fridge and chill for several hours to allow the flavors to meld.