Scented Sugars

One of the simplest and most delightful culinary uses is making scented sugars, which can be added to cakes or sprinkled over cookies or fruit or used in teas. To make them, simply pour a half inch of sugar in a jar, then spread a thin layer of scented geranium leaves, lavender, rose, vanilla, spearmint, peppermint, lemon, orange etc over it. Repeat until you reach the top, ending with a layer of the scented ingredient you have chosen. Close and let stand for a week, and the leaves or fruit will transfer their scent to the sugar. The most popular scented sugar used by the Victorians was made with rose geranium leaves, but you can make as many different flavors as you like. Make sure whatever you have chosen to use has not been sprayed by a pesticide!