I look forward to spring when daylight returns and afternoons stretch seamlessly into the evening. It’s on these long afternoons that I seem to attract a number of visitors to my porch who are always thirsty and ready for conversation. You can never be too prepared for thirsty visitors, so I like to stock the freezer with plenty of ice for just these occasions. As my entertaining skills have evolved, I have learned a trick that inspires gracious awe in just about any company: floral ice cubes. They are perfectly easy to make … so long as you remember to make them! 

Any herbs and edible blossoms of the moment will do. I’ve developed a habit of cutting extra herbs in the garden while picking greens for salad. After I make the salad, I fill the extra ice tray with botanicals, cover them with water and into the freezer they go—it’s that simple. 

My favorite cubes include any variety of fresh mint, borage blossoms, fennel fronds, poppy petals, peony petals, violets or tulip petals—even dandelions do nicely. 

Next time you buy fresh herbs in the market, remember this ice cube trick and remember to pluck the edible blossoms you pass on your next walk. The lilac bush at the end of the driveway and your tulips will take on a whole new meaning. Always remember to consult a field guide or a gardening expert to identify any flowers that you’re unsure of—and be sure to stay away from any plants that have been treated with pesticides. 

Keep a tray of floral cubes in the freezer for unexpected company. You might forget all about them and then, voila!—you unearth a tray in time to enjoy a lemonade as a quick pick-me-up.