Ingredients
4 cups cherry blossom flowers in bud (with stem)
2-4 cups sea salt
300ml ume plum vinegar
Preparation
Pick through the cherry blossom to make sure you have them in bud, then place them in a baking dish and mix gently with the sea salt. Use another dish that fits inside the first one and weigh it down with something to press the flowers down. Leave for 2 days, then rinse off the salt and pat dry or use a salad spinner to remove excess water.
Put the blossoms in a bowl and cover with the plum vinegar. Leave them covered to infuse for 3 days then take the blossoms out of the vinegar and gently squeeze - I like to keep the vinegar for either using again or to make a salad dressing. Line a baking tray with parchment, put the oven on a low heat (about 100 degrees C) and dry out the blossoms, making sure you don't burn them. Check them after 10 minutes - they won't take very long as they are small and may only need another 5 minutes or so. Store in a clean dry sealed jar and use for making tea, for biscuits, adding to rice, etc.