Unopened buds are delicious when cooked but must be treated first to remove bitterness. Put them in a pot, pour on boiling water, boil one minute, drain, and pour on more boiling water. Repeat this process three times or until no bitterness remains when you taste them. Cook them a little longer until just tender and serve with butter.

Reader Jean McLain of Peoria, Il wrote "The Herb Companion" and asked: "Any ideas what can be done to use milkweed blossoms? The fragrance is musky but not unpleasant. Could they be used in moth-repellant bags?" Hc responded with the above recipe and said they could find no mention of any use of the blossoms as a moth repellent.

From "In Basket: Letters from Our Readers" in "The Herb Companion." Dec.