Spring is just days away...

 

So add SPRING to your menu with flowers!

Queen Victoria was cutting edge when it came to edible garnishes. Adorning meals with fresh flowers was the rage during her rein. The trend fell out of favor for a while, but now it’s back. Many restaurant chefs and innovative home cooks use flowers to add pizzazz and elegance to a wide variety of dishes. What’s the secret? Keep the recipe simple – delicate tasting flowers get lost in a dish with strong flavors. On the flipside, flower overload isn’t the answer because too many at once can give you a tummy ache. If you’re new to the bloom scene, start by sprinkling them onto salads, dips, soups, eggs and pasta and rice dishes. You can also infuse flower power into herb butters and use them to enhance drinks, cakes and other desserts.

Some words of caution:

1.      NEVER use pesticides or other chemicals on plants you plan to eat.

2.      Never eat flowers growing by the roadside or from florists, nurseries and garden centers.

3.      Identify the flower exactly and eat only edible flowers and edible parts of those flowers.

4.      When dining out, ask if the “flower garnish” is edible and, if the chef doesn’t know, skip it.

5.      Remove stamens, stems and sepals (the little leaves connected to the top of the stem) from flowers before eating (the pollen may cause allergies in some people).

6.      Add flowers to your menu in small doses and preferably one variety at a time (too much at once can cause digestive upset).

Edible Flowers

                                                              

Begonia: sour-citrus taste; because stems and flowers contain oxalic acid, avoid them if you have gout, kidney stones or rheumatism

Marigold: citrus flavor; good substitute for saffron

Carnation: sweet petals; bitter white base

Chrysanthemum: tangy and slightly peppery; use petals to flavor vinegar

Clover: anise/licorice flavor

Cornflower: clove-like flavor

Dandelion: sweet honey flavor, especially when picked young; try raw or steamed

Fuchsia: bold colors, citrus flavor

Garden Sorrel: lemony and sharp

Gladiola: mild lettuce flavor

Hibiscus: cranberry-citrus flavor; use pungent petals sparingly

Impatiens: very sweet

Johnny-Jump Ups: minty

Lilac: lemony and pungent

Nasturtium: similar to watercress; fresh and peppery

Pansy: sweet green grass flavor

Peony: slightly sweet and colorful addition to salads and drinks

Primrose/Cowslip: very mildly sweet

Rose: flavors range significantly depending on color and soil, from strawberries to apples to pepper

Sunflower: mild artichoke flavor, especially when eaten in the bud stage

Squash Blossoms: flavor reminiscent of sweet summer squash

Violet: sweet, colorful and perfect for salads, desserts and drinks

Edible Flowers from Herbs

Add petals to dishes already flavored with the herb.

Chive Blossom

Garlic Blossom

Angelica

Anise Hyssop

Basil

Chervil

Chicory

Cilantro/Coriander

Fennel

Ginger

Lemon Verbena

Marjoram

Mint

Oregano

Rosemary

Sage

Savory

Thyme