Article: Edible Flowers

[Guest guest]

Summertime is a great time to stop and smell the flowers ... as well as

stop and eat some of them too!

 

*Smile*

Chris (list mom)

 

http://www.alittleolfactory.com

 

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http://www.whatscookingamerica.net/EdibleFlowers/EdibleFlowersMain.htm

 

Most herb flowers have a taste that's similar to the leaf, but spicier.

The concept is not new. After falling out of favor for many years,

cooking and garnishing with flowers is back in vogue once again. Flower

cookery has been traced back to Roman times and was especially popular

in the Victorian era. Today, many restaurant chefs and innovative home

cooks garnish their entrees with flower blossoms for a touch of

elegance.

But one very important thing that you need to remember is that not every

flower is edible. In fact, sampling some flowers can make you very, very

sick. You also should NEVER use pesticides or other chemicals on any

part of any plant that produces blossoms you plan to eat.

 

 

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Harvest flowers as you would fruit, selecting those that look most

perfectly ready, with the fullest color, and passing over any that seem

wilted or less ripe. The fresher the flower, the more flavorful its

taste, so pick your flowers as close as possible to food preparation

time. Stem flowers may be put in a glass of water in a cool place until

you are ready to use them. All blooms should be thoroughly rinsed. If

you are using whole bloom flowers such as squash blossoms, nasturtium or

johnny jumpups, immerse them in water to remove any insects or soil.

Then lay the flowers gently on paper or cloth towels and dab dry, or

gently spin dry in a salad spinner. If necessary, layer blooms carefully

between moist paper towels in the refrigerator until meal time.

 

Use your imagination. The more you open yourself to the possibilities of

edible flowers, the more uses you will discover. But proceed with

caution and use some common sense.

 

 

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Following are some simple guidelines to keep in mind before you eat any

type of flower:

 

Eat flowers only when you are positive they are edible. If uncertain,

consult a good reference book on edible flowers prior to consumption.

 

Just because flowers are served with food does not mean they are edible.

It's easy and very attractive to use flowers for garnish on plates or

for decoration, but avoid using non-edible flowers this way. Many people

believe that anything on the plate can be eaten. They may not know if

the flower is edible or not and may be afraid to ask.

 

If pesticides are necessary, use only those products labeled for use on

edible crops.

 

Do not eat flowers from florists, nurseries or garden centers. In many

cases these flowers have been treated with pesticides not labeled for

food crops.

 

Do not eat flowers picked from the side of the road. Once again,

possible herbicide use eliminates these flowers as a possibility for

use. Remove pistils and stamens from flowers before eating. Eat only the

flower petals for most flowers.

 

Introduce flowers into your diet in small quantities one species at a

time. Too much of a good thing may cause problems for your digestive

system.

 

If you have allergies, introduce edible flowers gradually, as they may

aggravate some allergies.

 

To view a list of edible flowers, click the following link:

http://www.whatscookingamerica.net/EdibleFlowers/EdibleFlowerList.htm

 

.. List tells the following:

 

.. what they taste like

 

.. shows photos of the flowers

 

.. information on each flower

 

.. recipes to use with the flowers

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Chris, for sharing that website! That's a neat site!!!!! I'm

still trying to get DH to eat rose petals, but with no luck

*yet*. <EG> He has eaten calendula petals in a salad (and known ahead of

time that it was there), so there IS hope for him! LOL! With this website

maybe I can find other flowers I can trick him into eating. (Um, did I

just say that?????) <G>

 

Blessings,

MulleinCat

 

 

At 03:49 PM 7/23/2002, you wrote:

>Summertime is a great time to stop and smell the flowers ... as well as

>stop and eat some of them too!

 

 

Great minds discuss ideas;

Average minds discuss events;

Small minds discuss people.

http://wlfskr.com.

http://www.lmf.net/~starkisd

I haven't lost my mind - it's backed up on disk somewhere!

 

 

[Guest guest]

> I'm still trying to get DH to eat rose petals, but with no luck

> *yet*. <EG>

> Blessings,

> MulleinCat

 

*TeeHee* I say try sneaking some rose petal jam on pancakes or French

toast! Yummy yumm yumm

 

How To Make Rose Petal Jam - My Step By Step Instructions

http://www.av-at.com/stuff/rosejam.html

 

*Smile*

Chris (list mom)

 

http://www.alittleoflactory.com