Say it with flowers – Edible Flowers

Before the time of instagram, facebook, snapchat and twitter (hello, twitter you old dragon) people used edible flowers in their meals. Edible flowers are such a treat! Obviously social media has upped the popularity on these edible beauties but they have always been there. Edible flowers can bring a surprising taste sensation as well as aesthetic to many everyday and fancy dishes. Grow them at home, purchase from a grocery store or forage but do be careful.

Now a word of caution; not all flowers are edible. If you are not certain about them either buy them direct from a grocery store or visit your local nursery to purchase ones you can plant in the garden. As well, even if you  know your edible from your inedible flowers, do not eat the ones that are growing on the side of a road or trail. You don’t know what has been sprayed in the area (herbicides, pesticides, urine (both human and canine .. sorry) and vehicle exhaust can also affect the flowers. It also advised to eat only the petals and to remove the pistils and stamens before consuming and always wash them before eating.

 

Here are some of my favourite edible flowers, for the original post please visit here:

Calendula / marigold A great flower for eating, calendula blossoms are peppery, tangy, and spicy — and their vibrant golden colour adds vibrancy to any dish.

Chamomile Small and daisy-like, the flowers have a sweet flavour and are often used in tea. Ragweed sufferers may be allergic to chamomile.

Citrus (orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, kumquat) Citrus blossoms are sweet and highly scented. Use sparingly or they will over-perfume a dish.

Clover Flowers are sweet with a hint of licorice. My mum drys clover and adds it to her tea mix.

Impatiens Flowers don’t have much flavor — best as a pretty garnish or for candying.

Jasmine These super-fragrant blooms are used in tea; you can also use them in sweet dishes, but sparingly.

Lavender Sweet, spicy, and perfumed, the flowers are a great addition to both savory and sweet dishes. Dried lavender is quite easy to find and a great addition to breakfast and cakes.

Mint The flowers are minty. Their intensity varies among varieties.

Nasturtium One of the most popular edible flowers, nasturtium blossoms are brilliantly colored with a sweet, floral flavor bursting with a radish taste. These also look great in the garden and are easy to grow … at least for my mum and her green fingers.

Pansy The petals are somewhat nondescript, but if you eat the whole flower you get more taste. In most of my dishes which feature flowers I use pansies as these are better available in Dubai (especially Waitrose and Spinneys)

Rose Remove the white, bitter base and the remaining petals have a strongly perfumed flavor perfect for floating in drinks or scattering across desserts, and for a variety of jams. All roses are edible, with flavor more pronounced in darker varieties.

Elderflower These lovely blooms have a delicate scent and make for wonderful fritters or in syrups. If you are able to forage fresh Elderflowers you can use them to make this syrup.

Have you tried edible flowers before?