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Edible Flowers
Edible Flowers
Incredible Edible Flowers
"Marigolds seasoned the venison, roses graced the stew,
and violets mingled with wild onion in the salad."
--Medieval feast description
Please do eat the daisies, and also feel free to chow down on the roses, pansies and violets. Perhaps you have heard of candied violets, but you may be pleasantly surprised to hear many other flowers are not only a lovely visual addition to your dinner table, but also a tasty one.
A Little History
The culinary use of flowers dates back thousands of years with the first recorded mention was in 140 B.C. Many different cultures have incorporated flowers into their traditional foods. Oriental dishes make use of daylily buds, the Romans used mallow, rose and violets, Italian and Hispanic cultures gave us stuffed squash blossoms, and Asian Indians use rose petals in many recipes. Did you know Chartreuse, a classic green liqueur developed in France in the seventeeth century, boasts carnation petals as one of its secret ingredients? And, dandelions were one of the bitter herbs referred to in the Old Testament of the Bible.
Colorful and Tasty
Yes, those flowers look beautiful as garnishes, but what do they taste like? Bean blossums have a sweet, beany flavor. Nasturtiums have a wonderfully peppery flavor similar to watercress and their pickled buds can be substituted for more expensive capers. Borage tastes like cucumber, and miniature pansies (Johny-Jump-Ups) have a mild wintergreen taste. Violets, roses and lavender lend a sweet flavor to salads or desserts. Bright yellow calendulas are an economic alternative to expensive saffron, though not quite as pungent. Others may have a spicy or peppermint flavor. When in doubt, taste!
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