Popular Edible Flowers * Pansies--Mild flavored petals.  Good choice for sugaring. *  Calendula Marigolds--Pretty yellow petals brighten up salads and pasta dishes.  *  Nasturtiums--Beautiful bright orange and yellow flowers with a slightly peppery taste.  Great addition to a cheese tray or in a salad. *  Roses--Roses are really  the workhorses of edible flowers.  With a slightly fruity taste, they can be used in salads, soups, decorations for cakes, desserts, smoothies and ice cream. Petals can be used to flavor butter, syrups and jelly.  Freeze them in ice cubes for a beautiful addition to our drink.  *  Violets--A kind of pansy, they have a sweet, tangy flavor. *  Garlic and Chive Blossoms--milder onion and garlic flavors.  *  Bachelor's Button--mild sweet and spicy flavor.  *  Squash Blossom--Great for stuffing, they have a mild squash flavor.

                                                            photo:  Free Digital Photos.net

Edible Flowers are an inexpensive way to beautify your garden and dress up your recipes.

Popular Edible Flowers include lavender, nasturtiums, pansies, rose petals, violets, cilantro, squash blossom, chives, and basil. 

Edible Flowers were popular in Victorian England, and have been traced back to Roman Times.   They have also been used in Indian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern Cultures.

Besides being pretty and adding visual appeal, edible flowers are rich in natural anti-oxidants, and traces of minerals and vitamins to your meals.  Dandelion flowers are rich in carotenoids.  Purple cone daisies are believed to boost the immune system, and Hawythorn blossoms contain bioflavinoids that may protect the heart and strengthen capillaries.  

Edible flowers can be added to salads, beverages, soups, breads, deserts and salad dressings.  They can be steamed, poached or sauteed--used whole and stuffed or shredded as an ingredient.  They can be sugared and used as an edible decoration on cakes and other confections.  





Some notes of caution when using edible flowers:

Make sure the flowers you are eating are edible.  Not all flowers are edible--there are acutally more poisonous flowers than edible ones. 

If you have allergies, introduce flowers one at a time, flowers can irritate allergies.  If you have asthma or your allergies are severe, it might be best to avoid flowers.

Wash flowers thoroughly before eating, and never use pesticides on flowers you are going to eat.

Eat only the petals on most flowers.  Separate the petals just before eating to minimize wilting.  (Exceptions to this include nasturtiums, saffron and dandelions.)

Do not eat flowers from florists--they may have been sprayed with non-edible pesticides.  Flowers from the side of the road are unsafe for the same reason.  

Be careful with new cultivations.  A change in genetics may make the flower inedible. 




Flowered Ice Cubes:



Flowered ice cubes are a beautiful way to decorate summer drinks. 

Place Flower in bottom of ice cube tray.  Fill half-way with water.  When frozen, fill the tray up the rest of the way with water and refreeze.  If you want to ensure that your ice cubes are crystal clear, boil the water first to remove air bubbles, then let cool. 



Sugared Flowers Recipe:


Powdered Egg White (Using powdered egg white avoids the danger of salmonella)

Superfine Sugar

Small paintbrush


MIx powdered eggwhites with water until frothy.
Coat edible flowers with eggwhites using small paint brush.
Sprinkle with superfine sugar.
Place on wire rack to dry. 

Flowers are ready to use when completely dry and somewhat brittle. 
  
Candied flowers will last about 6 months or can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one year. 

Good candidates for Sugaring include pansies, violets, johnny jump-ups, rose petals, lilacs, pea and scented geraniums. 

Eating Edible Flowers--Starting Young