I came across this article on edible flowers and thought it was interesting. We have been known to use nasturtium, pansy and violets on our plates, all of which are perfectly good. But here is an article on many more flowers to eat from Tree Hugger, 42 Flowers You Can Eat. Do enjoy this article and click the link to read the entire article.
The culinary use of flowers dates back thousands of years to the Chinese, Greek and Romans. Many cultures use flowers in their traditional cooking — think of squash blossoms in Italian food and rose petals in Indian food. Adding flowers to your food can be a nice way to add color, flavor and a little whimsy. Some are spicy, and some herbacious, while others are floral and fragrant. The range is surprising.
It’s not uncommon to see flower petals used in salads, teas, and as garnish for desserts, but they inspire creative uses as well — roll spicy ones (like chive blossoms) into handmade pasta dough, incorporate floral ones into homemade ice cream, pickle flower buds (like nasturtium) to make ersatz capers, use them to make a floral simple syrup for use in lemonade or cocktails. I once stuffed gladiolus following a recipe for stuffed squash blossoms — they were great. So many possibilities…
So see, you have more garden space than you expected. Those flowers that you grow, place them in a salad or candy them. Nasturtium blossoms are not only pretty and add to the presentation of the dish, but they are slightly peppery and delicious. Give it a try. Let us know what you do with your flowers. Use the link above for the complete article. Cheers!
Boise Foodie Guild 