Flower Delicacies part 1

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Floral Delicacies

By Deborah C. Harding

We think nothing of eating tomatoes, spinach, and lettuce out of our gardens, but did you know you can also make sumptuous dishes out of pansies, roses, chive blossoms, daylilys, chrysanthemums and other flowers. These produce many floral delicacies that will cause your taste buds to shiver with anticipation.

Culinary uses of flowers dates back to around 140 BC. Oriental cuisine utilized daylililes and chrysthanthemums. They used daylilys to give their dishes a crunch and made a chrysthanthemum soup that was as beautiful as it was delicious. The Romans used roses and violets in their recipes to sweeten them and make them aromatic. Italian and Spanish cultures incorporate herb flowers into their cuisine for strong flavor. American Indians cooked with squash blossoms as they grew plentifully in the countryside. It is said the bitter herbs told of in the Bible and eaten at the Passover table were actually dandelions.

It is important to point out that you should never use flowers in cooking that have been sprayed with a pesticide. Therefore, avoid flowers that would come from a florist. The safe way to use flowers in cooking is to grow them yourself. Make sure that you do not have your grass treated with any of the chemicals used by lawn services. This will leach into the soil where your flowers may lie. Besides, dandelions are edible too. It is a shame to destroy them. If you neighbors have their lawn sprayed make sure your flower garden is pretty far away from their yard so that your flowers do not get contaminated.

The list of flowers that can be safely used in cooking is very long. They include the following:

Basil flowers (Ocimum basilicum) Taste - spicy, peppery flavor.

Calendula (Calendula officianalis) Taste - spicy, tangy, peppery; gives food a yellow color like saffron. Be careful if you are diabetic. This flower can lower your blood sugar rapidly. Some say this is an old wives tale but I have experienced this first hand and would not consume this flower if you are a diabetic.

Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) Also called pinks. Taste - clove like.

Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) Taste - slight apple flavor

Chives (Cichorium intybus) Taste - mild oniony flavor

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum coronarium) Taste - slightly bitter, pungent.

Cornflower or Bachelor's Buttons (Centaurea cynaus) Taste - sweet, clove like.

English Daisy (Bellis perennis) Taste - Tangy, like lettuce.

Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) Taste - light and sweet.

Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosasinensis) Taste - acidic.

Impatiens (Impatiens wallerana) Taste - bland, but they look pretty in a salad.

ny-Jump-Up (Viola tricolor) Taste - sweet. Don't eat too many, could be toxic.

Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) Taste - sweet delicate.

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) - Taste peppery but sweet.

Pansy (Viola X wittrockiana) Taste - Mildly sweet.

Rose ( rugosa or R. gallica officinalis) Taste - Sweet aromatic flavor. Make sure you remove the bitter white ends of the petals.

Snapdragon (Antirrhinum) Tastes - bitter

Squash Blossom (Cucurbita pepo) Taste - Sweet nectar flavor

Tuberous Begonia (Begonia X tuberosa) Taste - crisp sour lemony, Only the hybrids are edible. Should not be consumed by those suffering with gout, kidneystones or rheumatism. Eat only in moderation.

Violet (Viola species) Taste - crunchy, fresh taste. Only petals are edible.

Many flowers are poisonous and immediately toxic. For a listing of those flowers and also more flowers that are edible consult Mingo Company's Homecooking web page at http://homecooking.miningco.com/library/weekly/blflowersnot.htm.

Pick your flowers in the morning or late afternoon when the water content is the highest. They can be stored in the refrigerator until you wish to use them and they will not wilt. To prepare your flowers, pour cold water into a bowl and add about a teaspoon of salt. If they have wilted use ice water. Gently submerge with your ands and splash them around then drain them on paper towels. Remove the petals for use. If the petal has a white area close to where it was plucked, make sure it is removed but tearing or cutting off. This area will be extremely bitter.

Use flowers sparingly at first as many can give you mild digestive problems if you are not used to them. If you have allergies, be very careful and try one type of flower in very small amounts at a time.

Whether you use your flowers in salads, omelets, or in a sweet bread, they will certainly become a conversation piece at the table. They not only look pretty but they taste sensational. Create a Floral Delicacy for you next dinner party and get ready for the compliments

Suzi

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.

http://suziesgoats.wholefoodfarmacy.com/

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