Beautiful and Delicious!

Beautiful and Delicious!

VISIT a flower garden, and your senses are immediately rewarded. You enjoy the sight of the flowers’ colors, their shapes, and their intricate designs. You smell their fragrances. You feel the varied textures of their petals. But what about your sense of taste? Can you also find pleasure in the taste of flowers? In some countries, people have enjoyed the flavor of edible flowers for centuries. If you have one of the following available in your flower or vegetable garden, maybe you too would enjoy the experience.

The Romantic Rose

Around the world, the rose (genus Rosa) is probably the best-known and the most appreciated flower. Besides the primary species, there are thousands of man-made hybrids. Since flavor is affected by such factors as soil and temperature, it is advisable to taste a petal of the rose or any other flower before you decide to use the flower as food. You will probably notice that the base of the petal is somewhat bitter. If it is, cut out that part, or if you are serving the complete flower, eat only the outer part.

The list of dishes that can be enriched by roses is practically endless. Try them in salads, maybe with some mild cheese and chopped nuts. Use smashed petals of red roses as an extra ingredient in your favorite sauce to add flavor and color. And what about giving your spaghetti the final touch of rose petals cut into strips? Roses will also enhance the flavor of ice cream and your favorite beverage.

The Squash Blossom

Records of the squash blossom (Cucurbita pepo) being used for food in the Americas date back to the 16th century, and it seems that Native Americans used to eat only male flowers (those grown on long and slender stems) in order to allow female flowers (those with a very small squash behind them) to reproduce. Before cooking the flowers, remove the outside prickly leaves. Pistils can be taken off or left on. In entrées and soups, the mild flavor of squash blossoms goes well with olive oil, tender corn, and the squash itself. For a stronger flavor, sauté the blossoms with some onion, garlic, herbs, and spices of your choice. You can also stuff the flowers with a mixture of cheese, onion, and herbs. Then close the end, and dip the blossoms in an egg mixture of whisked egg whites to which yolks have been added. Finally, dip the blossoms in bread crumbs, deep-fry them, and enjoy their unique flavor!

The Colorful Garden Pansy

Bicolored or tricolored garden pansies (Viola wittrockiana) have characteristic dark spots on the petals, which give them an unusual appearance. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, the garden pansy is usually thought to be a cultivated form of the wild pansy, or Johnny-jump-up (Viola tricolor), colored purple, white, and yellow. This wildflower is also edible, but according to the book Edible Flowers—From Garden to Palate, it “may be toxic in large amounts.” It greatly enhances the flavor and appearance of vegetable and fruit salads. Use the entire flower, adding it right before serving and after adding any vinaigrette. You can also serve it on your favorite soup.
A third edible flower of the Viola genus is the garden violet, or English violet (Viola odorata), which goes wonderfully with desserts and beverages. (See the box “Sweet Flowers for Beverages.”) No other flowers of the Viola genus are considered edible.

The Vivacious Daylily

The long, thin, abundant leaves at the base of the daylily (genus Hemerocallis) are characteristic of this plant. Its short-lived flower must not be confused with other flowers of the same family, Liliaceae. Daylilies, whose colors range from yellow to red, have long been used in the kitchen. This flower, lightly cooked, can be served as a vegetable. Another possibility is to combine its petals with ingredients of your choice to make a light paste and then fry it. Garnish it with an entire flower.

Some Other Edibles

The yucca flower (genus Yucca), which grows especially in arid or semiarid climates, is rich in vitamins and calcium. Eat only the petals; you may have to give them a light boil to take away any bitterness. Lemon blossoms (Citrus limon), orange blossoms (Citrus sinensis), and the mint flower (genus Mentha) are excellent additions to beverages, salads, and desserts.
Without a doubt, flowers are a gift to our senses and an important ingredient in our enjoyment of life. Truly they give us additional reasons to thank our loving Creator.