Flowers can be consumed raw, cooked, or infused in sauce. All edible flowers
can be used as a decoration to a dish or on a tray. They add a distinctive color
and taste to cakes, pastries & salads. Vinegar changes the color of the flowers,
so it is best to serve the salad dressing on the side. Flowers add elegance to
beverages when floating in a punch bowl or frozen in ice cubes. Edible flowers
can also be used in teas.
Edible Flowers for Beginners:
Do not eat flowers if you have hay fever, asthma or allergies.
Do not eat flowers obtained from a florist, nursery or garden center. Do not eat flowers growing on the side of the road.
With the widespread use of pesticides by commercial growers, purchase edible flowers from a supplier who grows them specifically for consumption. Due to their popularity, many grocery stores & gourmet markets now sell edible flowers. It is most ideal to grow them yourself, so you know they are completely pesticide-free.
If you decide to grow your own flowers to eat, be certain you know your flowers since not all are edible. Some are poisonous.
Pick flowers on the day you are planning to use them. It is best to pick them in the morning or late afternoon when the water content is high.
To maintain maximum freshness, keep flowers cool after harvest. Store your flowers, whole, in a container of water and place them in the refrigerator until you need to use them. Blooms and short-stemmed flowers can be kept fresh by laying them between layers of dampened paper-towel.
Before use, wash flowers thoroughly in salt water. Perk them up by dropping them into a bowl of ice water for 30-60 seconds; then drain on paper towels. Remove all the green parts, stems and leaves, and any white 'heels' on petals since these parts can often be bitter.
Petals can be stored for a day in a plastic bag in the refrigerator - but, ideally, you should use them within a few hours.
Introduce flowers into your diet one at a time in small quantities.
Articles
