Edible Flowers

Daylily

Rose

Violet

How many of you have ever thought about using flowers in your cooking adventures?  Flowers have been used by many cultures for thousands of years to add a special taste or flare to a meal.  There are some obvious flowers that almost anyone would recognize as being edible such as rose petals, violets, marigolds, but you may be surprised at some of the blooms in your garden that can add a whole new dimension to your food experience!  

Let me show you some examples of edibles that you may not be as familiar with~

Petunia

Nigella

Nasturtium

That's right Petunias! Nigella! Nasturtiums! 

Petunias are such a delight to add to a summer salad of mixed greens from the garden ~ gather your lettuce, fresh lemon basil, fennel leaf and whatever fresh veggies are emerging from the garden. Toss the greens together top with your petunias & serve with your favorite dressing.
Nigella will not only turn heads but lend an exotic aire to your room temperature pasta dishes, it will impart a flavor of subtle wild onion to the meal.  The flower is used along with it's seed to flavor many Middle Eastern & Indian dishes.
Nasturtium is probably the most versatile of the three flowers!  It can be used in salads, pasta & as a decorative addition to summer drinks.  Nasturtium has peppery taste and the buds are actually used as a caper substitute. 

I hope that I've piqued your interest in edible flowers if so drop me a comment and we'll revisit the subject some time in the future, because today we didn't even begin to explore the many uses of Edible Flowers!