Extensive List of Edible Flowers
Calendulas, Dandelions and Others are More than Pretty Blossoms
Sep 4, 2009
Eating flowers is nothing new. It actually dates back to the days of the Roman Empire and became quite popular after the Victorian age. Edible flowers seem to be enjoying a comeback to dinner plates. They make great additions for garnishes as well as colorful touches in the actual recipe. Here is a list of edible flowers from the garden.
Calendulas
The calendula is part of the marigold family and resembles saffron in taste. It is a golden-orange color and goes perfect with pasta and rice dishes.
Dandelions
These edible flowers should only be eaten when they are very young and just picked. The petals can be used for a garnish in rice or pasta dishes. The leaves can be used in mixed green salads. Avoid using dandelions that grow in the lawn and instead stick to ones that are grown in the flower bed.
Sage Blossoms
Sage flowers have a milder taste than the sage-leaf herb that is common in cooking. Add this edible flower to bean, corn, or mushroom dishes.
Roses
Rose petals are often used to make syrups and jellies. They also are great for garnishing dessert plates as well as can be eaten in salads. Roses come in a variety of bright colors that look great against neutral colors like brown and green.
Bee Balm
Bee balm are red flowers that many people compare in taste to oregano, which is a common herb in Italian and Spanish cooking. These flowers are most often used in fruit dishes as well as in leafy green salads. They also have a slight hint of mint them the flowers.
Nasturtiums
The blossoms on this garden plant have a sweet and spicy taste to them that is often compared to watercress. Add the blossoms to a salad to give a peppery taste to the plate. These flowers also go great with sandwiches and soups.
Squash Blossoms
Fried squash blossoms are a specialty in Italian cuisine. The blossoms are dipped in beaten egg whites, then in bread crumbs and then placed in oil to fry. Parmesan cheese is often added as to the fried blossoms as well.
Johnny Jump-Ups
These edible flowers have a mild wintergreen flavor and are great compliments to salads and soft cheeses. They can also be used to garnish a beverage or dessert. Pansies and violas are examples of Johnny jump-ups.
Before a person every eats any type of flower, they need to make sure that the flower has not been sprayed with any kinds of pesticides. Some toxic flowers that should be avoided are azaleas, sweet peas, rhododendrons, and lilies of the valley.
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