Edible Flowers - Delicious Flowers With Exotic Beauty

Cooking and garnishing with flowers is back in vogue after many decades. A research states that the culinary use of flowers dates back thousands of years with the first recorded mention being in 140 B.C. Edible flowers were popular in the Victorian era during Queen Victoria's reign. Today, this nearly lost art is enjoying a revival in many restaurants. Chefs and innovative home cooks are garnishing their most favourite cuisines with flower blossoms for a touch of elegance in many countries. They are a healthy alternative to salt and sugar as seasoning. They can also be added to butter, oils and vinegar or used as a garnish to add beauty, colour and flavour to your dishes

There are several flowers blossoms that can be enjoyed both fresh and cooked. It's hard to find edible flowers to purchase, but quite easy to grow most of them in your garden. Here are some of the most yummy and beautiful flowers that can be grown in your garden.

The Edible Flower Garden

Borage : Borage blossoms have a cucumber like scent and flavour.. They add great flavour to punches, sorbets, lemonade, chilled soups, gin and tonics, cheese tortas, and dips.

Calendula or Pot Marigolds: The flavours of these flowers range from spicy to bitter, tangy to peppery. They are often used to add colour to salads. They are used as saffron substitutes (also known as Poor Man"s Saffron). You can sprinkle them on soups, pasta or rice dishes, herb butters, and salads. Petals add a yellow tint to soups and scrambled eggs.

Dandelion: Dandelion wine, are edible and very delicious when young and tender. They have a sweet, honey-like flavour. However, mature flowers taste bitter. Dandelion buds are tastier than the flowers; therefore pick them when they are very close to the ground. You can relish them either raw or steamed. There are many cultivated varieties that have been developed for less bitter taste and more controlled growth in market you can even buy them. You can serve a rice dish using dandelion petals like confetti over the rice.

Herb Flowers : herb flowers like Basil, Fennel, Bee Balm, Chives, Anise Hyssop, Dill, Garlic and Cilantro, are just as tasty as the foliage and more attractive. The leaves and flower petals can be used in both fruit and regular salads. Anise Hyssop is used for Chinese-style dishes

'Lemon Gem' and 'Tangerine Gem' Marigolds: These are the only edible marigold. These flowers have a citrus flavour. Make sure to break off and remove the bitter portion that comes to a right angle. Sprinkle them on soups, pasta or rice dishes, herb butters, and salads. Petals add a yellow tint to soups, spreads, and scrambled eggs.

Nasturtium: these are easy to grow and come in varieties ranging from trailing to upright and in brilliant sunset colours with peppery flavours. Nasturtium blossoms have a spicy and sweet flavour. The bright colours make great accents in salads. It can also be used to infuse vinegar. or even vodka. One can use the entire flowers to garnish platters, cheese tortas and sandwiches.

Roses : All roses are edible and their flavours depends o the colour, type and soil conditions. Its flavour is reminiscent of strawberries and green apples. It is sweet, with subtle undertones ranging from fruit to mint to spice. Flowers with large petals can be sprinkled on desserts or salads. Petals cal also be used in syrups, jellies, perfumed butters and sweet spreads. Before using the flower make sure e to remove the bitter white portion of the petals

Tulips : Tulip petals are edible. For the best flavour pick them just before or as they open. They get tougher with each passing day. They can be also used as a garnish in any sweet sorbet. The petals taste like fresh baby peas, sweet lettuce or cucumber-like flavour.