Introduction to Edible Flowers: What You Need to Know
Unknown to many of us, there are plenty of flowers growing right in our yards which can be added to a varieties of recipes for flavour, colour and even health benefits. The addition of flowers to food is said to have begun with the ancient Romans where they used whole flowers and petals to decorate banquet spreads. Most edible flowers can be grown from seeds and many of them can be propagated through cuttings. A lot of them are just wildflowers and you can easily pick them during an evening stroll! Edible flowers bring out bold flavours and enhance our senses when added to the right recipe.
Before we can get into the different types of flowers, here are 4 tips are experts have put together to get the best results when using them in food.
1. Try to get your edible flowers from organic gardens which are pesticide free. Just to be safe, it’s advisable to rinse them well before consumption.
2. They are best harvested in the morning. Their petals are firm and the colour is in its peak in the early hours of the day.
3. Harvest flowers when they are in full bloom and just before wilting for maximum freshness and flavour enhancement.
4. Keep in mind that flowers have a wide range of flavours from peppery and spicy to herbal or sweet and can have strong fragrances. Therefore carefully chose the kind of flower which best enhances the recipe’s taste.
Here are some of our top choices of flowers you can consider adding to your favourite dishes.
Top 10 Edible Flowers and Their Culinary Uses
Roses
Roses are in the same plant family as strawberries and apples. Known as the ‘Queen of Flowers’ many varieties have edible petals and can be added to a number of dishes as a garnish. Their leaves are used to make tea and rose hips can also be consumed as they are known to be full of anti-oxidants. The rose buds are the part of the plant which packs the most flavour and is often dried for use in many dishes and tea.
The intensity of the rose petal’s flavour not only depends on the variety, but also the colour and type of soil it was grown in.
Nasturtiums
This popular plant has more parts than just the bright flaming flower that’s edible. It’s leaves gives a delicious peppery-spicy flavour and the seeds can be eaten as well. Nasturtiums can be grown in containers and are available trailing and upright varieties. They can be grown from seedlings indoors and once the baby plant is ready, it can be transplanted to your garden or balcony in an area with full sun.
Chives
These plants being a member of the onion family have purple flowers and foliage with a mild ‘oniony’ taste. They are great companion plants to many others in the garden as their scent keeps away pests and help to attract beneficial pollinators. The flowers along with a part of the foliage are used in recipes instead of scallions and green onions. Chives are perennial and grow well in full sun as well as partial shade.
Dandelions
Although some of us find this plant to be a weed that never goes away, dandelions are a great source of calcium, vitamins, and have anti-oxidant properties. They are packed with nutrients and have been used to make herbal medicines for centuries. Every part of the plant is edible – the leaves, the crowns, the flowers, and even the roots. The leaves and flowers can be eaten raw, thrown into a salad or soup, or even batter fried. The flowers can even be used to make syrup or wine. The roots are most commonly used to make tea, but they can be roasted and used as a coffee substitute!
Violets
Another common wildflower, the violet contains high amounts of vitamin C and vitamin A in both its flowers and leaves. With a sweet floral taste, this plant is be used to make syrups, teas, and in baked desserts. Flowers are more commonly added to salads and soups as garnish. The violets in salads add colour and crunch which are similar to capers.
Note: African violets are completely different from these wildflowers and are not edible!
Borages
Borages are herbal plants with blue star shaped flowers. Their scent and taste is often considered to be similar to cucumbers. The miniature lily-pad leaves pack a peppery taste, and the seeds can be pickled like capers. Borage flowers make the perfect herbal additions to alcohol based drinks like gin and vodka. Some people even add them to glasses of wine. Although it is considered an herb, it is widely grown as a flower in vegetable gardens. It helps to attract pollinating bees and is often paired with plants like tomatoes, squash, and strawberries.
Borages are known to deter tomato hornworms and improve the flavour of tomatoes.
About Nurture Growth Biofertilizer
We rescue food waste from supermarkets and restaurants and with a little help from our proprietary blend of beneficial microorganisms, transform it into safe and earth-friendly fertilizers. Our organic bio-fertilizer is 100% organic and chemical-free, and safe to use on both indoor and outdoor plants. What’s more, it is safe to use around humans and pets! Our fertilizer is multipurpose and can be used on vegetables, fruits, trees, lawns and even on cannabis!
When growing edible flowers in your garden, always remember to avoid using chemicals. Applying a mix of 1 tsp of Nurture Growth with 1 L of water helps your edible flowers to grow strong and remain healthy.
Feel free to write to us on info@nurturegrowthbio.com if you have any questions or want to know more about applying Nurture Growth on other vegetables. We also invite you to join us for our end-of-the-month webinar series every 4th Thursday and Saturday to learn more about new trends and gardening tips!
Blogger Biography
Elizabeth hails from India, grew up in Dubai and travelled to more than 20 countries before settling down in Canada in 2018. The majority of her working life was spent in Advertising, assisting clients with executing successful brand launches and ad campaigns across industries such as CPG, fashion and real estate. At present, she is working on building up her skills in Digital Marketing and learning about new markets and processes. She loves animals and enjoys spending time with her cat Twinkie.
Kommentare