Edible flowers have become some of the most fascinating and interesting ways to make any dish instantly more appealing, flavorful, and entertaining. If you’re looking for a way to use edible flowers in your daily dishes, here are a few simple tips:
- Not every flower is edible (of course), and the ones that are edible have different flavors which make them better suited for certain dishes. For a garnish on a main or side dish that has a savory flavor, bean blossoms or miniature pansies are good additions. For a sweet dish or dessert, consider using lavender, roses, or violets.
- Crystallized flowers also make great additions to dishes, and they add an extra-special aesthetic to any dessert. These flowers, also called candied flowers, take a little extra time to make (but they’re also available to purchase already made). Crystallized edible flowers are made with superfine sugar sprinkled lightly on the petals, after which the flowers are dried and stored in airtight containers.
- It’s important to know, if you’re hoping to grow your own edible flowers, that not every part of the plant is edible — at the very least, not every part tastes good. Edible blossoms are typically used if you’re talking about garnishing a dish with a flower, and individual petals can also be used for garnish or flavoring. Some flowers should have the sepal removed, which is right below the petals, because it does not taste good at all.
- It’s important to make sure, before consuming any flower directly out of your garden, that it is cleaned off and is safe to eat. Some cooks even say that edible flowers should be consumed in moderation, and certain poisonous flowers will result in rashes, stomach aches, and/or headaches. If you want to be 100% certain that you’re eating safe flowers, purchasing them from a retailer who markets them specifically as edible flowers is probably your best bet.
Remember that the possibilities are endless when you’re using edible flowers in your dishes — and you should feel free to get creative and experiment as much as you like!