Everything you need to know about edible flowers

What are edible flowers?

edible flowerss, the idea alone already looks super appetizing. The truth is that the edible flowers are not only beautiful, but also bring a wide variety of delicious flavors for all types of meals.

Despite being fashionable today, the use of petals in cooking has been around for a long time: Chinese cooks used petals in 3000 BC and the Romans added mauves, violets and roses to their extravagant feasts. In the Victorian era, candied florals were used to flavor and decorate cakes, pastries and pies.

Now, edible flowers are used extensively to create fresh, modern flavors in both savory and sweet dishes – and no episode of Bake Off or MasterChef is complete without them.

It’s easy to start growing and using your own edible flowers – you can even base some of your flower bed ideas around them. But, of course, safety rules apply – always check very carefully that the chosen flower is edible and, by growing specifically for the table, avoid using pesticides directly on the plant or anywhere nearby.

How to use edible flowers

Growing and harvesting perennial and annual flowers to add to culinary creations couldn’t be simpler. Even better, some of the easiest edible flowers to grow offer the biggest, boldest flavors and most vibrant pops of color.

You marigolds, with its peppery flavor, can be grown as part of your gardening ideas with a single pinch of seed scattered in the soil. Meanwhile, the beautiful nasturtiums orange and ruby ​​red are one of the simplest annual plants to grow – and every part of the plant can be eaten, from the buds to the seed pods.

Add to the list cornflowers, honeysuckle, roses, hollyhocks, bees balm, lilacs, sunflowers, forget-me-nots, dahlias and chrysanthemums and you have a rainbow cutting garden and a complete floral pantry in one. An added bonus is that all these plants are bee friendly and will attract beneficial insects to the garden.

Cakes, botanical cocktails, flavored butters and vibrant salads are the obvious candidates for a floral boost, but edible flowers can also be used to add depth of flavor to fish, soups, omelets and meat dishes.

Here are some of our favorite ways to Lucy Chamberlainfruit and vegetable specialist at Amadora Gardening, to use them:

Candied: use candied flowers to garnish the top of a fluffy sandwich or to grace the side of a summer fruit dessert plate. The technique works particularly well for rose petals and dianthus.

Kneaded: “Make a light tempura-style batter, dip the flowers and fry in deep or shallow oil. Elderflower muffins smell delicious,” says Lucy. She also tried mallow fritters, she says, and zucchini flowers stuffed with herbed soft cheese. You can learn how to grow zucchini with our helpful guide.

See too

Ice cubes: This is “’a great way to introduce newcomers to edible flowers,” says Lucy. “I made frozen borage flowers for the wedding guests’ drinks, which turned out beautifully. Violets are also beautiful. Just put it in an ice cube tray, add water and freeze.” A perfect addition to stylish outdoor bar ideas for summer entertaining.

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How to make candied edible flowers

Petals last longer if candied, a simple process that means you can add the flowers to a cake, cookie or dessert without worrying about them wilting or wilting. They are easy to create and will make any dessert look amazing.

See how to do it:

  • Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks.
  • Use a thin brush to apply the egg white to the petals.
  • Sprinkle caster sugar on both sides and place on a lined baking sheet to dry for a few hours.
  • You may need to use tweezers to move the flowers if they are small and delicate.

How to choose and prepare edible flowers

For the best results, there are a few things to consider when picking and preparing your edible flowers. Cut the edible flowers early in the morning, when the flavors will be more intense. Once harvested, it’s a good idea to allow them to sit undisturbed for a while so pollen beetles and other insects can crawl away.

If you are not going to use the flowers right away, you can store them in the fridge in a plastic bag until ready to place them on a plate. They should last a few days.

washing edible flowers

If you need to wash the flowers, dip them in a bowl of cold water and gently shake them dry, or pat them dry with a tea towel. Some don’t survive the washing process if they are delicate.

Which parts to use

Usually only the flower petals are palatable, so remove the stamens, pistil and calyx. Hay fever sufferers should avoid eating the flower’s stamen (where pollen is produced).

11 types of edible flowers for you to grow

Here’s our pick of the most delicious flowers to grow and eat. Some of them may surprise you!

1/11 Nasturtiums: Nasturtiums are so easy to grow from just a few cheap seeds – in fact, they’re one of our best beginner plants. And every bit of the plant can be eaten. They come in a variety of colors, from scarlet to bright orange. The flowers taste exceptionally in a salad, as do their mustard greens. The unripe seeds taste like capers, and even the pods can be pickled. (Geo grafika/Alamy Stock Photo/Reproduction)
2/11 Forget-me-nots: In addition to providing excellent ground cover, the tiny blue or pink flowers make the prettiest decoration for a birthday cake and a gorgeous garnish for a cordial. They have a slightly sweet taste and should be consumed quickly. (Istvan Szalai EyeEm/Getty Images)
3/11 Dahlia: Dahlias are famous for their beauty as a cut flower in shades of crimson, caramel, pink and orange, but lesser known as one you can eat. However, dahlia petals are delicious chopped into salads, where they will add a subtle tangy-tart flavor. Or they can be used decoratively to spread over a homemade cake. (Wouter Koppen/iBulb/Playback)
4/11 Lilac: With beautiful clusters of purple or white flowers and a distinctly sweet fragrance, lilac tastes as good as it looks. The flowers can be harvested and made into jams, jellies, cordial and flavored vinegar. They can also be infused in cream or milk and used to make crème caramel or panna cotta. Candied lilac flowers look stunning on a cake. (Botany vision/Alamy Stock Photo/Reproduction)
5/11 Calendula: These are one of the easiest plants to grow from seed, whether you sow them directly into the ground in the fall, or start them on your windowsill in early spring, then transfer them outside when the risk of frost has passed. (Anne Gilbert/Alamy Stock Photo/Reproduction)
6/11 Sunflower: Most people know that sunflower seeds are a healthy snack, but the nut-flavored petals are also a delicacy worth trying. The buds can be blanched and eaten like artichokes, while the golden petals set the flavor when added to a salad. They are also rich in vitamins A and C. (Amanda Boughner EyeEm/Getty Images)
7/11 Roses: Roses are many gardeners’ favorite summer flowers, bringing a beautiful scent and a sense of romance to any flower bed or border. The petals have a delicate and wonderful floral flavor, making them perfect for adding to sweet treats. (Clare Gainey/Alamy Stock Photo/Playback)
8/11 Honeysuckle: The pink and gold flowers won’t disappoint when they’re boiled with sugar and made into a syrup that can be used to drizzle over summer desserts or to mix with a summer cocktail. Add a drop of lemon juice to turn the syrup from an unappetizing green to a rosy pink. However, it is worth noting that the red berries, which appear in the fall, are toxic. (Tim Gainey/Alamy Stock Photo/Playback)
9/11 Lavender: “With their heady scent, these tiny flowers are ideal for flavoring sugar and enlivening bland cookies,” says Lucy Chamberlain. Its floral flavor pairs particularly well with citrus notes—think lemon and lavender cookies, for example. (Viktoriya Biryukova/Alamy Stock Photo/Playback)
10/11 Anise hyssop: The flowers work well when poached with peaches, apricots and berries. Alternatively, try adding a handful to homemade ice cream or custard. And if you’re eager to learn how to grow your own herbal tea, then this is a good tea: the minty leaves make a delicious and calming drink. (Tim Gainey/Alamy Stock Photo/Playback)
11/11 Chives: they are essential if you want to create a herb garden. They’re super easy to grow – just plant them in moist but well-draining soil, lift and divide the plants every few years to keep them from becoming congested. Flowers are excellent if you want to add a slight onion flavor to your meals, especially if you find onions too harsh. (Nigel Noyes/Alamy Stock Photo/Reproduction)

Which flowers not to eat

Some flowers can be beautiful and decorative, but also are toxic, so avoid them at all costs. Always do your own research before eating any flower and, if in doubt about its identity, it is better not to risk it. Here are some common poisonous flowers that should be kept well out of the kitchen:

  1. Peas
  2. rhododendrons
  3. hydrangeas
  4. lily of the valley
  5. Foxglove
  6. delphiniums
  7. hyacinths
  8. daffodils
  9. Larkspur
  10. Monkshood

*Via Gardening ETC

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