Edible Flowers
by Jennifer A. Wickes
Copyright 2003
Have you ever been to a restaurant where they have served you a beautiful salad with flower petals scattered around the plate? Or maybe you have had a cake decorated with flowers on top? Perhaps you have visited a Tea Room and were served flower syrup. Edible flowers are the new rage in haute cuisine. The look is elegant; yet preparing flowers for eating is simple and fun to do.
The amazing part to edible flowers is that in spite of it being the new rage, eating flowers has been going on for centuries. The first mention of people consuming flowers was as far back as 140 BC! Did you realize that broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes and broccoflower are all flowers? Or that the spice saffron is the stamen from the crocus flower? Capers are unopened flower buds to a bush native in the Mediterranean and Asian nations.
In regions such as the Middle East, Eastern Europe and India, floral waters such as rosewater and orange flower water are used to flavor candies to meats to beverages! France has a spice mixture known as "Herbes de Provence" which has dried lavendar flowers in it. North Africa has an herbal mixture too, which contains rosebuds and lavendar. The green liqueur, Chartreuse, contains carnations.
There are a few cautions one should remember before harvesting any flowers:
(a) Do not harvest any flowers that could have been exposed to animal excretement.
(b) Do not harvest any flowers that have had insecticides sprayed on them.
(c) Do not harvest any flowers that have had fertilizers sprayed on them unless specified for food consumption.
(d) Do not harvest any flowers from the side of roads where they have been exposed to trash, carbon monoxide etc.
(e) If you are unsure if it is edible, then do not eat it. Caution is always the best policy.
(f) If you have any allergies, consult your physician before consuming edible flowers.
(g) Do not eat any flowers from florists as they have been sprayed with pesticides.
(h) Do not pick any flowers that show signs of disease or have been eaten by insects.
Edible Flowers
Morse
Buy This Art Print At AllPosters.com
Some of the more common EDIBLE FLOWERS in your garden:
by Jennifer A. Wickes
Copyright 2003
Have you ever been to a restaurant where they have served you a beautiful salad with flower petals scattered around the plate? Or maybe you have had a cake decorated with flowers on top? Perhaps you have visited a Tea Room and were served flower syrup. Edible flowers are the new rage in haute cuisine. The look is elegant; yet preparing flowers for eating is simple and fun to do.
The amazing part to edible flowers is that in spite of it being the new rage, eating flowers has been going on for centuries. The first mention of people consuming flowers was as far back as 140 BC! Did you realize that broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes and broccoflower are all flowers? Or that the spice saffron is the stamen from the crocus flower? Capers are unopened flower buds to a bush native in the Mediterranean and Asian nations.
In regions such as the Middle East, Eastern Europe and India, floral waters such as rosewater and orange flower water are used to flavor candies to meats to beverages! France has a spice mixture known as "Herbes de Provence" which has dried lavendar flowers in it. North Africa has an herbal mixture too, which contains rosebuds and lavendar. The green liqueur, Chartreuse, contains carnations.
There are a few cautions one should remember before harvesting any flowers:
(a) Do not harvest any flowers that could have been exposed to animal excretement.
(b) Do not harvest any flowers that have had insecticides sprayed on them.
(c) Do not harvest any flowers that have had fertilizers sprayed on them unless specified for food consumption.
(d) Do not harvest any flowers from the side of roads where they have been exposed to trash, carbon monoxide etc.
(e) If you are unsure if it is edible, then do not eat it. Caution is always the best policy.
(f) If you have any allergies, consult your physician before consuming edible flowers.
(g) Do not eat any flowers from florists as they have been sprayed with pesticides.
(h) Do not pick any flowers that show signs of disease or have been eaten by insects.
Edible Flowers
Morse
Buy This Art Print At AllPosters.com
Some of the more common EDIBLE FLOWERS in your garden:
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