Hit the Dirt; Can't Eat Flowers?

Hello and welcome to another hit the dirt. When we first grab hosen hand and headed for the garden we were very serious about growing food plants. Only a few flower snuck into our beds in beds of vegetables. Folks often asked us Do you think you grow more flowers. Our confident reply was always you can't eat flowers. Really now since those days we've learned more about gardening history and have been pleasantly surprised. Did you know for instance that flowers were used extensively by North American Indians in their cooking with Montezuma and as people used many flowers in their diet or the flowers or enjoyed today in Chinese cuisine. These facts opened our minds. The flowers themselves opened our hearts. But it's taken a while to find out which flowers are edible and how to prepare them. Now leaving flowers out of the food we eat is unthinkable as excluding them from our gardens. So relates Jan Bloom founder of seeds Bloom how she came to discover the delight of edible flowers. And she is not alone. More and more people are learning how fun it is. You can be to embellish their meals with

flowers and the art of flower cookery is regaining popularity in response to this trend. A number of seed companies along with seeds bloom or including edible flowers has a section in their catalogues. I am just discovering this facet of gardening and cooking myself and I'm amazed at the number of flowers. Many are even commonly grow which can be eaten. The flavors can be strong but are often subtle. For example Mr. Sims lavender chive sage in Carnation blossoms all quite flavorful. Some even spicy Violet and Petunia are on the sweet side. Holly Hawk Johnny jump up squash and Pansy blossoms are very mild welkin sampling and blossoms can be slightly better. But it is often with the aesthetic effect that these edible flowers make their biggest impression. For those of us who like to cook it is an act of artistic as well as color and every creation meal that both look and taste of Purr are the goal. Colorful blossoms can give a dish that special touch. Yet flowers are not just used

as garnish is. Some are good dried crushed and mixed with salt to make flour salts. Others are nice mixed in with honey butter cream cheese or vinegar to give some extra flavor or color. Some blossoms are great additions to sandwiches. Others work well in omelettes. Many can be used successfully to jazz up a salad or flower blossoms are the key ingredients of a number of herbal teas and some flower and flowers and birds even make for nice pickles to give you a taste of what it is all about. I will read you the descriptions from the shepherd's garden seeds catalogue of a few of the most popular edible flowers distortions distortions bright flowers and graceful rounded leaves of a long garden history originally discovered by European explorers in Peru. They became wildly popular when Louis the 14th gardener displayed them in Palace flower beds. Today we have a wonderful profusion of ministers from forms and types the blossoms of these pretty low growing plants are among the most delicious edible flowers.

A taste of watercress with a hint of honey sweet but mildly spicy. They are beautiful additions to salads chopped into dips or in sandwich spreads. Bore ash large velvety leaved plants with clusters of half inch sky blue flowers born on succulent stems the dainty star shaped flowers and a cool cucumber a flavor note and pretty high light of color to any salad or fruit cup. Porridge blossoms may be candy for cake Dereck or decorations or frozen ice cubes for cold drinks. Johnny jump ups also known as heart sees these pretty three quarter into little flowers look like perky miniature pansies with faces faces a deep violet Mav yellow and white. Johnny jump ups faint wintergreen taste is mild and pleasant and they make lovely garnishes and edible decorations. Use them with cheese plates or to set off sliced fruit to decorate cakes. Add color to salads or set off fresh baked salmon. They can be candy for special occasions. Runner beans such as the Painted Lady bean.

These heirloom bridge pole bean vines produce lots of juicy runner beans. But it is their abundant bean blossoms were after here painted ladies showy flowers are coral and white with a crispy texture and a sweet delicate beanie flavor that both looks and taste delicious in salads and sandwiches and as edible garnish is with any savory dish. Other common blossoms that can be eaten include those of the apple geranium Rose daily elderberry Violet pink lilac calendula Marigold Hazel time fennel Rosemary alyssum bee balm dandelion English Daisy Gladiolus grape Hyacinth biscuits honeysuckle to some artichoke lemon verbena Yarrow pansy and many more. You know Miles yet I must also include a strong word of warning. Numerous flowers are not edible. In fact a number of common ones are toxic. For example one might assume that sweet pea blossoms since they are so closely related to garden peas would be OK to

eat but sweet pea blossoms are actually toxic and should never be eaten. Also the common names of plants can vary by region and so are not truly reliable. Just to be safe I recommend first making a positive identification as to the Latin name of any plant whose blossom you are considering eaten. Then check a reliable source as to the edibility of that species. An article entitled edible flowers in the February 1982 of organic gardening magazine is a good place to begin one's journey into the world of edible flowers. In Rosalynn Creasy identifies 20 of the best tasting blossoms as well as a list of plants to avoid. She also gives resources for further research into the topic. If you want to start incorporating beautiful and edible blooms into your garden. The seeds Bloom Shepherd's garden seeds and Cook's garden catalogs all carry good selections of edible flower varieties.

Well this is Keith Goldfarb wishing you abundant harvest and beautiful meals. See you next week and hit the dirt.