señor tequila cantina - Epicurean Charlotte Food & Wine Magazine

juicy
morsels
a sight to see and eat:
edible flower gardening
by dr. leonard perry
tired of the same old green beans, carrots and
zinnias in your garden? This year, when ordering
your seeds from the catalogs, check out the edible
flower varieties.
That’s right, edible flowers. The concept is not
new; flower cookery has been traced back to Roman
times and was especially popular in the Victorian era.
Today, many restaurant chefs and innovative home
cooks garnish their entrees with flower blossoms
for a touch of elegance.
But one very important thing that you need to
remember is that not every flower is edible. In fact,
sampling some flowers can make you very, very
sick. You also should never use pesticides or other
chemicals on any part of any plant that produces
blossoms you plan to eat.
So, that’s the first thing to look for when purchasing
flower seeds. Make sure the listing in the seed
catalog identifies the variety as an edible flower.
One edible flower variety that everyone is
familiar with is the sunflower. Choose a mammoth
or giant variety. You can harvest the seeds after
the petals drop, cure them, then eat them raw or
oven-roasted.
Here are some other possibilities for edible
flowers:
Johnny Jump-ups (viola tricolor)
This tender perennial has tiny, pansy-like flowers
in deep purple, mauve, yellow and white. Blossoms
have a mild wintergreen flavor and can be used in
salads, to decorate cakes or served with soft cheese.
This plant will do well in sun or shade and grows to
a height of six to eight inches.
Nasturtiums (tropaeolum majus)
This low-growing annual, originally from Peru,
became popular during the reign of Louis XIV, who
grew them in the palace flower beds. Blossoms taste
like watercress with a slightly sweet flavor. There
are several edible varieties from which to choose,
most of which grow best in full sun or light shade.
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johnny jump-ups
Marigolds (tagetes signata)
Select lemon or tangerine varieties. Blossoms
have a citrus taste and can be used to perk up
vegetables, pasta and salads. Marigolds are easy to
grow and like full sun.
Anise Hyssop (agastache foeniculum)
This attractive perennial bears deep lilaccolored
flower spikes that bloom profusely for
several months. The blossoms make attractive
plate garnishes and are often used in Chinesestyle
dishes. The leaves can be used for a naturally
sweet tea or sugar to make candies. Both
flowers and leaves have a delicate anise or licorice
flavor. Some people say the flavor reminds them
of root beer.
Borage (borago officinalis)
This annual ornamental plant produces clusters
of one-half inch sky-blue flowers, which bees find
particularly attractive. Borage blossoms have a light
cucumber taste and can be added to salads, fruit
cups or frozen in ice cubes for cold drinks. Plants
grow two to three feet tall.
Chive (allium schoenoprasum)
This herb has attractive lavender-pink blossoms
that make a delicious addition to salads, egg dishes
and potatoes. Both blossoms and the slender dark
green leaves (or ‘stems’) have a subtle onion flavor.
This perennial plant likes full sun and can grow to
one foot.
Two vegetables with edible blossoms are runner
beans and zucchini. Or sample the tiny flowers of
arugula, oregano, dill, garlic chives, thyme or
savory. Just remember: not all flowers are edible.
Check the seed catalog or the seed packet to make
sure the flower variety is safe to eat, before you
indulge!E
Dr. Leonard Perry is an Extension Professor at the University of Vermont. He can be reached
at leonard.perry@uvm.edu.
12 www.epicureancharlotte.com volume • issue 2 epicurean charlotte food & wine march • april 2011 1
nasturtium
chive
anise hyssop
marigold
borage