Edible Flowers - do you use them?

Morning Glory

Morning Glory

Obsessive cook
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Do you ever use edible flowers or flower petals in your dishes? A surprising number of flowers are edible - and as far as I'm aware, if you can eat the leaves you can also eat the flowers (safety warning: I've not checked this!).

Some common examples are rosemary, lavender, sage, chives, rose petals, pansies, violas. There are many, many more. I think you can even eat lilies.

Have you ever used edible flowers and if so, how?
 
Would love to use squash blossoms, but none available here.
 
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awesome. I was just about to start a thread inquiring about the use of flowers. I've never used flowers in my cooking/salads. I guess I could google it. In the meantime does anyone have a list of flowers that you can eat/should avoid?
 
Most importantly, you should only use flowers that are from reputable organic sources and are marked as edible or those you have grown yourself and know they are pesticide free.

https://whatscookingamerica.net/EdibleFlowers/EdibleFlowersMain.htm

I remember seeing sugared violets and pansies as a child on wedding cakes.

We made some imprinted pasta using flowers a while back. It's not the greatest, but you can see the flower petals and herbs in the pasta.

2018-03-27 17.55.06.jpg
 
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My favorites are nasturtiums and squash blossoms.

Nasturtiums: They have a nice peppery taste for salads, or just for nibbling from the garden, both the leaves and the flowers. I have planted some a few weeks ago - once it stops raining I'll check in on them.

Squash blossoms: I have stuffed them with cream cheese and capers, and herbs/spices. Then pan fried them. I've breaded them lightly in buckwheat flour, and I believe once with coconut flakes. I also have used goat cheese instead of cream cheese (actually prefer this!)

Once I even stuffed and baked them, no breading, see below.

I obtained them from farmer's markets.

squashblossombaked.jpg


The year my zucchini just made flowers, around mid September I gave up and stuffed those, although they were awfully small compared to true squash blossoms. But at least I got something out of them! (Above baked 8 minutes at 350 F.)
 
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My aunt taught me to make sugared pansies and rose petals I also use nasturtiums and borage. I'm not a fan of lavender in food (but love the smell). Can't think of anything else.

They sell edible flowers in posh food markets (like Borough Market in London) and Marks and Spencers used to sell them too (not sure if they still do)
 
Borage flowers... love them too! I put them in salads. They are not that pretty but their flavor is similar to cucumber, just less juicy.

Pansies don't have much (any) flavor, so I don't go out of my way for them. Violets are the same. Rose petals are sweet, and not something I really care to add to a salad (and I hardly ever make desserts).
 
Mountain Cat said:
The year myY zucchini just made flowers, around mid September I gave up and stuffed those, although they were awfully small compared to true squash blossoms. But at least I got something out of them! (Above baked 8 minutes at 350 F.)
Click to expand...

Its something I've never made - mainly because I've never been able to find any squash flowers. Its seen a lot on 'chefy' TV shows. Yours look very good.
 
I forgot my favorite edible flower!

The artichoke!

catalinaartichoke.jpg


Those marinated hearts are great in salads, and cooking the whole flower (it's at bud stage when harvested) is awesome. Yes, you just eat the base of the leaves and the heart, but I can eat two large ones with a little dipping sauce, and nothing else for dinner - and call it GOOD!
 
Mountain Cat said:
I forgot my favorite edible flower!

The artichoke!

View attachment 30061

Those marinated hearts are great in salads, and cooking the whole flower (it's at bud stage when harvested) is awesome. Yes, you just eat the base of the leaves and the heart, but I can eat two large ones with a little dipping sauce, and nothing else for dinner - and call it GOOD!
Click to expand...

I love them cooked whole. Absolutely adore them. Not keen on the marinated jars of them though. Nor the tinned although I occasionally use them - they really do taste quite different when from a tin.
 
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