42 flowers you can eat

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The culinary use of flowers dates back thousands of years to the Chinese, Greek and Romans. Many cultures use flowers in their traditional cooking — think of squash blossoms in Italian food and rose petals in Indian food. Adding flowers to your food can be a nice way to add color, flavor and a little whimsy. Some are spicy, and some herbacious, while others are floral and fragrant. The range is surprising.

It’s not uncommon to see flower petals used in salads, teas, and as garnish for desserts, but they inspire creative uses as well — roll spicy ones (like chive blossoms) into handmade pasta dough, incorporate floral ones into homemade ice cream, pickle flower buds (like nasturtium) to make ersatz capers, use them to make a floral simple syrup for use in lemonade or cocktails. I once stuffed gladiolus following a recipe for stuffed squash blossoms — they were great. So many possibilities…

Eating Flowers Safely

So. As lovely as eating flowers can be, it can also be a little … deadly! Not to scare you off or anything. Follow these tips for eating flowers safely:
  • Eat flowers you know to be consumable — if you are uncertain, consult a reference book on edible flowers and plants.
  • Eat flowers you have grown yourself, or know to be safe for consumption. Flowers from the florist or nursery have probably been treated with pesticides or other chemicals.
  • Do not eat roadside flowers or those picked in public parks. Both may have been treated with pesticide or herbicide, and roadside flowers may be polluted by car exhaust.
  • Eat only the petals, and remove pistils and stamens before eating.
  • If you suffer from allergies, introduce edible flowers gradually, as they may exacerbate allergies.
  • To keep flowers fresh, place them on moist paper towels and refrigerate in an airtight container. Some will last up to 10 days this way. Ice water can revitalize limp flowers.
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More (including list): http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/42-flowers-you-can-eat.html
 
Here in Florida, the hibiscus flower is often served as a garnish with salads, and is edible as well.
 
I actually heard a story regarding people essentially finding plants in the wild to eat as part of, or most of their meals. It was interesting, but I imagine it would pay to do your research before you really dive into t.
 
Here in Florida you couled literally survive forever in the woods because so much is edible. A few years back I went to teh Silver Spurs Rodeo down in Kissimmee, and was served some barbeque wild boar hog and cabbage palm with ham. It was delicious and it all came out of the swamp down the road. There are all sorts of starches and proteins to be had. In addition, there are millions of lakes and ponds teeming with fresh water fish here.
 
Now that all of our money will go to support the "health" of the lazy dregs of our society, it looks like the rest of us will need to know what is edible so we can work for free and still eat. Or maybe just eat, and not work for nothing.
 
Interesting article...

I frequently eat stuff that I forage --- my personal favorites being morel mushrooms and leeks (or ramps). Violet flowers taste pretty darn good.

I don't know... I guess I'm the crazy guy who walks around in the woods, looking around like he's being suspicious, with no apparent reason to be walking in the woods.

ADK
 
We gather a lot of mushrooms - including some the books claim are 'poisonous' - in fact different cultures have different ideas of which ones are poisonous so you'll find people in one country picking something that would make others concerned :) It's a case of 'poisonous by default' which isn't a bad policy - there are some really evil ones that will finish you 100% guaranteed.

We make soup from stinging nettles and wine from oak leaves. I'm aware of quite a few wild flowers and herbs that have useful medical properties but haven't really done much with them.
 
ADK said:
Interesting article...

I frequently eat stuff that I forage --- my personal favorites being morel mushrooms and leeks (or ramps). Violet flowers taste pretty darn good.

I don't know... I guess I'm the crazy guy who walks around in the woods, looking around like he's being suspicious, with no apparent reason to be walking in the woods.

ADK
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You're not crazy, just a bit ahead of the masses. :beer:

Lamb's Quarters is considered a weed where I live. It sprouts naturally and prolifically from weed seeds in my garden, but I let it grow and harvest the leaves for salads, as it has a really good taste.

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ADK said:
Interesting article...

I frequently eat stuff that I forage --- my personal favorites being morel mushrooms and leeks (or ramps). Violet flowers taste pretty darn good.

I don't know... I guess I'm the crazy guy who walks around in the woods, looking around like he's being suspicious, with no apparent reason to be walking in the woods.

ADK
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while you're out there wandering around.... if you happen to find a hole with some silver in it that I forgot about.... :)
 
Unobtanium said:
...
Lamb's Quarters is considered a weed where I live. ...
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Dandelions are like that here where I live. They are somewhat bitter tasting greens, but super nutritious. Most people try to eradicate them as a weed.
 
I make a mean dandelion wine... The kind of wine that sneaks up on you once you stand up. Tastes like a riesling.

:cheers:
 
PMBug said:
Please do post your recipe!
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volunteer to babysit neighbors kids. Give them paper bags and let them run around field collecting dandelions. Place in five gallon jug with sugar and yeast and ferment.

true story.
 
MMMMMM! Dandelion wine! I have not had a refreshing glass of it for twenty years. My gramma used to make it when we were little kids abck in Ohio. We would collect them in the yard and she did her magic with them, although I seem to remember a boiling pot in there somewhere, along with several pounds of apple blossom honey. ; - )
 
I have two kids that are a little young now, but I plan to put them into the dandelion picking service within the next few years... :)

Although I can't post my family's dandelion wine recipe, I can tell ya that the ones on here are pretty good, and close. I guess it's more the process and a few other minor ingredients that make the difference. It's taken many many years to get the recipe spot on...

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/dandelio.asp

Ancona --- you are right on. There's a boiling kettle involved, although I don't use honey in mine. I save that for the mead :)

ADK
 
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