Edible Flowers in Your Garden

Flowers can be an integral part of cooking. While most of us are aware that violets can be candied and nasturtiums can be eaten in salads, there's a bounty of flower varieties that are both edible and delicious.

Satisfying Your Sweet Tooth with Flowers

Violets are not the only flower that can be candied. Many spring flowers with small, delicate blossoms have a sweet, somewhat spicy flavor that is enhanced by dipping them in sugar. It goes without saying that any flowers that you gather for eating should have been grown without the use of pesticide ? by growing them yourself, you can be sure that they're untreated. A Candy Flower Garden that blooms throughout the summer can include:

Violets ? Purple, blue or white, violets are among the first flowers to bloom in the spring. They spread easily, and grow happily when transplanted into a garden bed ? and you do want to confine them to a bed unless you love the look of a full carpet of blooms spreading across your lawn.

Pansies ? A relative of violets, pansies are just as delicately flavored and can be used as a substitute in recipes that call for violets. They make beautiful border flowers to boot.

Angelica ? These delicate, lacy white flowers can be sprinkled in salads ? but the stems and shoots make a delicious traditional candy that tastes a bit like licorice with a hint of mint.

Roses ? Candied rose petals and rose syrup were mainstays in Victorian cooking. Sweet delicately flavored rose syrup gives baklava its characteristic flavor, and is a perfect foil for cardamom in Indian recipes.

To candy flowers from your garden:

Violets and pansies can be candied whole. Roses should be separated into petals. Most recipes for candied flowers call for the use of raw egg whites. Using a confectioner's powdered egg white instead reduces risk of salmonella.

Mix powdered egg white according to package directions (equivalent of one egg white). Spread a cup of superfine sugar in a flat bottomed pan. Carefully dip each flower into the egg white, then press into the sugar. Use a fork to gently turn the flower so that all surfaces of the petals are covered. Lift out of sugar and lay on a screen or drying rack till completely dry. Apple and cherry blossoms can also be candied the same way.

A Soup, Salad and Savory Flower Garden

Early summer squash blossoms may be dipped in egg and flour, then fried in olive oil with garlic. The blossoms have a sweet, nutty flavor that is like nothing else. Other garden flowers that are delicious in soups and salads include:

Borage ? Like the leaves, borage flowers are delicious in salads and cold soups. They have a cool, cucumber-like taste that translates well from flower garden to kitchen table.

Carnations ? The flavor is as spicy as the scent. Carefully separate the petals from the bitter white of the flower's base and sprinkle in salads for a surprising touch of color and spice.

Daylilies ? Like squash blossoms, day lilies have a mildly sweet, nutty flavor that many people think varies by color. Dredged in flour and dipped in egg, fried daylilies are quite succulent and unique in flavor.

These are just a small sampling of the many edible flowers from your garden. Be careful in your taste-testing. If you are not sure if a flower is edible, do not eat it.

Ed Rooney is the creator of http://www.garden-helper.com - an online gardening resource for gardeners to learn, share, plan, and shop.

---

Rose - The Flower of Love and Romance

What is the flower that everyone visualizes and associates with... Read More

Hummingbirds

Many individuals are fascinated by hummingbirds. So much so, that... Read More

Dog Days of Summer

Here are a few tips to keep your garden and... Read More

New for 2006 - Granite Flexible Preformed Rock Ponds

Traditionally, preformed ponds are large shells, which are extremely burdensome... Read More

The Container Vegetable Garden

If you live in an apartment or town home, you... Read More

Multi Purpose Tree ? Sugar Palm

Palm family is unique in the aspect that most of... Read More

Nontoxic Pest Control for Your Home and Garden

Pesticides are toxic and, while often effective against pests, can... Read More

Xeriscaping is Waterwise Gardening

What is xeriscaping? You may have heard of xeriscaping as... Read More

Planning Permission Tips UK - Landscaping Schemes - Do They Add Value-Is It The Chicken Or The Egg?

Have you noticed how everything looks great at the moment... Read More

Teak Patio Furniture Is The Perfect Choice For Your Terrace

You have spent hours of time and quite a lot... Read More

The Meanings Behind the Colors of Roses

Roses are a sign of love and friendship and by... Read More

Choosing the Perfect Landscape Painting

Landscape paintings are a beautiful way to spruce up the... Read More

Planting Bare Root Roses

Before planting, the plants must be prepared. The following suggestions... Read More

Hydroponics Gardening - An Introduction To Hydroponics Gardening For Beginners

The Basics of Hydroponics Gardening.What is hydroponics gardening?Derived from the... Read More

Skip The Pesticide And Use Natural Alternatives

For best health, it is important to keep your environment... Read More

Garden for Birds #3

Well, another week is passing us by.I want to thank... Read More

Gardening and Flowers

Gardening is one of life's pleasures whether you grow flowers,... Read More

Viburnum

Viburnums are related to the honeysuckles, so it should come... Read More

Plants To Grow Old With or The Constant Battle

Following are a few paragraphs about the on going battle... Read More

Tractors and Their History

I recently bought a small tractor for my garden, which... Read More

Lawn Moles and Proper Lawn Care

Are your making mountains out of your molehills? Although lawn... Read More

How To Build A Waterfall

The number one, most asked question that I receive about... Read More

Lap Pools ? Great Exercise Inside Or Any Size Backyard

Do you love swimming? Do you dream of an in... Read More

Winter Gardening

As the end of summer approaches, unfortunately far too quickly,... Read More

Planting Roses in Pots

In years past, serious rosarians would never consider having a... Read More

Poly Tarps: More Than Meets The Eye

To many people, "tarp" conjures an image of a crumpled... Read More

Gardening for Kids

Children are continually bombarded with advertising for fast food and... Read More

Gardenscape On A Shoestring

Many of us flip through garden magazines, all the while... Read More

How to Grow a Pineapple

The first thing you need to grow a pineapple is... Read More

Easter Lilies, and the Number One Gardening Question Right Now

Everybody asks about Easter lilies! Can they go outside; can... Read More

Pine Furniture Care Guide

First, some background on PINE WOOD. Pine is a naturally... Read More

The Exotic Rose of Sharon

Perhaps you were browsing the pages of a catalog and... Read More

A Storage Bench Provides Much Needed Outdoor Space

If you are like most of us, there are two... Read More