Discussions
Edible Flowers
By Noelle Munaretto
Edible flowers have long been favoured by top chefs at trendy restaurants for their ability to act as delicate, beautiful additions to any plate. But, don't be fooled by their decorative exteriors, since most flowers that make their way into the dining room can also be eaten. In fact, using edible flowers as an ingredient in cooking is becoming an increasingly popular culinary habit. When he was a high school student, Logan Brazeau started his edible flower and herb company as part of a government young entrepreneur program. Since the birth of his business in 2004, it has been growing (no pun intended) at a steady rate. Now, 19-year-old Brazeau runs Grow Tasty Certified Organic Nursery with his family. The 25-acres of land in Campbellcroft, Ont. are home to hundreds of varieties of specialty edible flowers, and Brazeau's organic breeds are in constant demand by chefs and wedding planners in Port Hope, Peterborough and Cobourg. Brazeau is also on a personal mission to convince people that edible flowers are great ways to add a unique touch to your cooking. "It can dress up the average plain meal and add colour and flavour to it," said Brazeau. Still, he insists that most customers are in the dark when it comes to what they are let alone what to do with them. "I have tons of people who see my sign and say ‘Edible flowers…I've never heard of such a thing'," said Brazeau.
Brazeau recommends starting off with edible flowers by incorporating small amounts of them into your diet because they can sometimes be hard to digest in larger quantities. His favourite ways to use them in the kitchen are mixed into salads, soups, butters and sprinkled in drinks. His mother even folds flower petals into her morning omelets. "And candied on a cake they can't be beat…they look so beautiful," said Brazeau of brushing flower petals with egg white and sealing them with fine white sugar. Another suggestion Brazeau offers is to freeze flower petals in ice cube trays. Whatever way you choose to use them, however, Brazeau emphasizes how important it is to buy organic flowers. Flowers that are treated with any sort of pesticide or herbicide won't be fit for human consumption so whenever you buy edible flowers, make sure they are certified organic. When cooking with edible flowers also remove the pollen parts, as they can cause reactions in some people.
Some of Brazeau's more unique breeds include dwarf calendulas that come in lemon, tangerine and grapefruit flavours. He also has pink scented geraniums that smell like coconut, peppermint, apricot and strawberry. Aside from these interesting flavours, Brazeau points out that he tends to be on the lookout more for impressive colour varieties of traditional edible flowers. All of Brazeau's seeds come from within North America - he tries to support Canadian seed companies whenever possible - and are always organic.
Sourcing edible flowers may prove to be a little bit difficult. When in doubt, check out a speciality green grocer, or see if you can source them through a chef. Even better, you can grow your own using organic plants from nurseries. To help make it easier to purchase edible flowers, Brazeau is currently working on updating the Grow Tasty website so it will feature online ordering. He also wants to include more information about his many breeds so that people will have a better understanding of each flower, its flavour and how it can be used. Here at Gremolata we've compiled a list of 14 common edible flowers and the best ways to work them into your diet. Like Brazeau, we think it's a bloomin' great idea!
Some Edible Flowers..
Borage
Borage flowers have a very rich blue colour and their five pointy petals make for an impressive presentation. Remove the pollen parts as usual, but leave the flower whole. Float them in punches, add one to a drink glass, freeze them in ice cubes trays with distilled water (so no clouding occurs), or rest them on the side of a plate for a stellar garnish. You will be able to taste a cucumber-like flavour in the petals.
Calendulas (Marigolds)
The bright yellowy orange petals of the marigold have been used for thousands of years to give a golden tint to foods. Marigold petals have a lightly bitter flavour, but add an interesting tangy bite to dishes. These petals can lend colour to rice, cake batters, puddings and soups. To pull out a more distinct flavour incorporate them into salads and on top of vegetables.
Carnations
Before they can be used in cooking, you must remove not just the pollen parts of the flower, but also the white base at the bottom. This is because the white area has a very unpleasant, bitter taste. Remaining petals have a clove-like flavour. The larger the carnation is, the sweeter the petals are likely to be.
Chive Flowers
Regular chive leaves are most likely to be used in the kitchen, but the pale lilac-coloured petals also make a pretty addition to savory dishes. Chive flowers are at their peak as soon as they appear. If harvested too late, the flowers will have already begun to seed and in turn will impart a crunchy texture when used. For best results, separate the tiny florets from their base. Petals are characterized by a delicate onion flavour.
Dandelions
Like chive flowers, it's best to use dandelion flowers when they are young and fresh. The petals of this plant range from pale to bright yellow. Some can taste a faint honey flavour in the petals, while others just pick out a general sweet flavour. Cramaillote, a type of preserve found in dandelion-growing regions in France, is flavoured with lemon, sugar, orange and dandelion flowers.
Daylilies
These flower petals are best enjoyed finely sliced in a salad or sprinkled on gelato. Since they have a very faint flavour, using them raw in dishes is the way to go. The white, bitter base of this flower must also be removed before use. Daylilies petals can range in taste anywhere from an acrid sharpness, to smooth and vegetable-like flavour. To ensure that the petals are decent to use for culinary purposes always sample them before using. Daylily buds are also great and have a taste similar to that of a green bean. Ancient Chinese cooking often featured the buds in stir-frys or tempuras.
Lavender
When most people think of lavender flowers, inevitably pot-pourri comes to mind. What most people don't know is that you can use fragrant lavender flowers in many dishes. Pull lavender flowers off the stem and mix them into shortbread dough for wonderful cookies. Lavender ice cream is another great way to showcase this flower's flavour. These flowers also lend themselves well to rich meat dishes. After all, dried lavender is one of the key ingredients in traditional Herbs de Provence, and that spice blend is commonly used when preparing French meat dishes like stews and roasts.
Nasturtiums
The Nasturtium plants hails from South America and its name signifies "twisted nose". This is because nasturtium flowers have a distinctly pungent and peppery taste. Though nasturtiums are commonly used for decorative purposes the petals give off a flavour that is similar to watercress, and that means nasturtiums make a perfect addition to summer salads. This edible flower is one of the most commonly used, and easiest to find.
Pansies
Pansies come in a variety of colours and are often a staple in most edible flower mixtures. The tips of the petals are very bright while the part around the pistil is a black or chocolate brown colour. Pansies look incredible when left whole. Candy them using egg white and white sugar and then place on top of cakes for unique presentation. Taste-wise they are reminiscent of mild, sweet, grass.
Passion Flowers
Passion flowers make stunning presentation flowers due to their intricate petals and large size. There are about 500 breeds with different colour combinations, making this flower extremely unique. One of the most gorgeous features of this flower is the stamen, protruding high above the base of the flower and twisting into different configurations. Most passion flowers are sold with the stamen removed but that shouldn't discourage you from sourcing out these beauties. The flavour contained in the petals of the passion flower is minimal so don't bother eating them. Just show them off to your dinner guests and watch them be amazed.
Roses
Aside from being toted as one of the most classic symbols of romance, roses petals can be eaten raw. Rosehip tea is now a popular product because of it's floral headiness so why not take that same flavour and test it out in some of your favourite dishes? The great thing about roses is that most varieties have edible petals. Rose petal jams, rosewater, rose syrups, rose preserves and rose butters are all common culinary applications for this flower. Rose petals often have a complex flavour that is hard to put your finger on. Certain people get a fragrant spiciness, while others pick up more of a ripe fruit taste.
Tulips
For some, eating tulips may cause a severe allergic reaction. That means, before serving, be sure to ask your guests whether or not they are allergic. Never, never, eat tulip bulbs either as they make most people very ill. After removing the pollen parts you can stuff tulips or incorporate tulip petals into other dishes. Tulip petals often taste like lettuce or peas.
Violet
Violets are similar to pansies in the sense that they make excellent candied decorations or additions to salads. These flowers can be bred in many colour and flavour varieties. It's best to leave violets and violas whole when using for presentation purposes. Viola leaves can also impart a fragrant flavour into dairy-based applications like batters, puddings, frostings and ice creams.
Zucchini Flowers
Zucchini flowers are enjoying recent popularity as many restaurant chefs incorporate them into their menus. The saffron-hued, tubular blossoms are usually fried plain or stuffed with ingredients like ricotta and proscuitto, then baked. Most specialty food markets will carry zucchini flowers when they're in season, and when shopping for them look for firm, blemish-free petals.
Research for this article included information from Linda Stradley's What's Cooking America and Alan Davidson's The Oxford Companion to Food
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