Registered: Nov 2001
Location: Rio de los Brazos de Dios
Posts: 3876

“I Always Put Borage Blossoms In My Cocktails Because They Remind Me Of Your Eyes”

Many people these days do not realize what they are missing by failing to eat the flowers of some of our most common plants. These flowers often lend an unusual taste or appearance to a dish. Those of you who are still trying to impress the ladies will find that the use of flowers in food or drink to be a definite aphrodisiac that has nothing to do with biochemistry. Just a few notes below as to how you can add another arrow in your romantic quiver.

Calendula flowers---(Calendula officianalis). Calendula flowers are often used as a substitute for saffron. Mix calendula petals either fresh or dried into noodles or other pasta to color the resulting dish a rich golden yellow. Calendula petals may be readily dried to last over winter. They are also good for addition to light soups during the last five minutes of cooking.

Squash blossoms---(Cucurbita maxima or Curcurbita moschata). The blossoms of the squash plant were used as food by the Inca. Use only the male flowers and leave a few on each plant and production in your garden will not be reduced. Add the blossoms to soups and stews during the last five minutes of cooking or dip blossoms in pancake batter and lightly fry in a light oil to a golden brown. Ummmm—good.

Sunflower blossoms---(Helianthus anuus) Pick the unopened buds of sunflower blossoms and gently sauté in butter until tender then serve covered with a light, tart lemon sauce---or pickle them like you would a cucumber.

Elderberry flowers—(Sambucus canadensis) Pick white flower clusters in late spring and dip in pancake batter and fry in a deep oil until golden brown. Then drizzle them with a fine maple syrup and serve to your partner in bed along with a cup of strong coffee.

Day lily blossoms---(Hemerocallis fulva or Hemerocallis flava) This flower has been used as a food in the orient for centuries. Simply steam the blossoms for five minutes and eat or braise them with a roast or dip them in batter and fry gently until golden. These blossoms are also good added to casseroles and soups.

Borage blossoms---(Borago officianalis) The blossoms of the borage plant are a beautiful blue hence the title line above. Use the fresh blossoms in your favorite vodka drink as a garnish. Freeze the blossoms in ice to float in a punch bowl as a conversation piece. You can dip them in egg white and coat with powdered sugar.

Violet blossoms---Viola sororia) Just put one in your mouth and chew it up—they are delicious. Or you can sprinkle them into a light salad. These flowers are very rich in vitamin C also. Each flower contains about 150 mg of vitamin.

Well, those are just some suggestions from an old hunter and nature lover. What other flowers do you like to eat? Or since I have claimed a social benefit for eating flowers are there other foods that you find to be suitable for the same purpose.

The information above was gleaned from a careful reading of “The Adventurous Gardner” by Nancy Wilkes Bubel

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oxsan


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Registered: Aug 2001
Location: Hilbert Space
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There was a trend to eat flowers here a couple of years back led by cookery programs.

Flowers are gay, though, so be careful.

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Registered: Nov 2001
Location: Rio de los Brazos de Dios
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That demon does not plague me , Smug, I always incline toward the opposite sex.

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oxsan


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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: my mother's bloody womb
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a friend of mine sent me some violet candy through the mail. it was one of the most interesting textures i've ever had. the flavor is hard to describe- it tastes like violets smell, if that makes any sense.

my stepfather would make salads using various flowers. the only one i didn't like was dandylion, it was way too bitter for my tastes. he said that he didn't soak them long enough first and that's why they didn't come out right.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Sedona, Arizona
Posts: 19111

Big Al adds a number of different flowers to salads in the summer.
I don't know what most of them are but they are tasty. Colors up the salad too.

She has roasted chicken with rosemary and served it with rosemary flowers as a garnish. Great taste and presentation. We have some monster rosemary bushes in the yard, amongst all the other wierd things she grows.

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Shreveport, LA
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I've always been partial to honeysuckles myself.

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Registered: Mar 2002
Location: Mountains
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guava flowers..
gardenias..
glads taste like lettuce..
and jasmine is my favorite tea.

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Registered: Jan 2004
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ARrr! Fucking salad fucking bitch ass flowers are mother fuckin' EXPENSIVE!!

Thar like 8 fucking dollaRrrs for one little pussy serving...

Last edited by Lee on 02-12-2004 at 04:33 PM

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Registered: Mar 2002
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you articulate like 14 year old ghetto trash.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Lee
Their like 8 fucking dollars for one little pussy serving...

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The motha fuckin rate of the hot-pocket pussy is greater than the sum of your net worth to the quare root of the motha fuckin 3rd power and shizit = 6 Pernts.

Eay yo Sabine!! Whazzzap bitch!! Can I hit it? I got 5 on it.

Last edited by Lee on 02-12-2004 at 04:34 PM

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Registered: Mar 2002
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and it's "they're."

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Registered: Jun 2002
Location: Just to the right of the moon
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When I was a kid I was asked to gather Bay leaves to put into a curry. I mistook Bay leaves for Rhododendron leaves and, hey presto, widespread poisoning!

The lesson is: If you don't want to be asked to do something, do it once, and do it very badly.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Beyond Mason-Dixon Line
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quote:

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Originally posted by funkyrooster
When I was a kid I was asked to gather Bay leaves to put into a curry. I mistook Bay leaves for Rhododendron leaves and, hey presto, widespread poisoning! . . . .

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