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Flower garden in kitchen

 

Flower garden in kitchen

 

The flowers in our gardens n ot only look and smell beautiful but also, part of them (about eighty), because of its flavour, are perfectly suited for use in our kitchen, increasing the aesthetic value of food. Fried in pancake batter can be added to salads or desserts, their use is limited only by our imagination. Especially that its taste is reminiscent of the flavours already known to our palates. Blue flowers of borage (Borago officinalis L.) have a mild cucumber flavor, often found in our gardens marigold (Tagetes signata pumila) have a citrus flavour and daisy (Bellis perennis) is characterized by a delicate flavour of mint or clover. The use of flowers will make dishes not only look original but also improve its taste.

 However, we have to remember that suitable for human consumption are only flowers picked in the meadows or bred by us in the gardens, away from the roads and any contaminants, without the use of fertilizers and other means. Keep in mind that some flowers are toxic.

 Especially recommended for consumption: marigolds, pansies, violets, phlox, carnations, nasturtiums, impatiens, roses, sunflowers, daisies, tulips; inflorescences of trees and shrubs: acacia, apple, lime, plum; flowers of herbs: anise, basil, garlic, coriander, fennel, lavender, lovage, mint, dandelion, borage, oregano, rosemary, chamomile, sage, thyme, chives, comfrey; flowers of vegetables: zucchini, pumpkin, green peas, green beans. Do not forget about the most popular "vegetable flowers" in our food: cauliflower, broccoli and artichokes. Here are some more detailed descriptions of some edible flowers, along with recipes for interesting foods in their use:

 

  Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) - flowers and leaves have a strong flavour, it contain the vitamin C, and the flowers can be used to decorate the dishes. Young, green nasturtium seeds are marinated in vinegar, then chopped to use tartar sauce or vegetable salads. Cheese, eggs and salads with the addition of its flowers or leaves are more spicy and they look very impressive. Recommendable are also aromatic tinctures of nasturtium.

 

  Sandwich with nasturtium flowers:

 

 Ingredients:

  •  wholemeal bread

  •  tahina or peanut butter

  •  nasturtium flowers (the best are young, not fully developed)

 method:

  Spread a slice of brown bread with tahina or peanut butter, on the top put the cut flowers of nasturtium.

 

  Marigold (Calendula officinalis) - These colourful flowers of pepper flavour, contain many active substances and have an antiseptic effect (Marigold ointment is used for hard to heal wounds), add charm to salads; Thanks to marigold petals boiled rice, fish, cheeses and cakes take saffron colour. Sometimes called the "poor man's saffron".

 

  Pansy (Viola wittrockiana) - has edible flowers, which also play a decorative role. It has very decorative look drenched in fruit jelly.

 

  Clove (Dianthus caryophyllus) - red, pink and white flowers with clove flavour.

 

  Camomile (Chamaemilum nobile) - Daisy-like flowers, the taste with a slight hint of apple. Especially recommended to calm and silence parrots.

 

 

 

  Chive (Allium schoenoprasum) - lavender-pink pom pom flowers are actually composed of many small florets. The flowers have a mild onion flavor

 

  Daisy (Bellis perennis) - white and yellow flowers with a hint of mint or clover flavour.

 

Daisy soup

 

 Ingredients:

  •  1-1,2 l  of bouillon

  •   some dried mushrooms

  •  pinch of cumin

  • 1 spoon of semolina

  •  a handful of leaves and flowers daisies

  •  a bunch of spring onions with chives

  •  4 eggs

  •  2 tablespoons butter

  •  salt and pepper to taste.

 Method:

  Put the mushrooms in a bouillon with cumin and cook until it softens, then add the semolina, browned in a dry frying pan and cook for 10 minutes. Rinse and finely cut daisy flowers, thrown it into the bouillon and cook. Spice with finely chopped chives, salt and pepper. Soup served with scrambled eggs fried in butter with chopped spring onions together with chives. We put into deep dishes a spoonful of scrambled eggs , sprinkle with chopped spring onions and pour the soup.

 

  Dandelion (Taraxacumofficinale) - Small yellow flowers have a honey flavour when picked early. Older flowers are bitter.

 

  Dandelion and spinach leaf salad

 

Ingredients:

  •  20 grams of dandelion leaves (before flowering)

  • 20 grams of spinach

  •  1 clove of garlic

  •  1 tablespoon of lemon juice

  •  3 tablespoons of oil

  •  honey

  •  salt

 

 Method:

  Make the sauce from lemon juice, oil and a little bit of honey, then add the crushed garlic and a pinch of salt. Pour the souce into dandelion leaves and spinach.

 

  Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) - sweet-tasting flowers. It's healing for colds and chills. Gypsies mix elderberry flowers, yarrow and peppermint and they throw the entire mixture into hot water for 13 minutes.

 

Elderberry flowers pie

 

Ingredients:

  •  4 eggs

  •  2 cups of flour

  •  1 cup of milk

  •  1/2 cup of soda water

  •  pinch of salt

  •  elderberry flowers

  •   powdered sugar for dusting

 

 Method:

 Prepare the pancake batter but with the addition of whipped proteins and  elderberry flowers. We bake small pancakes and sprinkle with powdered sugar. We can put into the batter whole flowers without peeling.

 

  Genus (Gladiolus spp.) - Flowers have many colours, grow on a long stalk one above another. Usually facing the same direction. Flowers have both the texture and flavour of lettuce.

 

  Hibiscus chinese rose (Hibiscus rosa sinensis) - tropical flowers in a large variety of colours and have a slightly acidic taste. It's one of the favorite flowers of most species of parrots.

 

  Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) - small trumpet-shaped flowers, white to yellow with a sweet and delicious taste. Parrots love these flowers and birds from Loridae family has for honeysuckle nectar special feeling. Only the flowers of Japanese honeysuckle are edible. Berries of others honeysuckles are are extremely toxic

 

  Impatiens (Impatiens wallerana) - multicolored small flowers with a mild flavour.

 

  Heartsease (Viola tricolor) – yellow and purple lavender flowers. The leaves are also edible and contain vitamin C.

 

Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) - l avender flowers which have an intense floral aroma and taste of lemons.

 

  Tagetes (Tagetes signata pumila) - Bright yellow and orange flowers with citrus flavor.

 

  Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) - purple flowers, leaves and seeds are edible. Seeds are known for their beneficial effects on the liver.

 

  Viola (Viola X Wittrockiana) - flowers of purple, white and yellow, have a sweet, tart flavor.

 

  Passion (Passifloraceae) - Passiflora caerulea and Passiflora edulis are two examples of the hundreds of varieties of passion. Some of these vines produce large greenish white and purple flowers and then, depending on the variety, orange or purple edible fruit.

 

  Roses (Rosa spp) – The moast tastiest varieties of roses are among the French rose (Rosa gallica), wrinkled rose (Rosa rugosa) (two species of wild rose), damask rose. Roses have a delicate fruity flavour. Fresh petals can be tasty, decorative and fragrant addition to fruit salads (remember to remove the "tooth", located at the base of the flap, because it is bitter).

 

  A beverage of the flowers of wild rose

 

Ingredients:

  • 6 full-grown fresh flowers roses

  •  30 decagrams of raspberries

  •  1/4 cup raspberry syrup

  •  2 lemons

  •  ½ liters of carbonated mineral water

  •  2 bottles of white wine

 

Method:

 Flowers of 4 roses rinse and tear petals that pour wine, we put it into the fridge for an hour, then drain. Sort out raspberries, wash lemons and squeeze the juice of first one, the second one cut in slices. Pour the syrup and lemon juice into the wine, then put raspberries and lemon slices. Mix everything, at the end pour into it a sparkling water. The rest of flowers we divide into flakes and put it into the bowl.

 

  Candied rose petals

  Beat the egg white and then thoroughly coat a thin layer to each flower, sprinkle or dip in powdered sugar. Leave it to dry. The next layer can be put in between parchment paper.

 

  Prepare sugar and water in a ratio of 2:1, heat it until the sugar is dissolved. Flowers should be immersed in syrup and lecture on wax paper, sprinkle with sugar and leave to dry.

 

  Sage (Salvia L.) - Lavender-blue flowers grow only on the culinary variety. Variegated sage species do not flower. Flowers have distinctive sage flavour.

 

  Sunflowers (Helianthus L.) - There are many varieties of sunflowers, although most of them are as follows: yellow petals surrounding a "black eye". Mature flowers contain the seed that tastes so much to us.

 

  Acacia (Acacia Mill.) - yellow flowers, scented aroma reminiscent of violets. It has diuretics, relaxant and sedative properties.

 

  Flowers of acacia in pancake batter

 

  Prepare traditional pancake batter, dip each inflorescence and fry in oil.

 

  Acacia pancakes sprinkled with powdered sugar or drizzled with hot chocolate

 

Ingredients:

      • 1/2 cup of milk

      •  1/2 cup of water

      •  3 eggs

      •   4/5 cup of flour

      •  grated orange peel

      •   powdered sugar for dusting

      •  acacia flowers

Method:

  Separate the whites from the yolks. Egg yolks, milk and flour mix thoroughly. Add water, a pinch of salt, grated orange peel and whites beaten to stiff. Bunches of acacia thoroughly rinse with water and dry with a paper towel. Floral clusters dip in the dough (holding the "tail"), then fry in fat. Arrange on a platter, sprinkle with powdered sugar and vanilla. Serve hot. For special occasions we suggest acacia pancakes topped with melted chocolate. Before serving, you can sprinkle a bit of chocolate, cognac and set on fire.

 

 

  Violet (Viola odorata) - flowers with deep purple and white color with a sweet taste.

 

  Violet flowers in sugar to decorate cakes and desserts, flavour tea :

 

Ingredients:

  • violet flowers (any other edible flowers)

  •  sugar

 

Method:

  Sort out out the flowers and clean if necessary , but do not rinse with water. Put layers of flowers and sugar in a jar and press everything thoroughly. The first and the last layer have to ba a sugar. Keep it in cool, dry and dark place.

 

  Tulips (Tulipa L.) - multicolored flowers with a bit of crisp cucumber flavour. (Caution! Bulps are toxic)

 

  Keep in mind that most of the flowers are still inedible and even poisonous, the most common are: Anemone (Anemone L.), Autumn crocus (Crocus L.), rhododendron (Rhododendron L.), buttercup (Ranunculus L.), clematis (Clematis L.), daffodils and narcissi (Narcisuss L.), larkspur (Delphinium L.), Foxglove (Digitalis L.), hyacinth (Hyacinthus L.), hydrangea (Hydrangea L.), iris (Iris L.), common lantana (Lantana camara), Lobelia (Lobelia L.), marsh marigold (Calthapalustris L.), morning glory (Ipomoea L.), oleander (Nerium oleander L.), periwinkle (Vinca L.), wisteria (Wisteria L.).

 

The text is based on articles from the websites:

http://www.papugi.resnet.pl/artykuly/JadalneKwiaty.htm

 

http://www.jeanbos.com.pl/recepty/kwiaty_jadalne.htm

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