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 Imagine the pungent glorious smell of organic lavender – that’s the flavor of lavender jelly or lavender scones.Add Nasturtium flowers to salads, garnish fruit salads, stuff with cream cheese....
Add to ice cubes and freeze to garnish fruit drinks. Combine with flower petals - marigold, borage, dandelion, violets and freeze in ice cube trays.
Remember: Eat flowers only if they're grown organically, yet another reason to grow them yourself.
The more heavily scented the flower, the more flavorful it tends be. Edible flowers are used to add color, texture and personality to a dish.They quite literally transform a meal. Lilacs and marigolds add splashes of vibrant color while primroses and day lilies add distinctive texture, smoothness and crunchiness respectively.
The secret to success when using edible flowers is to keep the dish simple, do not add too many other flavors that will over power the delicate taste of the flower. Used fresh as a garnish or as an integral part of a dish, such as a salad. Edible flowers can be frozen in ice cubes and added to beverages. Made into jellies and jams, used to make teas, cordials and wines. Minced and added to cheese spreads, herb butters, pancakes, crepes, waffles and more. Many flowers can be used to make vinegars for cooking, marinades, or dressings for salad.
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Pick your flowers in the morning when their water content is at its highest. Then bathe the flowers gently in a salt-water bath. Immediately drop in ice water for one minute. Dry on a paper towel. For best results, use your flower petals immediately (not the stamen or the stems), or store the whole flower in a glass of water in the refrigerator overnight. Flowers can be used for a multitude of dishes from garnishes to salads. There's nothing like herb flowers and freshly chopped herbs to turn an everyday potato salad into something special.Try freezing petals in ice cube trays filled with water or herb tea for a unique addition to your favorite lemonade or iced tea!
Angelica
This is a broad-leaved, monocarpic biennial or perennial (i.e. it takes 2-5 years to flower, and then dies) 6-10' high. It likes half shade, and damp, rich soil. Given the right environment, it will self seed and keep itself established. Celery-flavored, good with fish and the stems are especially popular candied. May be skin allergen to some individuals.
Anise Hyssop
This is a hardy perennial that can be grown as annual. It likes moderately fertile soil, moist, and well drained. Produces fantastic spikes of purple flowers, which are loved by bees.Young leaves and flowers have  a mild aniseed / licorice /mint flavour and can be used to make a refreshing tea, as well as to flavour fish and chicken dishes.
Apple Blossoms have a delicate floral flavor and aroma. They are a nice accompaniment to fruit dishes. Eat in moderation, may contain cyanide precursors.
Arugula
Also called garden rocket, roquette, rocket-salad, Oruga, Rocketsalad, rocket-gentle; Raukenkohl (German); rouquelle (French); rucola (Italian). The flowers are small, white with dark centers and can be used in salad for a light piquant flavor.
Banana Flower - Native Banana Flowers
The large conical bud at the apex of the flowering stalk can be boiled and eaten, but several changes of water are necessary to reduce the bitter flavour. Sometimes the purple bracts are very tough, but the flowers are usually softer. Young white parts of shoots at the base of the plant can be boiled and eaten.
Basil has a very distinct flavour that is very unique.Basil also has different varieties that have different milder flavours like lemon and mint. Basil is one of the easiest of the herbs to grow. Given long hours of hot sunlight and plenty of water, it will produce a crop of fragrant leaves all summer. Be sure to pinch back the top and cut off any flower spikes. This will encourage more growth and keep the plant producing up until the first frost. This longevity makes basil an ideal plant for a garden border. Try planting a number of different varieties to add color to the garden. Thai and Cinnamon Basil, their leaves slender and pale with sharp grooves and contrasting deep purple flower spikes, are dramatic when interspersed with the rich hues of the Purple Ruffle Basil and Sweet Basil (with its broad, vibrantly green foliage). If space is a problem, most forms of basil do well in containers, and even indoors, as long as they have sufficient light and heat.
Bee Balm Used in place of bergamot to make a tea with a flavor similar to Earl Grey Tea.
Borage produces cornflower blue, star-shaped flowers through until the first frosts in autumn. Dead heading helps to prolong the flowering period.Blossoms have a cool, cucumber taste. Wonderful in punches, lemonade, gin and tonics, sorbets, chilled soups, cheese tortas, and dips.
Burnet Cutting back the blossoms will produce plenty of tender new leaves. Because it grows so easily and is so lacy and attractive, it makes a pleasant edging plant.Burnet has a faint cucumber flavor, that is very mild.
Calendula
Also called Marigolds.Their sharp taste resembles saffron (also known as Poor Man’s Saffron). Has pretty petals in golden-orange hues. Sprinkle on soups, pasta, rice dishes, herb butters, and salads. Petals add a yellow tint to soups, spreads, tofu and scrambled eggs. The pollen of composite flowers is highly allergenic and may cause reactions in sensitive individuals. Sufferers of asthma, ragweed, and hayfever should not consume composite flowers, and may have extreme allergies to ingesting any flowers at all. Only the petals of these composite flowers are edible.
Carnations have a spicy, peppery, clove-like flavour.
Chamomile has a faint apple flavour, frequently used in teas.Use petals only.
Chive,onion and garlic flowers add to salads, do not leave flowers too long before harvesting as they quickly turn to seed, being crunchy and without flavor.
Citrus blossums
Lemon, lime, grapefruit, kumquat etc waxy, pronounced flavor, use sparingly as an edible garnish, good for making citrus waters.Distilled orange flower water is characteristic of Middle Eastern pastries and beverages.
Chicory buds can be pickled.Use petals only.
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Chrysanthemums have a slight to bitter flavor, pungent. Ranging in colors from red, white, yellow and orange. They range in taste from faint peppery to mild cauliflower. They should be blanched first and then scatter the petals on a salad. The leaves can also be used to flavor vinegar. Always remove the bitter flower base and use petals only.Young leaves and stems of the Crown Daisy, also known as Chop Suey Greens or Shingiku in Japan, are widely used in oriental stir-fries and as salad seasoning.
Cilantro/Coriander
Like the leaves and seeds, the flowers have a strong herbal flavor. Use leaves and flowers raw as the flavour fades quickly when cooked. Sprinkle to taste on salads, bean dishes, and cold vegetable dishes. A prime ingredient in salsa and many Latino and Oriental dishes.
Clover Sweet, anise-like, licorice. Raw flowerheads can be difficult to digest.
Cornflower Also called Bachelor’s button. They have a slightly sweet to spicy, clove-like flavor. Bloom is a natural food dye. More commonly used as garnish.
Dame's Rocket
Also called Sweet Rocket or Dame's Violet. This plant is often mistaken for Phlox. Phlox has five petals, Dame's Rocket has just four. The flowers, which resemble phlox, are deep lavender, and sometimes pink to white. The plant is part of the mustard family, which also includes radishes, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and, mustard. The plant and flowers are edible, but fairly bitter. The flowers are attractive added to green salads. The young leaves can also be added to your salad greens (for culinary purposes, the leaves should be picked before the plant flowers). The seed can also be sprouted and added to salads.It is not the same variety as the herb commonly called Rocket, which is used as a green in salads.
Dandelions
Member of Daisy family.Very young buds fried in organic butter or coconut oil taste similar to mushrooms. Makes a potent wine.
Day Lilies
Many Lilies contain alkaloids and are NOT edible. Day Lilies may act as a diuretic or laxative; eat in moderation.Sweet, crunchy, like a crisp lettuce leaf, faintly like chestnuts or beans.
Dill is very easy to grow at home in the garden or in containers. (If you grow your own, be aware that the mature seeds are toxic to birds).
Dill weed has a flavor likened to mild caraway or fennel leaves.The plant is, in fact, often mistaken for the feathery fronds of fennel.
Tangy, like leaves but stronger. Use yellow dill flowers as you would the herb itself - to season hot or cold soups, seafood, dressings or dips. Seeds used in pickling and baking.
English Daisy - tangy, leafy.
Fennel - sweet, licorice flavor.
Fuchsia - slightly acidic taste.
Gladiolus Tastes similar to lettuce.
Elderflower
Elderflower Cordial , add 20 heads of elderflowers to organic lemon cordial recipe.
Hibiscus
Cranberry-like flavor with citrus overtones. Use slightly acidic petals sparingly in salads or as garnish. Add to herb drinks and cordials. Lavender lemonade is lovely and can become pink lemonade by adding a few hibiscus flowers.
Hollyhock
Hollyhock, have very little flavor.
Honeysuckle
Sweet honey flavor. Only the flowers are edible. Berries are highly poisonous - Do not eat them!
Hyacinth
Only the Wild Hyacinth (Brodiaea douglasii) bulbs are edible.The bulbs can be used like potatoes and eaten either raw or cooked and has a sweet, nutlike flavor. NOTE: The common hyacinth (found in your gardens) is toxic and must not be eaten.
Impatiens Very bland taste.
Jasmine
The flowers are intensely fragrant and are traditionally used for scenting tea. Delicate sweet flavor.
Johnny-Jump-Ups
Lovely yellow, white and purple blooms have a mild wintergreen flavor and can be used in salads, to decorate cakes, or served with soft cheese. They are also a great addition to drinks, soups, desserts or salads. Contains saponins and may be toxic in large amounts.
Lavender
The best time to harvest the flowers is when they are newly opened. At this point they can be used fresh, or cut long stems to dry for later use.The darker the color of the blossom, the more intense the flavor. The uses of lavender are limited only by your imagination. Lavender has a sweet, floral flavor, with lemon and citrus notes. The potency of the lavender flowers increases with drying. In cooking, use 1/3 the quantity of dried flowers to fresh. The key to cooking with lavender is to experiment; start out with a small amount of flowers, and add more as you go.Adding too much lavender to your recipe can be like eating perfume and will make your dish bitter. Because of the strong flavor of lavender, the secret is that a little goes a long way.
The lavender flowers add a beautiful color to salads. Lavender can also be substituted for rosemary in many bread recipes. The flowers can be put in organic sugar and sealed tightly for a couple of weeks then the sugar can be substituted for organic sugar for a cake, buns or custards. Grind the lavender in a herb or coffee grinder or mash it with mortar and pestle.
The spikes and leaves of lavender can be used in most dishes in place of rosemary. Use the spikes or stems for making fruit or shrimp kabobs. Just place your favorite fruit on the stems and grill.
Flowers look beautiful and taste good too in a glass of organic champagne, with chocolate cake, or as a garnish for sorbets or ice creams. Lavender lends itself to savory dishes also, from hearty stews to wine-reduced sauces. Diminutive blooms add a mysterious scent to custards, flans or sorbets. Lavender has also become a popular ingredient in ice cream.
Dried lavender blossoms used in perfumes and pot pourris.
Herbes de Provence
To this blend of thyme, savory, basil, and fennel, lavender adds a decidedly perfumey and slightly musky taste along with a hint of citrus making it ideal for use with fish, grilled meats or stews.
Try using lavender in red sauces for pasta or pizza, it gives it an intriguing rich taste. Lavender also goes well with fruit, especially raspberries and blueberries. Add lavender to baking - scones and cookies. A creme anglais flavored with lavender makes an elegant end to a meal. Crystallized lavender flowers are often used to decorate pastries and desserts. Mint and lemon are two other flavors that combine well with lavender. Try flavoring rich black tea with mint, lavender and lemon for a refreshing drink. With lavender's bright color, sweet perfume, and tiny shape, it is fun to use as a garnish -- on salads, entrees, or sprinkled in combination with other blossoms for a striking presentation.
Lavender Scones
2 cups organic flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine celtic salt
1 tsp rapadura sugar
30 g organic butter
3 tsp crushed lavender
2 tsp chopped sage
2 tbsp organic milk
Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a basin.
Cut butter through mixture and rub until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Add 2 tsp lavender and sage, mix to a soft dough with milk.
Roll out lightly on a floured board and cut to desired shapes.
Place on a baking tray, glaze with milk, sprinkle with 1 tsp lavender and cook 10-15 minutes at 200 C.
Lavender Lemonade
5 cups water
1 1/2 cups organic sugar
12 stems fresh lavender
2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
Boil half the water with all the sugar to create a simple syrup. Add lavender stems and remove from heat, letting the lavender steep for 10 to 15 minutes.
Strain the lavender-infused syrup with a sieve into a mixture of the remaining water and lemon juice. Pour over crushed ice and garnish with a lavender blossom.
Lemon Verbena
Tiny cream-colored citrus-scented blossoms. Leaves and flowers steeped as herb tea, and used to flavor custards and flans.
Lilac
The flavor of lilacs varies from plant to plant. Very perfumy, slightly bitter. Has a distinct lemony taste with floral, pungent overtones. Great in salads.
Marjoram Flowers are a milder version of plant's leaf. Use as you would the herb.
Mint
The flavor of the flowers is minty, with different overtones depending on the variety. Mint flowers and leaves are great in Middle Eastern dishes.
Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums do triple duties - - as a beautiful and colorful garden decoration.Nasturtiums attract aphids and are one of the most used flowers in culinary use.
Come in varieties ranging from trailing to upright and in brilliant sunset colors with peppery flavors. Nasturtiums rank among most common edible flowers. Blossoms have a sweet, spicy flavor similar to watercress. Stuff whole flowers with savory mousse. Leaves add peppery tang to salads. Pickled seed pods are less expensive substitute for capers. Use entire flowers to garnish platters, salads, cheese tortas, open-faced sandwiches, and savory appetizers. A favorite garnish for drinks and fruit and green salads.
Stuffed Nasturtiums
1/2 cup organic ricotta cheese
1/4 cup walnuts, choped finely
2 tablespoons basil, ground finely
tamari to taste
15 - 20 nasturtiums
forget-me-nots, johnny-jump-ups ot heartease garnish.
Mix together the ricotta, walnuts, basil and tamari until well blended.
Shape into small balls and tuck into nasturtiums.
Top each with a small edible flower.
Arrange on a plate lined with round nasturtium leaves.
Salad with Nasturtiums
1 bunch watercress
1 head butter lettuce
3 tablespoons toasted chopped walnuts or pecans
6-8 nasturtium flowers
Tarragon Salad Dressing
2 tablespoons organic wine vinegar
6 tablespooons best quality organic oil
2 teaspoons Dijon-style organic mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
celtic salt and freshly ground organic pepper to taste
Make the dressing by combining all ingredients in a small jar with a lid. shake well and refrigerate until ready to use.
Prepare the salad by removing the stems from the watercress and tearing the lettuce leaves and watercress into bite-size pieces.
Combine the greens in a slad bowl or plate, pour the dressing on the greens, and toss.
Sprinkle nuts over salad and garnish with nasturtium blossoms.
Nasturtium Vinegar
Add the flowers to good-quality white wine vinegar. Let the mixture rest in a dark, cool cupboard or the refrigerator (light will fade the color) for several weeks, then strain the flowers out and decant the vinegar into a clean glass bottle.
Okra similar to squash blossoms. http://ecobites.com/organic-gardening-eating/okra.html
Oregano Milder version of plant's leaf. Use as you would the herb.
Pansy
Pansies have a slightly sweet green or grassy flavor. If you eat only the petals, the flavor is extremely mild, but if you eat the whole flower, there is a winter, green overtone. Use as garnishes, in fruit salads, green salad, desserts or in soups.
Pea Blossoms
Edible garden peas bloom mostly in white, but may have other pale coloring. The blossoms are slightly sweet and crunchy and they taste like peas. The shoots and vine tendrils are edible, with a delicate, pea-like flavor. Here again, remember that harvesting blooms will diminish your pea harvest, so you may want to plant extra. NOTE: Flowering ornamental sweet peas are poisonous.
Peach blossoms Pear blossoms Passionflower
Peony
In China the fallen petals are parboiled and sweetened as a tea-time delicacy. Peony water was used for drinking in the middle ages. Add peony petals to your summer salad or try floating in punches and lemonades.
Pineapple Guava
The flavor is sweet and tropical, somewhat like a freshly picked ripe papaya or exotic melon still warm from the sun.
Primrose
Colorful with a sweet, but bland taste.
Queen Anne's Lace
Also known as Wild Carrot and Bishop's Lace. It is the original carrot, from which modern cultivars were developed, and it is edible with a light carrot flavor. The flowers are small and white, and bloom in a lacy, flat-topped cluster. Great in salads.
The problem is, it is closely related to, and looks almost exactly like another wild plant, Wild or Poison Hemlock, which often grows profusely in similar habitats, and is said to be the most poisonous plant native to the United States. The best way to differentiate between the two plants is to remember that Queen Anne's Lace has a hairy stem, while the stems of Wild Hemlock are smooth and hairless and hollow with purple spots.
Radish Flowers
Depending on the variety, flowers may be pink, white or yellow, and will have a distinctive, spicy bite (has a radish flavor). Best used in salads.
Rosemary
Milder version of leaf. Fresh or dried herb and blossoms enhance flavor of Mediterranean dishes. Use with meats, seafoods, sorbets or dressings .
Roses
The scent of the most perfumed organic rose – that’s what rose sorbet or rose butter icing on a cake taste like. Flavors depend on type, color, and soil conditions. Flavor reminiscent of strawberries and green apples. Sweet, with subtle undertones ranging from fruit to mint to spice. All roses are edible, sweet, aromatic flavor, stronger fragrance produces a stronger flavor. Be sure to remove the bitter white portion of the petals.In miniature varieties can garnish ice cream and desserts, or larger petals can be sprinkled on desserts or salads. Freeze in ice cubes and float in punches. Petals used in syrups, jellies, perfumed butters and sweet spreads. Try a chocolate cake decorated with fresh raspberries and candied rose petals.
Rose Honey - delicate flavour.
It's much simpler to flavour honey than make jam. Heat 1 cup honey until runny. Add 1 cup fragrant rose petals (must be chemical free), white bit cut off. Leave with lid on for two hours. Heat with lid on until runny, strain, bottle- or repeat with more petals if it's not fragrant enough.
Rose Petal Jam Use scented, dark red organic roses for this jam.
500 g organic red rose petals
850 g organic sugar
1/2 cup water or rose water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Fill a thick-bottomed pan with layers of rose petals and sugar. Add lemon juice and water, bring the mixture slowly to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Simmer unitl jam is ready to set then pour into warmed jars and seal at once. Store in a dry, cool place.
When roses are used for culinary purposes, remove the white lower part of the petals carefully. Wash gently and dry thoroughly with a towel.
Candied Rose Petals
Wash and gently dry petals and clip away any white tips because they are bitter. Heat cup of water and slowly add in one cup of sugar and bring to a boil. Pour into a bowl and dip rose petals using tweezers or tongues when the syrup begins to firm. Allow to dry on waxed paper that is sprinkled with sugar to reduce sticking. Candied rose petals are a elegant way to decorate special cakes or desserts or simply place a finger bowl full out for each guests as an after dinner treat.
Safflower
Its dried flowers, Mexican saffron, are used as a food colorant in place of the more aromatic and expensive Spanish saffron.
Capers are unopened flower buds to a bush native in the Mediterranean and Asian nations. Most herb flowers have a taste that's similar to the leaf, but spicier. With the exceptions of chamomile and lavender blossoms, where the flavor is usually more subtle.Primroses, violets, roses, lavender, day lilies, sunflowers, nasturtiums and many more are all consumable
Sage
For best results grow sage in well-drained alkaline soil in full sun. Although a tolerant plant, sage will not grow in damp soil. Grow sage in pots for equally good results. There are numerous different sages with flower colors ranging from white to blues, purples, pinks and reds. A few sage plants will add color and aroma to any garden. Cut the plant back after it has flowered to keep it healthy and bushy. Sages makes a decorative border plant. Flowers have a subtler sage taste than the leaves and can be used in salads and as a garnish. Flowers are a delicious companion to many foods including beans, corn dishes, sauteed or stuffed mushrooms, or pesto sauce.
Savory
The flavor of the flowers is somewhat hot and peppery.
Scarlet Runner Beans
Bean pods toughen as they age, so make use of young pods as well as flowers. Please note: Sweet Pea flowers are not edible.
Scented Geraniums
The flower flavor generally corresponds to the variety. For example, a lemon-scented geranium would have lemon-scented flowers. They come in fragrances from citrus and spice to fruits and flowers, and usually in colors of pinks and pastels. Sprinkle them over desserts and in refreshing drinks or freeze in ice cubes. NOTE: Citronelle variety may not be edible.
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Snap Dragon
Delicate garden variety can be bland to bitter. Flavors depend on type, color, and soil conditions. Probably not the best flower to eat.
Squash Blossoms
Squash and pumpkin blossoms are edible and taste mildly of raw squash. Prepare the blossoms by washing and trimming the stems and remove the stamens. Squash flowers can be fried in light batter or cornmeal.
Sunflower
Did you ever wonder how sunflowers got their scientific name Helianthus? It comes from two words, Helios meaning sun, and Anthos, meaning flower. The sunflower often follows the sun and this characteristic is how got its name.The flower is best eaten in the bud stage when it tastes similar to artichokes. Once the flower opens, the petals may be used like chrysanthemums, the flavor is distinctly bittersweet.The unopened flower buds can also be steamed like artichokes.
Sweet Woodruff
The flower flavor is sweet and grassy with a hint of nutty, vanilla flavor. Can have a blood thinning effect if eaten in large amounts
Thyme
Milder version of leaf. Use sprigs as garnish or remove flowers and sprinkle over soups, etc. (anywhere the herb might be used.)
Tuberous Begonia
Only Hybrids are edible. The petals of the tuberous begonias are edible. Their bright colors and sour, fruity taste bring flavor and beauty to any summer salad. Begonia blossoms have a delicious citrus sour taste and a juicy crunch. The petals are used as a garnish and in salads. Stems, also, can be used in place of rhubarb. The flowers and stems contain oxalic acid and should not be consumed by individuals suffering from gout, kidney stones, or rheumatism.
Tulip Petals
Flavor varies from tulip to tulip, but generally the petals taste like sweet lettuce, fresh baby peas, or a cucumber-like texture and flavor.Some people have had strong allergic reactions to them. If touching them causes a rash, numbness etc. Don't eat them! Don't eat the bulbs ever.
Violets
Sweet, perfumed flavor. Related flowers, Johnny jump-ups or violas, and pansies now come in colorful purples and yellows to apricot and pastel hues. I like to eat the tender leaves and flowers in salads. I also use the flowers to beautifully embellish desserts and iced drinks. Freeze in punches to delight children and adults alike. All of these flowers make pretty adornments for frosted cakes, sorbets, or any other desserts, and they may be crystallized as well. Heart-shaped leaves are edible, and tasty when cooked like spinach.
Yucca Petals
The white Yucca flower is crunchy with a mildly sweet taste (a hint of artichoke). in the spring, they can be used in salads and as a garnish.
Zucchini seems to grow to a massive size overnight. Eating the flowers has a birth control effect: the more flowers you eat, the less zucchini you have to deal with!
Europeans have a long tradition of eating zucchini flowers - stuffed, deep fried and baked. It's best to pick the zucchini when young and tender and the flowers when wide open first thing in the morning. Acorn, patty pan squash, pumpkin, and gourd make terrific edibles. Traditional in Mediterranean cuisine, squash blossoms are usually stuffed with flavored breadcrumbs or ricotta cheese and sauteed or fried. The flowers have a mild flavor similar to zucchini or yellow squash.
Pumpkin flowers are wonderful - stuff them with leftover fried rice and stew them in stock, or dip them stuffed or empty in egg, then breadcrumb and fry. Serve with lemon juice or hollandaise sauce.
You can tell which are male pumpkin flowers (most of which are expandable) and which are the female, by looking for the swelling at the base of the flower.
Flower Butter
1/2 - 1 cup chopped fresh or dried petals
1 block organic unsalted butter / fresh from the butter churnFinely chop flower petals and mix into softened butter. Let mix stand for several hours at room temperature, then refrigerate for several days to bring out the flavour. Can be frozen for several months. Wonderful on breads or used in sugar cookie or pound cake recipes. Use cream cheese rose, lavendar or sunflower. Add some herbs: basil, thyme, garlic.
Flower Fantasy
Immerse the blossoms face down in a wide glass bowl containing about 2.5cm organic water. Place the bowl in the freezer. After the water is frozen, turn it out onto a bed of crushed ice and arrange seasonal organic fruit around it. Organic strawberries dipped in organic chocolate for a real celebration treat. Flowers hold their colour well using this method.
Source
Food for Love - Lynette Stein
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/edibleflowers.html
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8513.html
Disclaimer: Edible flowers are wonderful additions to just about any dish. Some flowers are poisonous, however, so it is essential to confirm that any flowers you intend to use for culinary purposes are of a nonpoisonous variety that is safe to eat. It is also crucial that these flowers have not been treated with chemical sprays. To be sure that you have correctly identified ones that you intend to use, refer to a field guide to edible plants or consult an expert. And remember, common names are not reliable; use Latin names for positive identification of plants and flowers. Never use flowers from a florist shop in your recipes—they will have been sprayed with chemicals not appropriate for consumption.Organic growers have an edge, because flowers—usually imported—available from commercial florists are often grown with heavy applications of pesticides. In fact, many imported cut flowers contain residues from pesticides ruled unacceptable for food production in the U.S.Eat only restaurant-prepared edible flowers or, flowers you have grown yourself. Even flowers growing along the roadside may have been sprayed with pesticides and are not safe to eat.The authors, and ecobites.com cannot be held responsible for any illness or injury caused by using edible flowers in these flowers.
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