Unpretentious, Adorable And Edible

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Have you ever thought about the fact that some of the familiar and modest flowers in your garden can serve you not only as a delight to the eyes, but also as a delicious, original snack? Of course, in our country it is more often customary to admire flowers, and not eat them. But why not experiment sometimes and bring some floral ingredients to your summer menu?

Floral dishes are rarely found in the menus of modern cafes and restaurants. If there is a mention of flowers, then rather they are used more for decoration, like greenery. And in grocery stores, you are unlikely to find such an exotic, unless only in specialized, and most often, in Asian shops. But, even by a miracle, finding a canned or dried version of such a delicacy in a supermarket, it is unlikely that you will be able to enjoy the true original taste of flowers. After all, it is better and more useful to use them directly from the garden.

Flowers of more than 40-45 plant species are considered edible. Everyone knows delicious sherbets made from rose petals, lilies, borage salads and more. But in our gardens, many unpretentious and cute flowers grow, the nutritional qualities of which some do not even know. For example, such faithful workers of garden beds as nasturtium, pansies, calendula, marigolds are quite capable of diluting your usual menu …

Some of the most decorative, easy-to-grow flowers, which are also edible, are well-known

nasturtium … In some Mediterranean countries, they are often added to salads and dressings for main courses. Their vibrant orange or scarlet shades are remarkably refreshing green vegetable pairings. Almost all varieties of nasturtium have a slightly sweet aroma and have a unique taste: at first it resembles flower nectar, and then it is slightly shaded with peppery notes like watercress.

All parts of the plant are edible except for the roots. From the leaves, rich in vitamin C (there is more of it than in ordinary lettuce leaves and greens), healthy and light salads, snacks are prepared, seasoned with sour cream or vegetable oil. White wine vinegar can enhance the taste of nasturtium flowers. Straining the flowers and pouring them into a clean glass bottle makes a delicious salad dressing. Gourmets who prefer interesting alcoholic drinks can try adding this nasturtium seasoning to a vodka martini cocktail.

Pansieslike nasturtium, they are very cute and not capricious plants. Usually, their petals are used for food, while removing the pistils and stamens. But it's okay if you even come across sepals. Blue pansies have a delicate aroma, reminiscent of the mild taste of the healing wintergreen. Pansy petals add originality and elegance to some summer snacks. For example, a regular cream cheese cracker sprinkled with flowers looks great and tastes good. Pansy petals are good as a decoration for holiday tables, cakes, pastries, etc.

Calendula or marigold used to be called "poor man's saffron" because the yellow or orange petals of the plant were used instead of the famous oriental seasoning. To achieve the best effect, they must be sliced and cooked with oil for a rich color and aroma. Onions fried in a small amount of olive oil, add chopped calendula petals, rice. Then pour everything with boiling water or meat broth. The result is a beautiful and aromatic side dish similar to Spanish paella or oriental pilaf. Sometimes calendula petals are used to make carrot cake, sprinkled with cream cheese frosting.

Zucchini, pumpkin, squash and other cultures of this family are very prolific. But it turns out that not only pumpkins are edible, but also their large, yellow gramophone flowers. They are especially fond of cooking by Mediterranean chefs, frying them in flavored breadcrumbs or stuffing them with ricotta cheese. It is good to take note of those gardeners who, pinching extra flowers, simply throw them into the compost pit.

Since the time of the Aztecs, dried petals

marigolds used as flavoring additives to the first and second courses. In Georgia, it is still one of the favorite spices. Their inflorescences were complemented even by borscht, scrambled eggs, wines, compotes, winter preparations, etc. They filled the dishes with an unusual taste of a mixture of citrus and tarragon. Small or narrow-leaved marigolds are best suited for edible experiments.

Using flowers for food, you can not only fill a familiar dish with a unique aroma, but also turn it into a real, high-quality restaurant meal. Floral decor will add zest and festive atmosphere to any table.