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EDIBLE FLOWERSNext time you stop and smell the roses, pluck a few blossoms for your plate! Garnishing with edible flowers can turn ordinary food into a beautiful palate of color, adding flair and natural style. You get a bonus, too: edible flowers can add flavor and nutrition. Using edible flowers to garnish a dish is “hot” now, yet the culinary use of flowers dates back thousands of years. The Romans used roses and violets to flavor and beautify their food. I’ve eaten Oriental dishes with daylilies, and have enjoyed the scent and taste of rose petals in Indian and Middle Eastern fare. Carnations, with their spicy flavor, are one of the “secret” ingredients in the famous French liqueur, Chartreuse. I still sprinkle calendula petals (pot marigold) into my rice dishes much as my Mom did when she wanted a saffron-like color but couldn’t afford this expensive flavoring. Use only edible flowers with food. Don’t use flowers that have
been sprayed with chemicals. If you’re not sure if they’ve
been sprayed, ask!
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Pipe herbed cheese into endive leaves and garnish with tiny violas and
borage flowers. Violet and Rose Petal VinegarFill a sterilized jar halfway up with violet and rose petals (darker colored roses have more flavor). Cover with champagne or white wine vinegar. Cap and let steep in a cool, dark place. Check flavor after one week. Strain, fill bottles, add a few fresh flowers if desired, cap tightly, seal, label and store in pantry. Use in salads and marinades. Luscious Lemon Curd with Edible Flowers Combine sugar, zest, juice and eggs in blender. Whirl until mixed. On low speed, add butter in thin stream. Transfer to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick enough to mound slightly, about 8 minutes or so. Let cool. Store in refrigerator, covered, up to two weeks. To serve, spoon into phyllo or tart shells and garnish with mint sprigs and edible flowers. Edible flowers This is a partial list of my favorites. If you want, remove the white
heel on the petals, as this is sometimes bitter. Eat small amounts,
and don’t eat leaves or stems. More on Crystallized Flowers and Saving Sweet Herbs
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