You Can Do It: Delicious Edible Flowers

Edible flowers have long been a part of diets around the world, but what about in your personal kitchen? Have you ever wanted to try them but wasn’t sure which ones to use or how to prepare them as gorgeous adornments for that special gourmet dinner? It’s actually easy when you just do it. If you can steam broccoli you can serve flowers in a number of delicious ways.

Photo: Facebook/The Imagination Tree

The first thing you need to be sure of is that there are no chemicals sprayed on your flowers. Next, know which flowers are edible and how to prepare them. Always rinse or dunk your flowers in a mild salt water to get rid of any bugs that might be on them and to wash off any dust. Dry thoroughly before using. Because you use different parts of the flower be sure you are using the recommended parts to eat. What about the stems and leaves?

Photo: Flickr/Conrad Nutschan

Let’s start with the Allium family of plants. That includes onions, leeks, chives, and garlic. They all have blossoms and they are all edible. The flowers can be eaten raw in salads, steamed, or sautéed in butter. All parts of these plants are edible.

Photo: Facebook/Photographic Journeys

Nearly everyone is familiar with Bee Balm. The flowers are usually red but do come in some shades of purple or light blue. Did you know that this flower is what gives Earl Gray tea its flavor? For meats, this dried flower is superb as another flavoring. You can add the chopped or dried flowers to your bread dough before baking, and your guests will rave about the taste and color of this herbed bread.