Please Eat

the Flowers
 PHOTOS COURTESY OF RENEE’S GARDEN SEED S
Beauty and the feast: Nasturtiums (opposite) and other common garden blossoms add pizzazz to summer sandwiches.

BY RENEE SHEPHERD Using flowers in cooking is a practice that dates all the
way back to the Roman Empire. It became widespread in the Middle Ages and
continued in popularity through the Victorian era. These days, many restau-
rant chefs are reviving this culinary art,
Edible blossoms pack a punch
using flower petals and blossoms to add
in the garden and the kitchen
both flavor and beauty to their menus.
Growing edible flowers and using vegetable and culinary herb blossoms
expands the pleasure of cooking from the garden. Their flavors range from spicy to
sweet — a milder form of their leaves, fruit or fragrance. They add a decorative and
delicious touch to everyday cooking and elegance to special-occasion dishes.
One cautionary note about using flowers in the kitchen: Choose ONLY varieties that you’re completely certain
are edible, and be absolutely sure they were grown without toxic sprays — preferably in your own garden! Also
be mindful of potential allergic reactions, particularly from pollen.

w w w. p p p l a n t s . c o m SUMMER 2007 PEOPLE PLACES & PLANTS 35

EDIBLE FLOWERS

Sweet Roses in the Kitchen Drouhin,’ ‘La Reine Victoire,’ ‘Prince

ROSES ARE THE MOST BELOVED Camille de Rohan,’ ‘Étoile de Hollande’
of all cultivated flowers, but most of us and ‘Eglantine.’ It’s important to smell and
don’t think of using their marvelous taste roses before using them to determine
fragrances in everyday cooking. In fact, which are the most appealing to your
roses have added their rich scented palate. Be absolutely sure how they were
perfumes to confections, casseroles and grown, and never use florist-grown roses
beverages in Europe, Asia and the Middle that may have been treated with chemicals.
East for centuries. The aroma and flavor of Many older roses are good edible candi-
roses vary from variety to variety, ranging dates, as are newer landscaping varieties
from faint and elusive that are disease-resistant and
to heady and richly All roses are thus need no spraying in
sweet. All are edible, edible. In general, most climates.
with true rose taste the stronger the To prepare roses for use Runner Beans
and differing overtones fragrance, the in cooking, pick them early
of apple, cinnamon, stronger the flavor. in the day just as they come
orange or lemon. Older into bloom. Rinse them well, Scarlet runner vines produce juicy beans —
varieties tend to have more flavor than then shake off the excess water or spin and blossoms — that are great on the plate.
newer hybrids; in general, the stronger the them gently in a salad spinner. With a good
fragrance, the stronger the flavor. pair of scissors, snip off the petals and
Good choices for edible rose blos- then trim off the white part at the base of Nasturtiums for Color and Spice
soms include Rosa rugosa, R. damascena, each petal; it has a bitter taste and must be EVERY KITCHEN GARDEN SHOULD
R. x alba and R. eglanteria. Classic, more removed before you proceed. Prepared this include showy and flavorful nasturtiums.
modern roses with especially sweet petals way, rose petals can be used to make jelly They come in a wide range of saucy colors,
include ‘Tiffany,’ ‘Chrysler Imperial,’ and jam, vinegar, flavored honey, syrup and both the leaves and flowers are deli-
‘Double Delight,’ ‘Fragrant Cloud’ and and tea, or simply as a garnish for cakes, cious — mildly spicy like watercress with
‘White Lightning.’ Or choose old favorites salads and desserts. For a sample of rose a hint of honey. Grow all eight colors of
like ‘Cécile Brunner,’ ‘Belinda,’ ‘Zéphirine petal recipes, go to www.ppplants.com. ‘Whirlybird,’ bright ‘Amazon Jewels,’ pastel
yellow ‘Moonlight,’ creamy ‘Vanilla Berry’
or brilliant ‘Empress of India.’ I chop the
petals and add them in a confetti of color
Roses to rice, potatoes, pasta or green salads.
Mix the petals into cream cheese or other
sandwich spreads and tuck them into
lunch-box tuna sandwiches. Nasturtium
flowers go especially well with seafood;
add them to crab or shrimp salads and use
them to garnish grilled or poached salmon.
The flowers also can be steeped in mild rice
or cider vinegar to add a bit of spice.
Nasturtiums are very easy and forgiving
flowers to grow from seed. They thrive
in most gardens and actually flower best
in poor soil. The unusually rich colors of
nasturtium cultivars range from pale prim-
P HOTOS C O URT E S Y OF RE NE E ’S GA RDE N

rose yellow to orange, bright vermilion

and deep mahogany. Plants can be either
softly mounding, about 18 inches across,
or trailing varieties that can be trained
up short trellises. They will obligingly fill
in garden edges and bare spots or drape
from containers. Their effect is both lovely
and luxurious. Different varieties offer leaf
colors including dark green, blue-green
Petals from ‘Angel Wings’ and dozens of other roses can be used to make jams, teas, flavored and even variegated green and white, all
honey and garnishes. Never use roses that may have been treated with chemicals. with pretty lily-pad-shaped leaves.

w w w. p p p l a n t s . c o m
Share Your Scarlet Runner Blossoms
With Hummingbirds
SCARLET RUNNERS ARE HEIRLOOM
beans whose flowers are scrumptious
edibles not everyone thinks to utilize.
Scarlet runner beans have brilliant red
blossoms with a rich beany flavor; there
is also an heirloom variety, ‘Painted Lady,’
that is a lovely cream-and-coral. They
make a tasty and colorful garnish for even
the most mundane green salad, or use
them to garnish a plate of cold cuts or
open-faced sandwiches.
Runner bean vines produce abundant
flowers, and hummingbirds adore drinking
their nectar. I always plant an extra-long
row to share with the beautiful and feisty
hummers that flock to the blossoms each
season. These great vines are a perfect
choice for gardening with children. Make
some simple pole tripods and plant six or
seven beans around each pole. They will
Nasturtiums
soon vine up and make a leafy teepee into
which little children can crawl. The hand-
some flowers are followed by juicy bean
pods that are good eating if harvested at six
or seven inches long; remember to pull the
strings off the pods before cooking.

Edible Annual Flowers for Garden Beds

■ Antique petite Signet marigolds,
Tagetes signata, grow quickly from seed
into neat 12- to 18-inch mounds whose
lacy foliage is soon covered by masses of
dainty half-inch single flowers. The flowers
and foliage have a scent something like
lemon verbena, much different than the ABOVE: Nasturtiums are easy to grow from seed, and they provide a bonanza of garden color.

strong odor of common marigolds. These Varieties include (clockwise from top) ‘Creamsicle,’ ‘Spitfire,’ ‘Cherries Jubilee’ and ‘Vanilla Berry.’

non-fussy, heat-tolerant, long-blooming BELOW: Chive blossoms can be pulled apart into florets that provide a subtle onion flavor.

flowers add a bright touch of color to

vegetables, pastas or salads. Look for vari-
eties like ‘Lemon’ or ‘Orange Gem,’ or grow
Signet ‘Starfire’ for a mix of three colors.
Chives
■ All annual calendula varieties,
C. officinalis, are edible. The sunny golden
and orange flower petals lend a delicate
flavor and color to both egg and cheese
dishes, add a saffron-like nuance to rice
dishes and breads, and make colorful
additions to salads. Long-lasting and free-
flowering, calendulas bloom well in cooler
weather, before and after other summer
annuals. Easily sown directly from seed,
they all grow about a foot and a half tall
and bloom profusely in sunny conditions.
■ Old-fashioned heartsease, Viola
tricolor, has pretty little one-inch flowers
that look like miniature pansies with faces

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EDIBLE FLOWERS

of deep violet, mauve, yellow and white.

The blossoms have a faint wintergreen
taste that is mild and pleasant; use them as
a garnish with cheese plates or sliced fruit,
or to decorate cakes. The blossoms also can
be candied for special occasions. Simply
paint them with slightly beaten egg whites,

C OU RTESY OF R EN EE’S GAR D EN

sprinkle them with fine granulated sugar
and let them dry. Weather-tolerant and
long-blooming, Johnny-jump-ups grow six
to eight inches tall and readily self-sow.

Chive Blossom Bounty

THE BLOSSOMS OF YOUR CULINARY
herb plants can be treasures in the kitchen. inch omelet pan over high heat until butter
Chive flowers are my favorite. The spiky sizzles but has not started to brown. Pour
in egg mixture, shaking pan immediately.
lavender-pink blossoms shining above The Recipes Using the flat side of a fork, stir eggs and
the grassy green leaves have a special eye-
move and tilt pan in a circular motion until
catching appeal when the plants bloom
eggs begin to set. Sprinkle chive florets
in early summer. Just cut off the whole and cheese down the center; allow cheese
blossoms and pull apart the flowers into Blossom Tea Sandwiches to melt slightly, then fold omelet over and
individual florets. Sprinkle them over serve. Garnish with blossoms. Serves two.
■ One large cucumber, peeled, seeded and
omelets or scrambled eggs, all cheese dishes,
finely chopped
potatoes, rice or cooked vegetables — Baby Squash, Nasturtium Blossoms
■ 8 ounces cream cheese (“light” style OK) at
anywhere a subtle onion flavor is desired. room temperature and Herbs with Pasta
I especially like to sprinkle chive florets ■ 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce ■ 18-20 nasturtium flowers

■ 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic ■ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

over thin slices of cucumbers. The lavender
■ 1 teaspoon salt ■ 1 tablespoon fresh sweet marjoram
color adds contrast and delicious taste to
■ 1/4 cup finely chopped chives or scallions ■ 1/4 cup chopped Italian broadleaf parsley
the cool, pale, crispy flesh of fresh cucum-
■ Thinly sliced cracked wheat or white bread, ■ Four scallions, very finely chopped
bers. Chive blossoms also make tasty and ■ Three small garlic cloves, minced
crusts removed
pretty additions to a salad of fresh orange ■ 1/4 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
■ Lots of edible blossoms: nasturtiums,
slices and thinly sliced fennel bulbs dressed chives, borage, calendula, bean flowers or herb ■ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
with a mild vinaigrette, or sprinkle the blossoms, rinsed and patted dry ■ Salt and pepper to taste
florets over a freshly made pea, creamy ■ Six baby yellow scallop squashes with
broccoli, carrot or winter squash soup. Squeeze chopped cucumber in a kitchen their blossoms
towel to remove as much moisture as ■ Six baby zucchini squashes with
possible; set aside. Blend the cream their blossoms
Herb Blossoms: Tasty Garden Helpers cheese, seasonings and chives or scallions. ■ 1/2 cup chicken stock
THE BLOSSOMS OF DILL, ARUGULA, Add cucumber and combine well but do ■ Fettucine noodles for two people
thyme, fennel, oregano, basil and garlic not overmix. Spread on bread and cut into
chives are all attractive and savory when finger-sized open sandwiches. To serve:
Decorate the tops of the sandwiches with Separate the nasturtium petals from their
sprinkled over salads, soups or open-faced petals of various edible flowers. bases, discard bases and chop the petals
sandwiches. Letting your herbs set flowers coarsely. Blend with chopped herbs,
is good gardening practice as well; most scallions, garlic and butter, and season
Cheesy Chive Blossom Omelet with salt and pepper to taste. Allow the
blossoms attract beneficial insects and
■ Four eggs herb butter to stand for a half-hour to
pollinators. Honeybees will delight in your ■ 1 teaspoon water let the flavors blend. Cut the squashes
herb flowers, and their efforts ensure that ■ 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste into thin slices and the blossoms into
your other vegetable and flower plants are ■ 1/8 teaspoon white pepper strips. In a skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of
fruitful and productive. ■ 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley the herb butter and sauté the squash for
A ■ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter three minutes. Add the chicken stock and
squash blossoms and simmer over low
Renee Shepherd has years of experience in ■ Three young chive blossoms, broken into
heat for a few minutes. Heat salted water
finding the best seed varieties for American individual florets
for the pasta and cook the pasta until
■ 2 tablespoons grated Swiss cheese
kitchen gardeners. She tests varieties at her done to your taste. Drain pasta well and
■ Garnish: whole chive blossoms
own trial gardens and offers her seed line add with the rest of the herb butter to the
through independent garden centers. You can In a small bowl, whisk eggs, water, salt, squash. Correct seasonings, mix well,
pepper and parsley. Melt butter in a 10- garnish and serve immediately.
also order online at www.reneesgarden.com.

38 PEOPLE PLACES & PLANTS