Edible flowers
To eat or not to eat?? Pretty garnish or dish component??
Well for me as a child of rural Ireland eating flowers was something that was never done, even now the mention of eating flowers brings strange looks to some people’s faces.
As a general rule flowers were a no go area for us. The echo of my mother “mind my flowers” still rings through my head, also remember a boot or Welly being thrown in the direction of a dog that was taking apart a flower bed.
However as a forager, chef and culinary gangster being open to new items comes almost as second nature at this stage. Many new finds for me are because of the flowers that i noticed them in the first place. Many of these are not just pretty they pack a flavour punch. I no longer fear the flower patch eat the evidence so to speak. Many flowers are beautiful pickled or in a light batter and deep fried.
Are flowers here to stay i believe they are seasonally at least. There are companies dedicated to growing edible flowers for restaurants and hotels. Now it’s a trend that is growing rapidly as well as foraging however at a much slower rate, I feel that the vast majority of people could be converted to at least trying a flower, I’m not going to force anybody to eat flowers or only wild food eating .
I think we overlook a lot of the possibility for flavour by not trying flowers either raw or cooked as sometimes they change and often give a beautiful scent to compliment a dish.
I think we overlook a lot of the possibility for flavour by not trying flowers either raw or cooked as sometimes they change and often give a beautiful scent to compliment a dish.
Flowers are no longer the reserve of the fancy restaurant even pubs are using flowers now as they are more available to everyone.
Let us know what you think in the comments @traleeculinarygangsters.com or to me directly @chefpaulc on Instagram and Twitter
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I like your post on edible flowers. They can hold great potential flavour for food dishes as you said. I’m just starting to explore this avenue of foraging. Last year I grew Nasturtiums. What a great peppery flower! Those are pretty easy to grow in your back yard too. Zuchinni flowers are nice as well, paired with the grape leaves i have in my back yard. Wild flowers however, I’m still learning. Also, it’s important not to over pick. Flowers eventually make seeds for the next generation. This year it is my goal to at least try a new wild edible flower. Fireweed Jelly perhaps? That flower grows in abundance here.
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Yes never over pick any bush a little from each, I love nasturtium.
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