EDIBLE FLOWERS - IN SHAPE

Edible flowers: which ones to choose for our dishes in the kitchen!

Flowers know how to be a wonderful element of nature, known above all for its ornamental value, but some of them can also become edible ingredients capable of giving color and flavor to the most varied dishes of our tradition. In addition to a pleasant scent and a pleasant aesthetic appearance, there are in fact some types of edible flowers that can be used to flavor and flavor first courses, tasty main courses, salads, desserts or the classic fruit salad.

The important thing is to choose the right flower and make the most of it by combining it with the right mix of ingredients and flavors to prepare tasty recipes and with an extra irresistible touch that will leave everyone speechless. In this article we will help you find the varieties of edible flowers you have available and the ways to use them in the kitchen based on their flavor, sweeter, more sour, spicy or piquant.

First of all, remember that only the petals of flowers can be eaten: it is good to remove stems and pistils. And as the most famous chefs teach, everything that is put on the plate must be edible, therefore, it is important to pay attention to this certainly not insignificant detail.

But in addition to being beautiful and good, edible flowers are also healthy! That's right, these extraordinary natural elements can also be an aid for our physical well-being because they are very rich from a nutritional point of view: they contain proteins, mineral salts, vitamins and essential oils; in particular, it is the latter that guarantee a "psycho-physical rebalancing action, and it is not for nothing that they are a fundamental ingredient for herbal teas, infusions and decoctions. Below you can find a video that illustrates the various types of teas available that can be flavored with the flowers that we will see shortly.

The list of edible flowers

Lavender: with a sweet and spicy flavor, it can be used in sweet and savory dishes.
Mallow: slightly sweet, it is suitable for flavoring risottos, soups and soups or for the preparation of pasta sauces.
Rose: fragrant, sweet and delicate, it is ideal for preparing drinks, desserts and jams. Rose petals can also be used to enrich risottos or in salads. The darker the rose variety, the stronger and more intense its flavor will be.
Calendula: it has a savory, peppery and spicy taste, making it ideal as an additional condiment for pasta, risotto, soups and minestrone. Its golden color gives it an unparalleled elegance.
Purple: similar to the taste of mint, it is perfect for fresh and summer dishes, salads, vegetable side dishes and drinks.

Chamomile: its sweet-tasting flowers are mainly used to make infusions, but even in this case, they can be ideal for giving an extra touch to various types of desserts.
Margherita: unfortunately it does not have a great flavor, but it is undoubtedly one of the most aesthetically pleasing flowers. Use them to decorate your dishes with elegance and simplicity: you will conquer everyone!
Lilac: with a citrus flavor, it is perfect to accompany creams, yogurt, pies and ice cream.
Primula: its flowers are a perfect ingredient to decorate and enrich cakes, in particular, the spring cake.
Jasmine: intense and with a fragrant soul, it is very suitable for flavoring tea and herbal teas, but also for the preparation of desserts, such as muffins, biscuits or cakes with a simple taste.

Zucchini flowers: beloved in batter or stuffed, they are also perfect as an ingredient for a tasty savory pie. Basat remember to remove the stamens.
Daisy (or meadow daisy): the buds can be pickled and have a flavor similar to capers, to be used for main courses or particular salads.
Violet: its use concerns both desserts, especially cakes, candied fruit, ice cream and pastries, and savory dishes, salads in the first place.
Geranium: geranium flowers also find a perfect place in sweet recipes - in particular parfaits and sorbets - and savory, such as omelettes and salads. They are also perfect as an accompaniment to fresh cheeses, including ricotta and cresza, or to flavor liqueurs and wines.

Gladiolus: as for courgette flowers, it can be eaten fried or as an ingredient to enrich savory pies or baked recipes.
Dandelion: with a bitter taste (close to chicory and radicchio), it is an extra touch perfect for soups, soups and risottos.
Lemon flower: ideal for ice creams and sorbets.
Hibiscus: its sweetish-flavored flowers are used for infusions and herbal teas, but also in sweet recipes, including biscuits, cakes or sponge cakes.

How to use them? The various methods

Fresh
The simplest method is to use it fresh, in purity. In this case the flower must be well opened so that it can spread all its flavor.
This way of use is perfect for fresh dishes, fruit salads and spoon desserts.

Drying
The flower can also be dried.
It is placed on a sheet of parchment paper and away from direct light to prevent it from being soaked, it is turned over from time to time, waiting for it to become dry. At this point you can use it or store it in glass or tin jars and keep it for a long time, to reuse it in various types of recipes.
Dried flowers are perfect for flavoring hot dishes, such as minetsre, soups and especially velvety.

Frosting - especially in pastry
It is a method used mainly in pastry. One of the most popular flowers for this type of treatment is violet which, as we have seen, is a very suitable ingredient for sweets and candied fruit.
To frost a flower just moisten it, "sugar it" and place it in the freezer for a while.

Where can we find them?

The best way to ensure excellent edible flowers is to grow them yourself or contact a trusted nurseryman. Avoid the florist because in most cases we are talking about flowers that are chemically treated with chemicals and pesticides. Likewise, don't pick them up on the street or in public gardens - it could be risky.
You can resort to online purchase but you must try to be sure of the origin.

Also remember that if you are prone to allergies, for example to pollen, it would be good to avoid taking them without first consulting an allergist.