Edible Flowers
I love gardening and many of the plants I grow can incorporate into my cooking, like tomatoes, onions, garlic, jalapeno chiles, roses, lavender, basil, strawberries, guava, grapes, thyme, sage, cilantro, marigolds and chives.
Many of these plants grow flowers that can be used as a garnish but also to add perfume and flavor. Cooking with flowers is no mystery is it elegant and a nice surprise.
Flowers are beautiful and can be included in your cooking
Who doesn’t like a good looking plate? Thus not all flowers are edible; here is a list of the most common ones that you can use, Lavender, Citrus Marigolds, Old fashion Rose petals, Violas, Pansies, Hibiscus, Basil flowers, Sage purple flowers, Onion flowers, Chive blossoms, Violas and Pansies, Johnny-Jump-Ups, and Zucchini flowers.
With flowers you can create syrups to use for infusions and cooking sauces, add to salads and pastas and even to your meats. Who doesn’t remember that famous recipe of quails with rose petals sauce from the movie “Like Water for Chocolate” (Como Agua para Chocolate) a tempting dish evoking love.
Lavender and Peach Flan (click photo for full recipe)
Cooking with flowers is easy just make sure to use the correct flowers depending the dish you are cooking, flowers should compliment the flavors, some flower varieties include tasty flowers and others have a bitter taste. I recommend always taste your ingredients to ensure a good tasting dish.
Tomato Farfalle and Basil Flowers (click photo for full recipe)
Basil flowering
Want to add flowers to your salad, here is an idea to flower up a traditional Italian salad use romaine lettuce, tomatoes in the vine cut in slices, onion slices, cucumbers, basil leaves, black olives. Place nicely in a salad plate, drizzle with your favorite Italian dressing and garnish with basil and onion flowers. Or why not a delicious and aromatic farfalle pasta with tomato sauce and basil flowers.
Why not try a violet lemonade. Use Violas, Pansies, and Johnny-Jump-Ups grind flowers in a food processor with honey and water, this will create a divine violet syrup that you can add to your ice cold lemonade.
Rose Petal Cocktail (click photo for full recipe)
Feeling fancy a Rose petal cocktail is perfect idea for weddings and romantic gatherings, using vodka and rose petal syrup. For the syrup you will need antique roses, those that have a fragrant smell, grind roses in the food processor with sugar and some water, and decorate with a rose petal or organic roses. Just remember do not drink and drive.
You can add roses to your ice cream, looks beautiful and makes a simple dessert look astonishing!
Ice Cream with Roses
Flower up your cooking, bring the garden to your kitchen!
This post is also available in: Spanish
Adriana, once again thank you for your awesome recipes. You inspire me to keep trying to cook better for the family.
Thank you for this great post.
Ana, thank you so much for such encouraging words, humble!
aww Adriana, I love it! I love the receipe of the drink with roses and now that I saw the ice cream and flan, omg! you are amazing! this is so romantic!!!
Thank you Eliana, love using flowers in my cooking happy you enjoyed the recipes!
Precioso y delicioso! Me animo ya a hacer las recetas y creo que empezare por el farfalle and basil flowers.
Saludos desde California!
Hola Cristina, gracias por tus comentarios me avisas que tal te salio el farfalle, saludos!
Estoy loc apor comerme un ice cream con roses!! Esas fotos est[an preciosas!
Hola amiga de Comiendo en LA si te recomiendo mucho este ice cream, es vainilla acompanado de helado de fresas y banado con mermelada de fresas frescas. Un beso!
Adriana que novedad, había leído hace mucho sobre las flores en los platillos pero no lo veía posible, ahora con esos ricos postres veo que si, a mi me gustan todos! y los apunto todos! Yummy!
FELIZ SEMANA!
http://www.mamiholisticaygenial.com/
Yissele gracias por visitar mi sitio y por tus lindos comentarios, un beso!
Todo se ve tan exquisito que me dio ganas de comerlo todo. Gracias por compartirlo con nosotros.
Gracias Karina por tu visita, saludos!
Todo se ve PRECIOSO! No sólo rico, sino bello. Ese flan…ese flan se me antojó!
Gracias Notas de Mama por tu comentario y visita!
What a great idea to incorporate edible flowers to recipes. I’m sure it adds beautiful decoration and aroma. Love the idea
Happy that you liked it, flowers add flavor, aroma and look amazing in your plate. Saludos!
Que rico!!! Tanto que experimento en la cocina y nunca he utilizado flores en mis platos! Definitivamente algo tendré que inventar. Muchas gracias!
Gracias Glory por tu visita y comentarios, saludos!
Adriana, if you are cooking all this stuff and making all these delicioso drinks, can you adopt me?
Everything looks so pretty with flowers!
Sure I will adopt you when are you arriving? =)
Everything looks so welcoming with the flowers!! Fantastic idea when hosting a party!!
Thanks Maria, you are right great for entertaining I’m sure guests will take many pictures and be surprised with the use of the flowers in the meals served, hugs!
Absolutely gorgeous post. I love lavender period, it is especially nice in food. I would never have thought to incorporate it into a flan! Que bueno!!!
I’m totally going to pin this. It’s awesome!
Thanks for your comment and support!
Este post me recuerda el libro de “Como agua para chocolate” cuando la muchacha cocinó las codornices con petalos de rosas. Yo quiero intentar el Lavender and Peach Flan.
Asi es Alejandra es una pelicula que guardo en mi corazon, me avisas que tal te salio el flan, saludos!
Realmente eso nunca se me hubiera ocurrido. Ya me picó la curiosidad.
Gracias Lennie por tu visita y comentarios!
Quiero intentar una receta. Gracias por compartir.
Gracias Monica, me avisas que tal te salio, saludos!
que rico adriana!! voy a buscar some edible flowers from my garden! i know i have some zuchinni and basil ones. i think i saw some on my jalape~os..can i eat those? hehe
Hi Nina! Sounds wonderful, you can certainly eat jalapeno flowers, on the spicy side though
besos!
Fabulous post, Adriana! Before reading your post, I knew very little how to incorporate edible flowers to our food. My mom utilizes lots of fresh herbs from her garden in her kitchen.
Isabel thank you so much for your comments incorporate flowers and herbs is a wonderful way to add aroma and fresh flavor to your meals, just make sure plants are free of pesticides and are cultivated organically, saludos!
Buenos consejos, recetas y bellas fotos.
Gracias Mayra por tu visita y comentarios, saludos!
That rose petal cocktail looks so pretty!
Thank you chica!
Un día de estos me encantaría reunirme contigo.. y ayudarte a cocinar.. Sería genial..
Eso seria un privilegio Teresa! Hollywood meets the Orlando Foodie! A dream come true!
I definitely need to plant more edible flowers in my yard. I used rose petals before in a cake and it was divine!
Hi Laura, nice hearing from you and that you are getting inspired to try other flowers in your cooking. Have a wonderful day!