Blisstree » edible flowers

Ice pops are the best starting point for 4th of July garden treats. For one thing, they’re icy cold goodness during a hot day, and secondly, you can seriously use almost ANYTHING from the garden to make these. I’m talking carrots, herbs, tomatoes, berries, and so much more. You can even make plain old ice water pops with tiny edible flowers embedded for some beautiful and refreshingly easy pops. See 32 Unique Homemade Popsicle Recipes & Ideas to get started.

Red, white, and blue summer berry trifle

Lemonade Mousse

Caramel Apple Pie

Ecstatic Organic Rose Vanilla Ice Cream

Little Extras:

Dilled Cucumbers

Edible flowers galore – put them on cakes, in salads, and more!

Blueberry-Lime Habenero Sauce

Organic herbal sun tea

[image via stock.xchng]

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4th of July from the Garden Recipes

How to Make Candied Violets and Lilacs

Linette Gerlach — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:31:43 +0000

I enjoy adding edible flowers to my food, as a garnish, or as a part of the dish. I have another little trick I like to use when I’m using flowers for sweet dishes like cakes or cupcakes. I use a little sugar to candy the flowers.

Making candied flowers does two things, it helps preserve the flower so it will last longer, and it adds a sweet flavor to the flower itself.

A couple of my favorite flowers to candy are violets and lilacs. Since I’m making some candied flowers for some cupcakes I’m making this weekend I thought I’d capture a few images of the process to share here.

Image (c) L Gerlach

Start with clean fresh picked flowers. You’ll also need a little white sugar, egg white, a couple drops of water, and a small clean paint brush. I have a set of paint brushes that I keep in my cake decorating supplies, just for food.

Mix the egg whites with the drops of water, and whisk together well. Use the paintbrush to brush the flower petals with egg white. Sprinkle sugar over the top of the wet petals, then give them a light shake to knock off any loose sugar, and let them dry overnight or for several hours.

Image (c) L Gerlach

After they’re dry the candied flowers should last for several weeks if you store them in an airtight container in a dark location.

Just pull them out when you’re ready to use them as a decoration on cookies, cupcakes, or any other sweet dish. They add a beautiful, elegant touch to any dessert.

Post from: Blisstree

How to Make Candied Violets and Lilacs

Edible Flowers

Linette Gerlach — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:30:07 +0000

I really enjoy edible flowers and blooms on my summer salads. They’re also a great addition to desserts, and make a great garnish for any dish. Not all flowers are edible, so make sure you check before eating.

Here is a list some of my favorite Spring and Summer edible flowers and blooms:

Calendula
Nasturtiums
Violets
Violas
Chamomile
Chives
Cilantro (Coriander)
Dill
Honeysuckle
Lilac
Pansies
Scented Geraniums
Squash
Safflower
Mint
Lavender
Dandelions

There are others, but these are the edible blooms I’m familiar with, and have enjoyed myself a time or two. My favorites are nasturtiums, and violets.

Do you have any favorite edible flowers, or recipes for a favorite flower that includes edible blooms?

Image via istockphoto.com

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Edible Flowers

Understanding Edible Flowers

admin — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:01:25 +0000

No longer limited to cake decoration and fancy, four-star restaurants, edible flowers have come to the masses. Pansies, nasturtiums, daylilies, chrysanthemums, and more may be eaten and add a festive–and healthy–touch to your cooking.

Organic to Be, one of my favorite food blogs, offers a great recap of what flowers are edible along with tips on where and how to pick edible flowers.

Edible flowers are great in salads, frozen in ice cubes, embedded in butter, and as garnish to most any dish. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

Post from: Blisstree

Understanding Edible Flowers