Being creative in the kitchen seems to be quite a never-ending trend so for your next edible creative project, why not add edible flowers to your dish? Edible flowers are the perfect way to jazz up a simple Spring salad to really show off the season as well as your skills in the kitchen. Here are 5 edible flowers worth mixing with your greens so you can be sure that your meal is seasonal, fresh and fun! Pair with a rosato wine and you have a simple winning match made in floral heaven
1 Pansy Petals These velvety-textured flowers add a splash of color to your salad which definitely will impress your lunch guests. Add some purple, yellow, pink or orange pansy petals on your dish to enhance flavor, but only slightly. These petals are light in flavor and almost offer a lettuce like taste to them.
2 Dandelions We all know that the sprouting of dandelion flowers makes the beginning of the warmer months so why not pick a few and add them to your salad. These edible flowers not only add color but they add a bit of bitterness to a fresh salad, great as a contrast with sweeter flavors. If you need another reason to eat these yellow gems, you’ll love to learn that they are great for digestion.
3 Roses Roses are not only for romantic evenings under the moonlight. They can also make for great garnishes and subtle, sweet additions to any salad! The key to choosing the right rose is to smell it. Is it a fragrance that is worth eating? Remember, if it smells too strong for your nose it will most like be too strong for your taste buds. So, pick wisely.
4 Zucchini Flowers Zucchini flowers are not exactly known as the type of flower you give on Valentine’s Day, but they are flowers nonetheless and are fantastic for munching on. This yellow/orange blossom grows at the tip of each zucchini and in Italy are generally loved and eaten just as much as zucchinis! These prickly, structured flowers add great texture to salads and are light in flavor. If you want to go cook them in the traditional Italian way – add an anchovy to the center, a bit of cheese, batter them and fry them up!
5 Nasturtiums This flower may look a bit like a pansy but offers a different flavor, somewhat spicy and tangy in nature. It has been well used in kitchens for quite some time and is considered one of the most popular edible flowers for salads, pastas or in spreads. Keep in mind that it is always best to buy your flowers from a reputable market, ensuring that you are eating clean. Your flowers may be edible but pesticides might not be, so know your source and enjoy!
