Flowers Are Edible? Here Are Some Great Recipes To Try
This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s summer editorial intern Maggie Lardie. Find her on Instagram at @maggielardie. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
I’ve been seeing so many summer recipe ideas on my for you page recently, but some of the most interesting are those that involve fresh flowers. I’d heard of lavender flavored foods and dandelion wine before, but I was shocked to learn that so many other types of flowers are edible as well! Not only this, but these flowers make the perfect ingredient for a variety of summer recipes. Some edible flowers include:
- Roses
- Dandelions
- Marigolds
- Lavender
- Violas
- Sunflowers
- Pansies
- Lilacs
Now that you have your list, remember to gather flowers in places that haven’t been sprayed with fertilizer or chemicals! Safety is always the top priority. With that being said, here are some of the best edible flower recipes to try before the summer ends.
Candied Rose Petals
One of the best parts about this recipe is that it will work with any edible flower! To start, pluck the petals off the flower and give them a good rinse. For the next step, dip the petals in either egg whites or simple syrup. Once they’re thoroughly covered, coat them in sugar. Lay the petals out to dry overnight and you’re done! You can use them as a garnish for another dish or eat them as-is.
Floral Pasta
This recipe is a bit tougher to make if you don’t have a pasta press, but if you do own one, give this a try! Begin by combining one egg with every 100 grams of flour you use. Stir this mixture until it becomes a dough, then knead it to even it out. Once it’s ready, send the dough through the pasta press until it takes on the thickness you’re looking for. Lay your pasta sheet out and sprinkle it with some more flour to keep it from sticking, then add your herbs and flower petals of choice to it. Once you’re happy with the plants you’ve added, take a second sheet of pasta and lay it overtop the first. Send it back through the press to complete the recipe.
Rose Jam
Courtesy of @chezmartinaevents, this recipe only requires four ingredients! You’ll need:
- 300 grams rose petals
- 300 grams sugar
- 300 milliliters water
- Lime juice
Begin by bringing the water to a boil. While you wait, wash off the rose petals and mix them with half of the sugar and some lime juice. Once the water is boiling, mix it with the other half of the sugar and let it cook for ten minutes. Next, add your petals to the water pot and cook for another forty minutes. After you’ve done this, let the jam cool in the refrigerator for three hours.
Dandelion Fritters
For this recipe (created by @alexisnikole), you’ll need to gather however many dandelion heads you want to eat. Once you make sure they’re clean and bug-free, it’s time to make your batter. Combine:
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup cornmeal
- 1 tsp cayenne powder
- 1 starch egg
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
In a frying pan, heat up some sunflower oil (or any type of oil that’s heat-resistant). Dip the tops of the sunflower heads in the batter and place them in the pan. Once they turn golden brown, flip them over until they’re fried evenly on both sides. Season with whatever you want or garnish with your herb of choice!
Do you have any favorite edible flower recipes? Did you give any of these a try? Let us know in the comments below!