Add Flowers to Summer Cooking
Flowers have been used in cooking since antiquity. The flower is simply another edible part of a plant. They have been enjoyed not only by the royal and the wealthy but also by our frugal agricultural ancestors. Before the 16th century, most parts of a plant — shoots, leaves, roots and bark as well as flowers — had uses. They were used to make food, drink, medicine, fragrant concoctions and flavored vinegars.
Who hasn’t plucked the nectar out of fragrant honeysuckle blossoms? I hope kids haven’t given this up for electronic games.
Ancient Romans included rosewater in their banquets. In Pakistan and Morocco, roses are a sacred culinary delight. Daylily buds were used in stir-fries in Chinese cuisine, and chrysanthemum petals floated in soup to symbolize joy for years to come to. That addition is said to have been a favorite of Confucius. Medieval households had a stillroom where distilled essences were made with roses and violets for confections and liquors.
The height of floral cuisine was probably during the Elizabethan era, when such delicacies as lavender conserves (a favorite of Queen Elizabeth), stewed marigolds with mint and rosebutter were popular. A cookbook of the era, The Good Housewifes Handdmaid, had recipes for rose-petal jelly, stewed primroses, gillyflower fondant and elderflower cordial.
Some flower recipes came to America, including delightful dandelion flower wine.
The multiple uses of flowers faded with time, except for a few Victorian treats of rose petal sandwiches and crystallized violets. Rosewater and orange blossom water, however, continued to be used in desserts. This is similar to today’s use of vanilla, which comes from an orchid.
When you cook with flowers, make sure you use safe, edible flowers. Many flowers can be poisonous. When in doubt, leave it out. Choose organically grown flowers, not sprayed or from a roadside or even from a florist. Pick flowers after the dew has dried in the morning but before the heat of the noon sun or late in the afternoon before sundown. If dirty, wash with cool water and dry on paper towels. Store in the refrigerator.
Among safe edible flowers are anise hyssop, basil, bee balm, borage, calendula, chamomile, chives, dianthus, dill, fennel, garlic chives, scented geraniums, hollyhocks, lavender, mint, Johnny jump ups, pansies, roses and violets.
Maria Price-Nowakowski runs Beaver Creek Cottage Gardens, a small native plant nursery in Severn.