(c) fanfan2145
Take a glance at the panicked queues down your local garage forecourt this Sunday morning and you’ll be left in no doubt that flowers are an essential ingredient of Valentine’s Day.
Everyone knows that flowers can and should be so much more than a sorry bunch of carnations from a petrol station, but this year how about combining the gift of flowers with a romantic Valentine’s meal?
A surprising number of flowers are perfectly edible and they can go into practically anything; from a light salad, to pizza toppings or into omelettes.
Just a word of caution first though – not only are some flowers exceedingly poisonous, you can’t assume that florist-bought flowers are safe to eat as it’s usually impossible to know what chemicals and pesticides they have been sprayed with. The safest bet for the floral gastronome is to grow your own.
So, which flowers can go into your food of love this Valentine’s?
Nasturtiums
The Nasturtium has a reputation as the tastiest flower in the field, with a sweet, peppery taste that is particularly good in salads. The petals are said to be melt-in-the-mouth and very nice as a pizza topping, while the leaves are also very palatable.
Lilacs
Connoisseurs claim the Lilac has a distinct lemony flavour, and while highly pungent can be slightly bitter. The petals are versatile, and can be eaten raw or baked into other products, such as corn tortillas.
Banana blossoms
Banana blossoms can finish a delicious chicken salad, along with herbs and roasted peanuts. To prepare the banana blossom, first remove the tough skin of the plant and the banana seeds within. Slice the stem into strips and add with the rest of the salad ingredients into a bowl with the warm chicken and roasted peanuts.
Gladiolus
The Gladiolus does not have a strong flavour, but its attractive petals are a wonderful addition to stuffings; either sweet or savoury.
Roses
Who could forget the red rose on Valentine’s Day? The rose, which tends to have a fruity taste, is a perfect garnish or desserts or salads, and can also be used to make rose petal jam. Count me in for homemade rose jam on my breakfast toast this weekend…
