Amazingly many of the pretty flowers we grow in our gardens can be eaten; nasturtiums, violas, marigolds, roses, primroses, geraniums, cornflowers, fuschias, phlox, tulips, sunflowers ... an endless list.
From the vegetable garden the flowers of peas, pumpkin, squash, marrow, onion and courgette. From the herb garden the flowers of chives, borage, lemon balm, basil, fennel, oregano, bergamot, dill, mint and coriander. Also blossom from citrus and apple trees and strawberry flowers.
Whilst fancy restaurants and TV cookery programmes have made this fashionable, flowers have been used in cookery as far back as 3,000BC and was a particular favourite in Roman Times and by the Chinese.
Mandy, a girl I worked with in the 1980s, would eat the carnations off the table in any bar or restaurant! My own sister has sprinkled a handful of nasturtiums and pansies in her salads for the last ten years or so. I thought she was a bit of a crank but it turns out she was way ahead of the game with her edible flowers, homemade chutneys and jellies and herb infused oils and she was certainly the first person I knew who recycled on a regular basis 30 years ago!
Whilst flowers can be sugar frosted to go on cakes they can easily be used in salads and sauces, desserts and biscuits as well as being used as a garnish in a cocktail.
If you decide to eat flowers you should ensure that no chemicals or pesticides have been sprayed on them. If you haven't a garden to grow them in you can buy online, visit a farmers market or bob to your nearest Waitrose where they are sold in 5g bags to add to your salad leaves.
Or, "if you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair" - you never know when you're going to need a quick snack!
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