Checkout Some Wonderfully Edible Flowers

The idea of including flowers in your diet may seem abhorrent to you, but Europeans, Asians and Middle Easterners have long feasted upon specific types of flowers for centuries. These flowers may have diverse hues, textures and flavours, but are perfectly safe for consumption.

  • Rosemary: You may be familiar with this evergreen herb, for it is often used in cooking. The pungent-tasting, needle-like and gray-green leaves possess a piny flavour. Therefore, the fresh or dried leaves are great for seasoning, especially meats. Well, you may not confine yourself to the leaves alone; you may utilize the brilliant blue flowers too. These flowers have the same kind of pleasant flavour as the leaves do.

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  • Basil: Once again, you are familiar with the look, feel and taste of its leaves, but not with the flowers. The blossoms of this plant may be viewed in varied hues, including purple and white. They are pleasant to the taste.

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If you find plenty of flowers, use them to prepare special vinegar for salad dressings. It can be combined with citrus juice. Place all the fresh flowers in a nice, clean, glass jar. Pour some white or red wine over them, such that all the flowers are covered. You may keep adding more flowers and vinegar in between, until the jar is full. Leave it aside for a week. Strain the juice and store it in an airtight glass jar. Throw out the basil flowers.

  • Chamomile: You may have seen it in its dried form; this is chamomile tea. The flowers, which resemble daisy flowers, are edible too. The flavour is hard to describe, but is almost similar to apples. In fact, their infusions (extraction of plant drug through soaking or steeping in water or other liquids) are popular in the medical arena. They are marvellous remedies for inflammation, hay fever, and so on.

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  • Chives: The leaves of this herb are utilized for seasoning. Since the plant belongs to the same Allium family as leeks and garlic, it possesses something similar to an onion-like flavour. Regardless, the bright pink, bulb-like flowers are fragrant and tasty. Use them for garnishing soups and salads.

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  • Carnations: Remove the petals and add them to herb butters and jellies. Carnations have a sweet taste.

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  • Sunflowers: These tall plants provide the world with healthy oil via their seeds. You may try experimenting with the slightly bitter petals too. The flower buds may be steamed, similar to the method used for steaming fleshy artichokes.

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  • Marigold: Did you think these flowers were only for ornamentation purposes? Well, now you know differently! The petals, and only the petals, may be used in place of an expensive spice called Saffron. The flavour varies from tangy to spicy. All your dishes will have that extra special taste.

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The ones mentioned above are not the only edible flowers in the world; there may be many more. However, do not go for everything that is sold on the streets; you may end up eating toxic stuff.

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