edible flowers
Apple Flowers - White to light pink flower that has a light floral flavor. Nice accent to fruit salads. They can also be candied and uses in baking. A little goes a long way. The flower can be toxic in large quantities just like apple seeds.
Calendula - Orange flower with a peppery, slightly bitter flavor. Separate petals from stem. The petals are only part that is edible. Nice accent in a salad. Adds a peppery flavor and yellow color to soups and rice dishes.
Chive Flowers - Purple flower ball that has a lightly spicey onion flavor. Pull flower ball apart into individual flowers. Use in green salads, potato salad, omelets, with bagels and lox. Infuse vinegar for a light picked onion flavor. Also, a lovely addition to gin cocktails.
Carnations - Sweet, spicey flower sometimes compared to nutmeg. Comes in a variety of colors. Cut petal off the base to use. Only petals are edible. Great in salads or as a cake decoration. Has a long history as an ingredient in infused liquors and wines.
Dandelion Flowers - Yellow flower with sweet honey-like flavor. Buds and younger flowers are sweet, older flowers are bitter. Separate petal from base or eat whole. Great in salads, sprinkled over rice, or breaded and fried. Can be used make syrup or wine.
Elderflowers - White flower cluster with a lightly sweet, herby flavor. Used to make syrup, jelly, and liquors. Syrup is on sliced fruit, in cocktail, and baking.
Honeysuckle - White and yellow flower with a sweet honey flavor. Pull flower from base. Sprinkle in salads. Add to jams or juices. Delicious addition to rum cocktails. Do not eat berries.
Johnny-Jump-Ups & Pansies - Slight wintergreen flavor. Great candied. Use as decoration on cakes, cookies, soft cheeses, or salads.
Lavender - Purple flower with a slightly sweet, floral flavor. Remove petals from stem. Used in baking and to make syrup. Add to tea or lemonade. Sprinkle on fruit or ice cream. Also good in savory dishes like stews.
Lilacs - Purple or white flower with a slightly bitter, lemony floral flavor. Separate individual flowers from base. Use to infuse sugar for baking or as garnish.
Marigolds - Orange flower with a light lemon flavor. Pull from base and remove white ends. Sprinkle on salads. Add to iced tea or lemonade. Adds a beautiful yellow color to rice.
Nasturtiums – Yellow, orange, or red flower with a peppery flavor, sort of like watercress. Young flowers are sweeter. Used mostly as garnish in salads, cocktails, or soft cheeses. Can also be used to infuse vinegar.
Roses - Slightly sweet perfume flavor. Different variety has different flavor undertones that corresponds to its scent. Used to make syrups, jellies, teas, or infuse vodka. Nice addition to green or fruit salads.
Sweet Woodruff - White flower with a slightly bitter flavor. Popular ingredient in teas and wines. Most commonly used to make may wine for Summer’s Dawn celebrations.
Violets - Purple flower that has a sweet, slightly perfume flavor. Often candied and used as cake decoration. Make lovely syrups, jellies, and infused vinegars. Great in salads and on soft cheeses.
Zucchini Blossoms - Yellow flower with mild squash flavor. Use male flower with no bulb at bottom. Stuff with cheese and fry. Also, good battered and fried.
Calendula - Orange flower with a peppery, slightly bitter flavor. Separate petals from stem. The petals are only part that is edible. Nice accent in a salad. Adds a peppery flavor and yellow color to soups and rice dishes.
Chive Flowers - Purple flower ball that has a lightly spicey onion flavor. Pull flower ball apart into individual flowers. Use in green salads, potato salad, omelets, with bagels and lox. Infuse vinegar for a light picked onion flavor. Also, a lovely addition to gin cocktails.
Carnations - Sweet, spicey flower sometimes compared to nutmeg. Comes in a variety of colors. Cut petal off the base to use. Only petals are edible. Great in salads or as a cake decoration. Has a long history as an ingredient in infused liquors and wines.
Dandelion Flowers - Yellow flower with sweet honey-like flavor. Buds and younger flowers are sweet, older flowers are bitter. Separate petal from base or eat whole. Great in salads, sprinkled over rice, or breaded and fried. Can be used make syrup or wine.
Elderflowers - White flower cluster with a lightly sweet, herby flavor. Used to make syrup, jelly, and liquors. Syrup is on sliced fruit, in cocktail, and baking.
Honeysuckle - White and yellow flower with a sweet honey flavor. Pull flower from base. Sprinkle in salads. Add to jams or juices. Delicious addition to rum cocktails. Do not eat berries.
Johnny-Jump-Ups & Pansies - Slight wintergreen flavor. Great candied. Use as decoration on cakes, cookies, soft cheeses, or salads.
Lavender - Purple flower with a slightly sweet, floral flavor. Remove petals from stem. Used in baking and to make syrup. Add to tea or lemonade. Sprinkle on fruit or ice cream. Also good in savory dishes like stews.
Lilacs - Purple or white flower with a slightly bitter, lemony floral flavor. Separate individual flowers from base. Use to infuse sugar for baking or as garnish.
Marigolds - Orange flower with a light lemon flavor. Pull from base and remove white ends. Sprinkle on salads. Add to iced tea or lemonade. Adds a beautiful yellow color to rice.
Nasturtiums – Yellow, orange, or red flower with a peppery flavor, sort of like watercress. Young flowers are sweeter. Used mostly as garnish in salads, cocktails, or soft cheeses. Can also be used to infuse vinegar.
Roses - Slightly sweet perfume flavor. Different variety has different flavor undertones that corresponds to its scent. Used to make syrups, jellies, teas, or infuse vodka. Nice addition to green or fruit salads.
Sweet Woodruff - White flower with a slightly bitter flavor. Popular ingredient in teas and wines. Most commonly used to make may wine for Summer’s Dawn celebrations.
Violets - Purple flower that has a sweet, slightly perfume flavor. Often candied and used as cake decoration. Make lovely syrups, jellies, and infused vinegars. Great in salads and on soft cheeses.
Zucchini Blossoms - Yellow flower with mild squash flavor. Use male flower with no bulb at bottom. Stuff with cheese and fry. Also, good battered and fried.