Make Your Recipes Pop with Edible Flowers in San Francisco, CA

Whether you are a professional chef or an avid home cook, there’s no doubt you like trying new recipes from time to time. You might even experiment with adding colorful flowers as decorative garnish. But have you ever considered using edible flowers in any of your recipes?

Before we go any further, keep the following in mind:

  • It is of the utmost importance to remember that not every flower is edible. In fact, some are poisonous and can make you extremely ill.
  • Whether growing your own or buying edible flowers from a florist, make sure you are not eating pesticides or other chemicals.
  • Never sample any part of a flower you are not 100 percent sure is edible, and especially don’t pick flowers to eat that are growing by the side of the road.
  • Learn how to identify edible flowers and their edible parts.
  • Many edible flowers eaten in large amounts can cause digestion problems. Use sparingly in recipes, and keep in mind that flowers from herb plants will taste similar to herb leaves, but with a spicy tang.

Looking for some new ideas to make your recipes pop? Try adding edible flowers to your dishes! Here’s a handy starter list to help you choose edible flowers in San Francisco, CA:

  • Marigolds: While marigolds are great at deterring pests from your garden, you might want to try them in recipes. This flower adds a peppery, somewhat spicy and bitter flavor that resembles the taste of saffron. Use their bright colored petals in soups, pasta, salads and brunch dishes to boost appearance and flavor.
  • Chrysanthemums: Chrysanthemums can taste somewhat peppery or cauliflower-like and are best blanched prior to being added to foods. You can use the petals to flavor condiments like vinegar—just make sure to remove the bitter flower base first.
  • Clovers: Most edible clovers are spice-like, resembling the flavors of anise or licorice. Use whole clover plants in salads or turn into a tea to improve your health, but be sure to not eat raw clover flower heads, as they are hard to digest.
  • Roses: All roses are edible, from their buds to their petals. Interestingly enough, the flavor you get depends on the three factors: the type of rose variety, flower color and soil conditions. The darker the rose, the more pronounced the flavor-just be sure to remove the bitter white portion from all rose petals.
  • Dandelions: Dandelions are in the daisy family, and this flavorful flower—sweet, like a mild honey flavor—is at its sweetest for cooking when young. The buds are tastier than the flower petals, but both parts are delicious raw or cooked. Use steamed in dishes like salads and rice. Dandelions also make delicious wine.

Do you need flowers in San Francisco, CA for an upcoming event? Is there a special occasion on the calendar that calls for a beautiful flower arrangement? Visit The Delicate Daisy – House of Flowers for flower information or to place an order today!

Leave a Reply