Sugar. Make your own preservative to keep cut flowers fresh longer. Dissolve 3 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons white vinegar per quart (liter) of warm water. The sugar nourishes the plants, while the vinegar inhibits bacterial growth.
Edible flowers include citrus blossom, clover, daisies, dandelions, hibiscus, honeysuckle, lavender, lilac, mums, nasturtium, pansies, roses, sunflowers and violets, among others.
Pansies and their relatives violas, two common types of edible flowers, have a mild, fresh flavor or a more prominent wintergreen taste depending on the variety and how much you eat. For example, a whole flower tastes stronger than consuming a few petals alone.
Hang them upside down in a dark, dry, well-ventilated area. Keeping the flowers out of direct sunlight will help them retain their color. The drying process will take about two to three weeks. Once dried, take down the flowers and spray with unscented hairspray for protection.
Crystallize the Rose
- Choose a cup or glass large enough to hold your rose.
- Fill the cup with very hot water.
- Stir in borax until no more will dissolve.
- For large crystals that sort of resemble dew drops, invert the rose into the solution and allow it to crystallize for a few hours.
Snapdragons are edible but best used as garnish since they are not very tasty.
Instructions
- Wash the rose petals and dry gently using kitchen paper.
- Paint each petal with egg white and then dip it into the caster sugar.
- Place on the cake rack to dry and harden. This will take about 24 hours.
- Use to decorate cakes or puddings.
Note: If you have asthma or severe allergies take caution when eating edible flowers and try a small amount before adding to recipes.
- Calendula. Calendula flower petals make a tasty addition to summer salads and stir-fries.
- Carnation.
- French Marigold.
- Hollyhock.
- Lavender.
- Nasturtium.
- Pansy.
- Poppy.
Use just enough egg white to cover the petals but not to soak them. Place some caster sugar in a plate. Sprinkle the flower with a fine layer of sugar on both sides or dip the flower in the sugar (depending on how much frost you want.) Lay the flower on a sheet of baking paper and leave it until it´s crisp and stiff.
If you don't have a farmers' market nearby, look for edible flowers in the produce section (not the florist section!) of your grocery store. You can also order them online. Shops like Gourmet Sweet Botanicals, Marx Foods, and Melissa's will ship to you overnight so they're as fresh as possible.
Roses, violets, daisies and nasturtiums are not only delightful to look at - they are edible. Their petals and blossoms give salads and desserts, smoothies, syrups and teas a unique and special flavor.
Flowers That Are Safe: Pansies, Lavender, Violas, Violets, Roses, Marigold, Cornflower, Carnations, Chrysanthemums, Day Lily, Hibiscus, Peony, Chamomile, Freesia, Gerber Daisy, Lisianthus, Queen Anne's Lace, Primrose, Sunflowers. Here's a longer list (and what parts of each flower are actually edible!).
Only eat the petals, though, because the leaves and stems don't make a very palatable snack. Roses petals have a very aromatic, floral and slightly sweet flavor. They can be eaten raw, mixed into various fruit or green salads or dried and added to granola or mixed herbs.
People around the world include rose petals and rosehips in their diet in various ways. The ancient Chinese used it to treat digestive and menstrual disorders. They are low-calorie, being water-rich, and contain amounts of Vitamins A and E, nourishing the body from the inside out.
Both rose petals and buds are edible, but some varieties are better than others. A few of our favorite ways to eat fresh rose petals: candied rose petals, add rose petals as a colorful dessert garnish.
10 Uses for Dried Rose Petals
- Use dried rose petals to make Natural Detox Bath Salts (get the recipe).
- Dried rose petals can also be used to make rose water.
- Sprinkle dried rose petals into a romantic bath.
- Combine dried rose petals with herbs, spices, and essential oils to create a fragrant potpourri mix.
Here's how best to use them to brighten up your home.
- Make your own potpourri. Your dried roses can make sweet smelling potpourri.
- Freshen your bedroom drawers. Adding dried rose petals to your drawers make for a cheap, easy way to keep your clothes smelling fresh.
- Press them.
- Make your own rose water.
- DIY bath salts.
How do I buy rose petals? Florists sell rose petals by the gallon. Online retailers sell rose petals by petal count (for example, 6,000 rose petals; 12,000 rose petals, etc.) Whoever you buy from, inquire whether the roses are fresh.
Both rose petals and buds are edible, but some varieties are better than others. A few of our favorite ways to eat fresh rose petals: add fresh rose petals to a salad, add rose petals as a colorful dessert garnish.
Gently pluck rose petals from flowers. Place petals on cookie sheet ensuring that the petals are not touching. Bake/dry in oven for 2-3 hours, turning once or twice. Use as whole petals or lightly crush.
Just be sure to watch closely and rotate often.
- Place Petals on a Baking Sheet. Evenly space your rose petals across a standard baking or cookie sheet.
- Preheat Oven to 180° Preheat your oven to between 180°.
- Heat Petals for 10-30 Minutes. Place the sheets of rose petals into the oven.
- Check Regularly for Crisp Petals.
