edible flowers

[NECI-ized]

Hey all..
here is a question..i have about a flower.
Is an osteospermum family edible? I want to use it in an aspic and cant find the answer definitivly on google..So i come in search of expert advice..anyone have any?

[Suzanne]

Gee, I don't know -- I have a black thumb. But I put a copy of your question on The Chef's Garden, where someone might know better.

[diane]

Many flowers are edible, Shane gave me an enchanting little book on edible flowers, but if I were to look for it could well take a day, or two. Violets, roses, sweetpeas, pansies. A very modest search will do well for you. And so prettily.

[mudbug]

I posted a response to the thread at the Chef's Garden Forum.

No osteospermum is not edible.

[NECI-ized]

thanks for all your help and the quick answer!

[bandregg]

It should be said that if you do have flowers that are edible you still need to make sure that their flavor matches the final dish. My wife once put the most beautiful blue flowers in a bowl of fresh mango sorbet only to discover that they were STRONGLY garlic flavored. <shudder>

[NECI-ized]

You are correct Bandregg..
I was going to use them in an aspic design..they would have been completly covered by geletin..by i relize better safe then sorry when it comes to food

[cakerookie]

If you want to use an edible flower use roses. All colors sweet and fruity. You can even use other types of flowers too numerous to mention here you better go to mudbugs post in the garden forum.

Regards Cakerookie...aka Rook

I realize sweet and fruity may not be what you are looking for. Make sure no pesticides are on these things.

[Quinn01]

Where can i get a hold of these flowers?

[mudbug]

Quinn01,

Where are you located? Look in grocery stores for packages of fresh herbs and they should have packages of edible flowers. Ask around at local farmer's markets and health food stores.

[Suzanne]

Just be sure that any flowers you want to eat HAVE NOT BEEN SPRAYED with insecticide or other poisons.

Also, upthread diane mentioned sweetpeas. NO! Sweetpeas are poisonous. The flowers of regular pea vines are edible, though.

I now return you to the folks who really know about this stuff.
Signed, Suzanne of the black thumb.

[Quinn01]

Thats just the thing, all we have around here are Shoprites and A&P's they dont carry anything i ever look for. They stick to the basic stuff that most people will buy. Nothing to high tech like edible flowers you know?

And we only have 1 farmers market which is run by mexican illegel immagrents who dont speak english. Sorry to vent but its just stupid. But they carry a few more things that the a&p doesnt have thats about it.

I need a gourmet shop here somewhere. Anyone want to come up here and open one for me?

The only thing i can think of is to order them off the internet which idk how they would look once they get here ya know?

Maybe ill ask the local florest here or something. They should know i hope......

[Suzanne]

You can ask, but flowers raised for show are very different from edible ones. Sprayed like crazy to kill all the little buggers, so that the flower LOOKS great -- but has absorbed so much poison that it could really make you sick if you eat it. If you have any facility with growing things, even in pots, try nasturtiums: both flower and leaf are edible, and they are deeeee-lish, in a peppery sort of way.

And, um, are you sure you want to say things like

run by mexican illegel immagrents who dont speak english

without at least checking your own spelling?

[mudbug]

Originally Posted by Quinn01

The only thing i can think of is to order them off the internet which idk how they would look once they get here ya know?

Quinn01,

Grow them yourself. Many of them are very easy to grow even for garden newbies.

[mitmondol]

Grow them yourself. Many of them are very easy to grow even for garden newbies.

That's right, I have nasturtiums and violets for that reason (besideszs 50+ rose bushes that I never spray with anything)