Most plants in your bouquet will last several days decorating your table, but you can extend the life of your edibles by keeping them in the refrigerator.
I use many different flowers and greens in my bouquets. For those who have purchased one, or have been given one as a gift, here are some instructions for the edibles you may have in your arrangement: Most plants in your bouquet will last several days decorating your table, but you can extend the life of your edibles by keeping them in the refrigerator. Calendula: There are many different kinds of calendula. They have great medicinal value, but can also be used as color in salads and soups – sprinkled on anything, really! Pull off the petals, or place whole on a plate as a garnish. Calendula do not last long in a vase, so use them the day you get them, or refrigerate. Borage: Both the very small leaves and the flowers of borage can be eaten, but chop the leaves. The flowers taste like cucumber! They can be carefully removed from the green portion by holding the stem with one hand and grasping the black part of the flower with the other, then gently pulling. Kale at top, Chard below Swiss Chard and Kale: These greens can be torn and tossed into any salad. In larger quantities, they can be cooked as green vegetables. Be sure to remove the thick part of the stem, though. Kale holds up very well, but swiss chard will wilt quickly in a bouquet, so use the day you get it, or wrap and refrigerate. Bachelor buttons: Pull off the petals of this lovely flower and strew on your vegetable or fruit salads for a lovely color. They will last several days in a vase. Anise Hyssop: Both the leaves and flowers of this healthful and medicinal herb have a wonderful anise flavor! They are especially nice with a fruit salad, or in baking, but can also be used as tea, or added to another beverage for flavoring. Basil: No explanation needed on using basil! Both flowers and leaves of basil can be used to flavor many dishes. Hyacinth Bean: Toss the flowers and the very small beans in your salad for nice purple color. Although some suggest this bean is not edible, it is a staple in Asian cooking. Mint: The mint in my bouquets is black mint, a very, very minty flavor! It’s like biting into a mint tic tac. It is wonderful in beverages, and as a garnish for fruit salads, or any other place mint is called for. Mint may not last long in a bouquet, so refrigerate. Dill: Both the feathery leaves and the flowery umbels of dill are edible. Just snip the little flower clusters and toss them in your salad, soups, or wherever you want both dill flavor and color! Nasturtium: Nasturtium flowers have a very peppery flavor and can be separated and sprinkled on salads or used as flavoring in soups and various dishes. The small leaves can be used in the same manner, but the larger ones are too peppery for most palettes! Lamb’s Quarters: Well! This is one of the finest greens we have! Be sure to take a colander out when you weed, and bring this lovely plant in for dinner. Use the leaves in salads, but both leaves and younger stems can be chopped and added to soups, or cooked as greens. See my lamb’s quarters blog entry for more information on this wonderful plant. Dianthus: These dianthus have a fun, spicy flavor and are very lovely! There is a white tip at the bottom of the petals when they are removed from the flower. This can be bitter, so snip it off to improve the flavor. Purslane: Here is another plant that we now call a weed, but which was a highly prized vegetable for thousands of years. I will write a post on it soon, but suffice to say that it is chock full of vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids. With a slightly lemony, tangy flavor, it's terrific chopped up in your salad, and can be used as a thickening agent in soups, because of its mucilaginous quality. Chive: Like Basil, hardly any explanation is needed for chive. With its mild oniony flavor it is excellent in many dishes. Chop the leaves and pull the flowers off the head, then sprinkle on salads or on your dinner as a tasty garnish, or mix in butter for a flavored spread. Yum! Monarda: A member of the mint family, Monarda (Beebalm) has a unique flavor which is wonderful in rice and meat dishes. Pull off the red bracts and sprinkle on your salad for fabulous color and flavor. Sorrel: Wood sorrel looks like clover with tiny yellow flowers, garden sorrel or red sorrel looks like a spade. Both taste very strongly of lemon! Pick off the leaves and strew in your salad for a nice zip. Another wonderful 'weed' that so many people consider a nuisance, but is so yummy and so good for you! Be sure to check my blog for other ideas about using edible flowers and wild plants!
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AuthorWelcome to Growing Goodness! This website is dedicated to growing good things, both plants and children. It's a gardening blog with maternal overtones, as I discuss the goodness and value of plants, both wild and domestic. In the process I hope to help you pass a love of nature on to your children. Happy Gardening! Archives
August 2011
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