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Subscribe to forums RSS#1 Fri 30 May 08 11:18am
Jamie
- Chef
- From Fifteen Restaurant, London
- Member since Wed 24 Mar 04
cooking with flowers
Hi guys,
Last week I was at the Chelsea Flower show with my good friend Jekka McVicar. Jekka had Sea Kale on her stand and I tried the flowers from this for the first time. I thought that they would go nicely with strawberries. Would be great to hear your thoughts.
Has anyone cooked with flowers before?
Love Jamie O xxx
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#2 Fri 30 May 08 7:41pm
ANN
- From North Carolina
- Member since Thu 15 Jul 04
Re: cooking with flowers
Jamie, Recently, I have wanted to cook with flowers, but don't have a clue as to how to use flowers. Any suggestions would be very helpful. 
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#3 Fri 30 May 08 10:43pm
mummza
Occupation avoiding housework
- From The land of song.
- Member since Tue 04 Oct 05
Re: cooking with flowers
I don't cook very much with flowers, well that is except for a few herbs that have gone into flower , or maybe something like elderflower.
I will happily eat flowers in salads, I think that they do look lovely on a plate of salad.
I have just got back from a visit to Geneva and I was interested to see that in one of the open markets they were selling punnets of mixed salads which contained flowers.
I also saw trays of some flowers heads that were being sold for eating.
It was also good to see many different small salad leaves on sale , either individually or mixed. (Something that is rare to see in the UK).
Myself..in my tiny garden, I am growing some nastersiums mainly to add to salads.
I am growing Lavender , but, as yet, I have never used this in cooking.
I have a few herbs and I will use these in salads and cooking.
This year I have planted some violets so that after a year or two after they have spread I will be able to crystalise some of them for decorating deserts and cakes throughout the year.
I did this thread last year ...edible flowers...
http://www.jamieoliver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=26153
, how could I forget...I ate stuffed corgette flowers at a very memorable meal in Cornwall 
and very nice they were too.
Last edited by mummza (Sat 31 May 08 8:27am)
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#4 Sat 31 May 08 2:01pm
hanney13
- Member Occupation studies and work,to sing,art,yoga,british council Bosnia
- From Bosnia and Herzegovina,Hanney
- Member since Tue 11 Dec 07
Re: cooking with flowers
FIRST AND FORMOST, Heartiest Congratulations!
Using flowers in food?
Hm that*s PRETTY RARE,these days,but that*s ok,right,eventhough i had never experienced that kind of point of view..?
Jekka sounded so convincing..
I mean and you have completed so many innovative cook pieces that became the talk of the world..
If you say thats ok,i won*t hesitate to give a try..
I*ll back you up of course...
Last edited by hanney13 (Wed 04 Jun 08 2:07pm)
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#5 Sat 31 May 08 2:17pm
hanney13
- Member Occupation studies and work,to sing,art,yoga,british council Bosnia
- From Bosnia and Herzegovina,Hanney
- Member since Tue 11 Dec 07
Re: cooking with flowers
Lookin for award to hearin from you guys,thanks-
Have a great weekend-
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#6 Sat 31 May 08 3:52pm
mummza
-
Occupation avoiding housework
- From The land of song.
- Member since Tue 04 Oct 05
Re: cooking with flowers
if this works...its a good link as it shows the pictures of many edible flowers and suggests what they might taste like...
.
http://www.recipes4us.co.uk/Edible%20Flowers.htm
this next link goes into a little more depth....
http://whatscookingamerica.net/EdibleFl … rsMain.htm
Last edited by mummza (Sat 31 May 08 3:58pm)
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#7 Sat 31 May 08 5:36pm
hanney13
- Member Occupation studies and work,to sing,art,yoga,british council Bosnia
- From Bosnia and Herzegovina,Hanney
- Member since Tue 11 Dec 07
Re: cooking with flowers
I*m flipping trough the link,that*S INTRESTING!
Thanks- 
Last edited by hanney13 (Wed 04 Jun 08 2:08pm)
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#8 Mon 02 Jun 08 12:46am
bcrain
-
Occupation Duty Free Lancome and Fragrance sales
- From Greater Vancouver
- Member since Mon 23 Oct 06
Re: cooking with flowers
I have taken the flowers from chives and added them to( crumbled )my panko bread crumb mixture to coat fish with, also used it when I make breaded calamari, but I crumble it over after it's done cooking.
Just make sure you know for sure that the flower in question is actually edible. They must be free of chemicals... the flowers from the herbs that I grow I know are chemical free so I dont have to question it.
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#9 Mon 02 Jun 08 9:34am
philvr
- Member Occupation bit of this and a bit of that - restaurant owner, builder, wine sales, barista
- From Sydney Australia
- Member since Sat 10 May 08
Re: cooking with flowers
G'Day Jamie
I've used Borage (Borago officinalis L.), in heaps of salads, its growing in my back garden...tastes like cucumber..yummy with apples or a pear salad....I'll have to check out some more of Jekkas herbs...the more the better.
check ya
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#10 Mon 02 Jun 08 2:14pm
mc_robarge
- Member Occupation Housewife & lampworker (glass work)
- From Pennsylvania USA
- Member since Mon 31 Mar 08
Re: cooking with flowers
I am getting into perennial vegetables and found that so many of them already occur ALL AROUND. As for flowers, I recently found that you could eat the buds of Daylilies.
You use the flower buds like green beans... very crisp in texture. The buds can be dried for by strining them up with thread and needle and hanging them in a dark and dry place. In about 12 days they could be packed in an airtight container. Be well!!! ~~~Cyn
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