I’m so excited to see all the Spring flowers coming into bloom. Hopefully the snow forecast this week won’t wipe them out. Did you know that a lot of these are edible?
Let’s start with tulips. Here’s a recipe I tried out from Great British Chefs which uses tapioca, mushrooms, sugar snap peas and spring onions as the stuffing for the tulip head which is then steamed for a few minutes and served with pea puree. It was stunning! Tulips have a natural oniony flavour so it worked really well.
Primavera Tulips
Or the fresh petals actually make wonderful canapés like this one which uses a simple Goat’s cheese dip as the filling.
Tulip petals make the perfect canapés
You can find the recipe on my Lovefood page. Please do give me a follow if you’re registered on there 
Moving on to Dandelions. Yes your common garden Dandelion. I wrote an article on edible flowers which outlines the history of this common flower and dates it back to biblical times. I used it to make this Dandelion and Chrysanthemum Frittata.
Chrysanthemum and Dandelion Frittata
Chrysanthemums are also edible. The petals come in all kinds of different colours so make a lovely garnish for salads or try making ice cubes with the petals immersed in the water before they go in the freezer for some quirky cocktails.
Lavender is another flower I’m starting to see out and about which adds a wonderful sweet and floral flavour to shortbread and cakes. Used in tea it can calm and soothe the nerves. Make sure you use edible grade lavender or fresh flower heads from your garden.
Gorgeous Lavender
Rose is one of my most favourite flowers to use in baking and cooking. These macrons were flavoured with rosewater which is readily available in supermarkets now. The petals have a sweet taste and can be used in jams and teas as well as coated in lightly beaten egg white and sugar for a crystallised effect.
Rose macrons
Sunflowers are well know for their seeds but did you know that their petals are edible too. Just like chrysanthemums, you can use them in salads or to pretty up jellies.
Finally my favourite, the violas and pansies. My husband grew these from seed a few years ago and I use them for decoration from mini meringue canapes to springtime cakepops as demonstrated at The London Chocolate Festival. I used them to decorate my orange polenta cake at my pop up afternoon tea too.
Pretty Springtime Cakepops as demonstrated at The London Chocolate Festival
And of course, you may remember them on Episode 2 of The Great British Bake Off last year.
Elderflower and Honeycomb Tarts decorated with a viola flower
If you are going to use fresh edible flowers, make sure you give them a really good clean. There are some wholesalers that supply the catering trade who you can mail order from. These would have been grown with little or no pesticides. I have a pragmatic view on this. If you buy apples from the supermarket, you’d thoroughly wash them before use right? Well I apply the same principle for flowers. Ideally I grow them, if not I source them organically and then if I can’t get any through those routes, I buy from my florist and give them a super clean. It works for me but you should follow your own precautions.
Also eat them in small quantities. Unlike our forefathers, our digestive systems are not used to eating flowers and so you could get tummy upsets or flu like symptoms if you consumer too many.
Other than that all I’ll say is experiment. Who new dandelions would work well with eggs? It does though so get florally creative and do pop back and share your recipes and pictures on my Facebook page.
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This impressed me, Urvashi — I knew you could eat roses and lavender, pansies and violas (violets, too, and nasturtiums), but tulips? What a pretty container for dip. I must find out if the tulips at our farmers’ market are organically grown.
Thank you – let me know how you get on xx
I like to use wild garlic in dhals and making pesto (I use extra virgin rapeseed oil, hazelnuts and hard goats cheese)
However, when the wild garlic flowers I snip a few of the flowers and add to salads – they are delicious.
Yum, that sounds amazing. You can do the same with chive flowers too so I’ve started growing some of those. Thanks for stopping by x
Another inspiring post Urvashi and stunning accompanying pics.
thank you x
Who knew you could steam a tulip! And though I love chrysanthemum tea it never crossed my mind that sunflower petals were edible too. Thanks for sharing – learnt something new today
You’re most welcome
A lovely post – I love fruits and vegetables in baking and want to try use more flowers in my baking too so you give me lots of inspiration! X
Aww thank you. Let me know how you get on. Always love to see pics. You can share on my Facebook page or flickr
Hey those tulip petals look amazing! Can’t resist a quick plug for our own packs of edible flowers from devon, we have worked really hard to develop a seasonal range that we pick fresh for chefs. Greensherbs.com Keep spreading the word about edible flowers, they really are natural luxury at its finest.
thank you. More than happy to give you a plug here. Lots of people ask where to buy. Are you on twitter? Can you follow me so I can #FF you
I very much enjoyed reading this post. All the flowers look so pretty and what I really like is that it is a little bit different and original. I think if I served up stuffed tulips at a dinner party my guests would be very impressed. Look out for my next blog post at the end of the week as I have a very tasty celebration cake with rose in it that I will be posting.
Thank you Fleur. I look forward to it. And do post some pics of your creation on my FB page. Xx
Beautiful! I never knew you culd use tulips like that – if you like edible flowers look at this link for lollipops they look amazing also http://www.sprinklebakes.com/2012/03/spring-flower-lollipops.html
Interested to know about the rose as I have to make a turkish delight cake for party soon!
Those are AWESOME. Definitely making those this weekend!
Yes I thought of you when I saw them!
these are some brilliant ideas! I never knew you could eat so many types of flowers. only one I actually have eaten before is chrysanthenum. It’s a traditional chinese cooling tea and is yummy chilled on a hot day!
Thank you. There are more which I’ll post about in the summer when they are in season. xx
BEAUTIFUL, just beautiful Urvashi…
What a fabulous post!
thank you x
No way are tulips edible! You taught me something new, well you always do, but those canapes look divine! Have a Happy Easter xxx
Apparently the Dutch soldiers ate the whole thing when out in the fields during the war. They taste rather spring oniony!
You can also eat squash flowers. I love them stuffed with a rice, tomato, dill or mint mixture and steamed, so good!
Greetings! I am here thanks to The Kale Chronicles and glad she sent me. Your edible fare from the garden looks absolutely irresistible. I am especially smitten by the Rose Macrons!
Aww thank you. Enjoy!
You are welcome… and we are enjoying!
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wow! those elderflower and honeycomb tarts are just STUNNING! i just love your use of flowers and herbs in your dishes. great stuff.
Aww thank you so much xx
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