Flowers have been used in cooking for thousands of years; many national dishes cannot do without such an amazing ingredient. True, for most, all knowledge is limited to rose petal jam, tea with jasmine and hibiscus, and, perhaps, that's all. We offer an overview of flowers that will not only decorate a plate of salad on the festive table, but will bring unique aromas and tastes to the dish.
1. Apple tree
The apple blossom has a light floral taste, and the petals will harmoniously fit into salad recipes. They can also be mixed with whipped cream or added to ice cream and served with pie. Flowers floating in a fruit punch will look beautiful.
2. Basil
Basil flowers can be safely used as a substitute for plant leaves, albeit in smaller quantities, since they have a more intense taste. Salads, soups or pasta will turn out to be very tasty.
3. Bow
Onion flowers are distinguished by a light onion scent and a pleasant crunchy taste. They are widely used in salads, pastas, omelets, sauces, fish dishes.
4. Daisy
Daisy flowers are a terrific way to make a beautiful dessert or soup, salad or pastry. To do this, however, you have to cut off the petals. But for decorating cakes, mousses and pates, whole flowers are also suitable.
5. Dandelion
Young dandelions will taste very sweet, with a honey flavor. The opened ones acquire bitterness, therefore, the buds in cooking are used more often than the opened flowers. They are great for roasts. But it is best to sprinkle the petals on a rice dish. Tasty, healthy and beautiful.
6. Daylily
Daylily petals are ideal for salads, cold and hot soups, vegetable dishes. And they can also be stuffed with any filling.
7. Hibiscus
Most often, hibiscus is used to flavor tea, which takes on a slightly lemon flavor. However, bright petals will look great in fruit salads.
8. Jasmine
Jasmine flowers are traditionally used to flavor tea, but they can be added to other standalone dishes as well.
9. Lavender
There are many ways to use lavender, most often baked goods and desserts. You can make awesome lavender-flavored sugar and add it to cookies, sorbets, jams and jellies. Flowers are used in vegetable dishes, duck, chicken or lamb sauces.
10. Lilac
A little fragrant lilac flowers are mixed with cream cheese and served on crackers, you get an incomparable sandwich. They can also be added to yogurt, cookies, cakes and other sweets.
11. Marigolds
Flowers and leaves have an amazing citrus flavor, which is why they should be added to salads, seafood and hot desserts.
12. Nasturtium
Fresh leaves and flowers have a light peppery flavor. The flowers will add a spicy flavor to salads, and the flower buds can be pickled and used as capers. They go well with cream cheese, butter on sandwiches, tomatoes, grilled meats and roasts.
13. Pansies
Pansies taste like lettuce, and they are a great decoration for a dish if added to a salad, side dish, pâté or dessert. They can be candied and used to decorate cakes, pastries, and creams.
14. Rose
Rose petals have a delicate scent that will enhance the taste of cold drinks and fruit desserts. Do not forget about the classic jam. If the flowers are candied, they will turn into a beautiful decoration for cakes.
15. Rosemary
Both flowers and leaves of rosemary are in perfect harmony with chicken and pork. And a few more flowers should be added to the dough for smell.
16. Zucchini
All pumpkin flowers have a pleasant light honey taste. They can be stuffed with cheese or other filling of your choice, fried or stewed, added to pasta. Thinly cut petals can be added to soups, omelets, salads.
17. Sunflower
Sunflower petals, seeds and buds are edible. The petals are added to green salads for color contrast and a light nutty flavor. Green buds can be blanched, sprinkled with garlic sauce and eaten with appetite, they resemble artichokes.
18. Tulip
Tulip petals have a sweet peanut flavor and a delicate crunchy texture. They can be stuffed with chicken or shrimp salad. Chopped petals are added to salads. You just need to carefully remove the stamens with pollen.
19. Violet
Violets taste like lettuce, and they look great as a garnish for salads, side dishes, pates and desserts. In a candied form, they are used to decorate cakes, cookies or cream.
20. Yucca
The white yucca flowers have a sweet taste and crunchy texture, they are a bit like artichokes. They are added to salads and side dishes.
However, with or without flowers, desserts simply cannot be tasteless, especially if it is the best national dishes in the world.