Flowers are in Bloom.

This past week I went for the first time to the Philadelphia Flower  Show, I have to say it was quite an experience.  This is the nation’s largest indoor flower show. 





This year’s theme was titled “Brilliant!”  It was so amazing to experience the culture and horticulture of the United Kingdom, all the while getting to explore absolutely beautiful  garden designs, while learning from the world’s most celebrated designers  all under the roof of the Pennsylvania Convention Center.




While gardeners love flowers for their beauty outdoors in the garden and the beauty they can bring  indoors in a vase, few of us realize we can grow them for eating. 





That's a shame because many flowers are edible in addition to bringing lively flavors, colors, and textures to salads, soups, casseroles, and other dishes.  Many flowers are edible and make a beautiful and tasty addition to recipes, but it's important you know what you are eating.  The following link http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/blflowers.htm  has a great chart of edible flowers at a glance.

Fried Zucchini Blossom 

Vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups  flour
1 tsp kosher salt
12 oz chilled lager beer, or club soda
3 stiffly beaten egg whites
2 dozen Zucchini blossoms, stamens removed
coarse salt

1. In a large pot, heat about 2" oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°. 
2. Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl, then whisk in beer until almost smooth (it is ok to have some small lumps, just don't over beat or you'll deflate the batter). Fold egg whites into batter. 
3. One by one, dredge the blossoms in batter, shaking off the excess; gently lay them in the oil, without crowding the pan. Cook, flipping once with a slotted spoon, until golden brown, 2-3 minutes total. 
4. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with sea salt and devour while hot.

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

1 cup ricotta
1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
1/2 tsp lemon zest, grated 
salt &pepper
Vegetable oil 
1-1/4 cups flour
1 tsp kosher salt
12 oz chilled lager beer, or club soda
2 dozen Zucchini blossoms, stamens removed

coarse salt

1. Combine ricotta, mint, and lemon zest in a bowl. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Using a spoon, fill each blossom with about 1 Tbsp ricotta mixture.
2. In a large pot, heat about 2" oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°. 
3. Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl, then whisk in beer until almost smooth (it is ok to have some small lumps, just don't over beat or you'll deflate the batter). Fold egg whites into batter.  
4. One by one, dredge the blossoms in batter, shaking off the excess; gently lay them in the oil, without crowding the pan. Cook, flipping once with a slotted spoon, until golden brown, 2-3 minutes total. 
5. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with sea salt and devour while hot.

Just a few more photos from my day at the flower show.

Lavender Lemonade 

1 Tbsp fresh lavender buds
1 cup boiling water
6 cups fresh squeezed lemonade
Lemon slices
Sprigs of fresh lavender

1. Place lavender buds in a large glass and add boiling water. Cover and let steep for 5 minutes. Pour mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a 2-quart pitcher. Discard lavender buds.
2. Stir lemonade into mixture in pitcher. Cover and chill several hours or overnight. To serve, pour lemonade mixture over ice cubes in stemmed goblets. Garnish each with a lemon slice and fresh sprig of lavender.

Rosemary Flower Biscuits 

2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup, plus 2 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary flowers
3/4 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
2. Cut in 1/4 cup butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until mixture is a coarse meal. Stir in rosemary flowers. Stir in the milk until ingredients are moistened. 
3. Turn dough out onto a floured board. Shape and knead just until dough forms a square shape about 1-1/2 Inches thick. Transfer dough to a heavy cookie sheet. With a sharp knife, cut dough into 8 squares. Dot squares with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Pansy Herb Salad 

4 cups mixed greens
1/4 cup fresh sprigs of dill
1/4  cup parsley, flat leaf
4 large basil leaves, rolled up and thinly sliced crosswise
1 large lemon
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup toasted walnuts
3/4 cup crumbled feta
1 cup fresh pansy flowers

1. Toss salad greens and herbs in a large bowl. 
2. Squeeze lemon juice (without the seeds) over the greens and season with salt and pepper. 
3. Toss again. Add walnuts and feta and toss well. Divide salad and pansies among four serving plates and serve.

Rose Salad with Fried Artichoke

14 oz  artichoke hearts (jar or frozen not in oil)

7 oz cauliflower, shredded

1 oz mixed salad ( like spinach, iceberg, romaine tossed together)

1/2 cup rose petals (USDA Organic Edible Petals)

olive oil 

salt

1 oz raisins

1 Tbsp ginger, finely diced

5-6 sundried tomatoes, shredded

1 oz  soy sauce

1 oz olive oil

1 oz pumpkin seeds, roasted

1. Dice artichokes and dice them, then fry the artichokes in olive oil until crispy. 
2. For the dressing mix raisins, ginger, tomatoes and soy in a pot. Bring to boil and then remove from heat to let cool. 
3. Roast the pumpkin seeds in a pan. Let cool.
4. Drizzle in the olive oil to add to the dressing. 
5. In another bowl mix the cauliflower, the salad, the rose petals (reserve a few of the petals) and the fried artichoke.
6. Drizzle the dressing on top of the salad. Toss lightly, then sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and reserved petals.
7. Serve the salad.

Snapdragon’s Bruschetta

Fresh snapdragons of varied  colors
Lemon
Parsley
Cream cheese
Black olive pâté
Extra virgin olive oil

1. Slice the bread and toast it. In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, the lemon and the parsley, in another one, mix some cream cheese and the black olive pâté. 
2. Using a teaspoon, stuff the Snapdragons alternatively with one or the other filling. 
3. Place one on each slice and season with olive oil. You can vary the filling as long as it stays delicate so to not cover the flavor of the flowers. 

Strawberry and Violet Sorbet

24 violets2 pounds strawberries
9 oz sugar
1 lemon
2 egg whites

1. Pour the sugar and the violets in a small pot with some water and bring to boil. Cook it on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon. 
2. Let it cool and then strain it. Clean the strawberries and mix them with the lemon juice, then add the violets to the mixture. 
3. Keep it in the freezer for a couple of hours, stirring it once in a while. 
4. Whip the egg whites and add it to the mixture only once the two hours have passed, stirring very carefully. 
5. Keep it in the freezer for another hour. 

Thought we could all use some more inspiration for spring so here are a few more photos I took at the flower show.... ENJOY!!!