Already 30 minutes of daylight gained at night. The snow in the yard is gone and already I see a change. The leaves of the fall crocuses are pushing out of the ground. Some shrubs overwintering in the green house are making new growth. It feels like the worst of winter is over but if we don’t have enough snow, we will pay for it this summer.
January is a good month to look over seed catalogues and dream of the perfect garden. Today, I would like to go over the subject of edible flowers from Iowa State University. This will give you lots of time to get your seeds if you are interested to put a bit of life in your meals.
Safety reminder: be careful not to pick flowers exposed to pesticides or those growing by the roadside. Also, be cautious if you have hay fever, asthma or allergies.
From garden to kitchen: harvest flowers in the morning after the dew has evaporated. Choose flowers at their peak for best flavor. Put long-stemmed flowers in water and keep in a cool place. Use short-stemmed blossoms within a few hours of harvest or store between layers of damp paper towelling or in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Just before using, gently wash flowers, checking thoroughly for insects and soil.
For best flavour: remove the stamens and pistils from flowers. Also remove the sepals (except on pansies, violas and Johnny-jump up, in which they add flavor.
To dry edible flowers: some flowers dry well, while others lose their flavour. Check by drying a small sample before drying an entire crop. Gather flowers in early morning before the sun shines on them. Hang upside down by the stems in a dark, well-ventilated area. Flowers without stems can be dried on a fine screen. Once dry, label and store in an air-tight container in a cool, dark place.
Bee balm (monarda didyma): Add colour and interest to flower beds, foods, and beverages. Prefers a sunny location, with rich moist soil. Will spread rapidly. Bee balm flowers have a citrus, minty flavour. Use in salads, as garnishes or tea. Use two tablespoons of chopped, fresh flowers or one tablespoon of dried flowers for four cups of water, steep for five to 10 minutes, strain and serve.
Borage (borago officinalis): Annual with blue, star-shaped flowers. Borage flowers have a crisp, cucumber flavour. Use in salads or as garnished. Float in drinks or freeze in ice cubes. Use candied flowers to decorate cakes, pastries and desserts. Borage does not dry well. If eaten in large quantities, borage can have a diuretic effect. Borage readily reseeds itself once established.
Calendula (calendula officinalis): Also known as pot marigold, this hardy annual produces pale yellow to deep orange flowers. Plants bloom from late spring to midsummer, then decline in hot weather. They reseed themselves and bloom again until frost. Calendula flowers have a slightly bitter flavour and are valued mostly for their colour. Use petals in salads, soups, butter, rice, stews, poultry or in tea (use same proportions as for bee balm). It is sometimes used as a saffron substitute. Dry individual petals on paper (petals shouldn’t touch each other):store in moisture-tight container.
For more information, call 250-558-4556.
Jocelyne Sewell is an organic gardening enthusiast and member of the Okanagan Garden and Roses Club.
