7 Simple Recipes For Preserving Edible Flowers

The culinary use of flowers dates back thousands of years to the Chinese, Greek and Romans. Many cultures use flowers in their traditional cooking — think of squash blossoms in Italian food and rose petals in Indian food. Adding flowers to your food can be a nice way to add color, flavor and a little whimsy. Some are spicy, and some herbacious, while others are floral and fragrant. The range is surprising.

Edible flowers add delight and distinctly delicious flavors to food and drinks — but they inspire creative uses as well. Fluttered as a garnish or tossed in salads they are fresh and fun, but they can also be incorporated into a number of staples that allow their usage beyond blooming season. Employ spicier petals, like garlic, rosemary, nasturtium or chive flowers (pictured above) for savory dishes; use sweeter blooms, like rose, violet, or lemon verbena petals for cocktails and desserts. Try any of these 42 flowers you can eat (and be sure to follow the tips for eating flowers safely).

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