edible flowers

Today I am giving some tips I found in the AMBP magazine: Yummy flowers
Calendulas (pot marigold): add petals to anything for a peppery taste. Also are nice addition to bath or foot soak actually all of these are a nice addition to water treatments. I toss these on salads and dessert for pops of color.
Daylilies: I learned to cook these from ‘Under the tuscan sun’ lightly battered and fried with flaky se salt. My favorite June appetizer. They are good cooked or raw it says and has been used in China to ease the pain of grief. They have tons of antioxidants.
Dandelions: The plant people love to hate. flowers are sweet and can be made into wine and the leaves are good cooked or tossed into salads, I like them but they are a bitter.
Hibiscus: The flowers are beautiful and add beauty to any meal. Cranberry like flavor with citrus overtones, the tea is beautiful pink/red and yummy. adds color to anything it touches. Freezing into an ice cube makes a fabulous creature in your drink.
Squash Blossoms: Yummy fried in batter or stuffed. I like to make a chicken or tuna salad and serve it in the flower, or stuff with goat cheese and pan fry.
Pansies: Mild minty flavor and is a great garnish being beautiful in color and delicate looking. I add these to salads and desserts for a pop of color. Freeze in ice cubes for a splashy drink garnish.
Roses: All are edible but the darker the color the more flavor. Use them everywhere! Salads and deserts or use them as the base of your plate to put other foods on.
Sunflower: It is best eaten when in the bud stage, and apparently tastes similar to artichokes. When the flower opens can use the petals which are bittersweet in flavor.

Nasturtiums: peppery and pretty but they do attract aphids which is a bonus in the garden because you can lure all those pesky bugs away from your garden edibles. These are delicious on any meal you’d like a slight peppery taste, veggies and meats, asian foods and cheesecakes.

Tips:
Do not eat flowers from florist or garden centers as these have probably been sprayed. Also do not eat flowers from the side of the road as car exhaust is not good to ingest and makes things taste awful. If you don't know if the flower is edible, don't eat it. Bad things could happen. Look in grocery stores and farmers markets for edible flowers sold in the herb or salad section. Don't eat too many flowers at once, they don't taste all that great so I'm not too worried about y'all on this one. Most important use flowers that look good and are free from bugs... unless of course you need more protein and want to get it from aphids instead of meat, then by all means chow down... just don't invite me for dinner :D