Flower Value

I thought I was being clever to consider the nutritional value in flowers, which I’ve never seen done, even still, as people do in fruit and vegetables, grains, meats, and dairy. In pastry it only makes sense to capitalize on the vitamins available in the decorative and delicious marigolds, nasturtium, clover, violets, etc. that bring so much to my food and palate.

In fact, my absolute favorite snack, plain yogurt, honey, and wheat germ, sometimes stares back at me seeking a direction. If I happen to peek outside instead of at the fruit bowl there’s the possibility of herbs and spring flowers winking, raising an eyebrow, asking if I dare.

And occasionally I do dare. I pick a leaf and taste it, sometimes it’s sweet, sometimes it’s bitter, sometimes there’s a fragrance, which doesn’t translate to my tongue, but adds color or variation or, if I’m not being careful, a slug.

Now that my housemate has a Vitamix I expect to be able to do better than just a crushed leaf or maybe a shredded petal. I am out to make sauces and drinks and floral potions as has been done throughout history by the herbalist, poet, and chef. So, whether I was clever to think of their food value I cannot say, but it is certainly clever to incorporate into my sweets what’s outside.