Edible Flowers part 2

Desserts From Edible Flowers

Overview
Flowers have been used in cooking and to decorate food serving dishes since Roman times. They have been brewed in teas, offered as aphrodisiacs and used for flavoring in both sweet and savory dishes. Most people think first of using herbs in savory dishes when selecting plants from their gardens for cooking. A visit to the perennial flower garden can also add color and flavor to desserts and salads.
Step 1
Rose petals add fragrance add beauty to any cake. Place rose petals on an iced cake for decoration that is safe to eat. Make candied rose petals by dipping them in egg whites beaten with a little water. Then dip the petal in sugar and allow it to dry before placing it on any dessert.
Step 2
For a very elegant dessert, hollow out a rose leaving only the external petals and fill the center with ice cream, flavored whipped cream or any other soft dessert. Serve with crisp cookies and watch the delight on your guests faces.
Step 3
Lavender is popular for baking and serving with desserts. Dried or fresh flowers are added to cake and cookie batter. They can also be used as a decoration on an iced cake, but they lack the showy appeal of flower petals. Try lavender in a chocolate cake, chocolate icing or brownies.
Step 4
When using lavender, be sure to wash the flowers thoroughly. Use them while they are freshly picked. Dried lavender added to sugar makes a flavorful sweetener for teas and in baked goods. Lavender compliments lemon flavor so using both lemon and lavender in a recipe is a good choice.
Step 5
Carnations and nasturtiums make beautiful cake decorations. Their spicy flavor is more suited to salads and vegetable dishes; but as a garnish on a dessert, they are bright and inviting. The petals can be candied the same way as rose petals before using them.
Step 6
Pansies and violets may be used much like roses. They have a sweet, spearmint flavor that complements most desserts. Serve on cakes, ice cream or any dessert.
Tips and Warnings
Never eat flowers purchased at a flower store; the grower may have used pesticides. Some flowers are poisonous and should never be used with food. Be sure not to use both edible and non-edible flowers when decorating food items. The link below has a comprehensive list of flowering plants that are poisonous.

http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/blflowersnot.htm

Cooking with Flowers Tips and Hints
Asthmatics should avoid some flowers
By Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, About.com Guide

Yes, those flowers look beautiful as garnishes, but what do they taste like?
Bean blossoms have a sweet, beany flavor. Nasturtiums have a wonderfully peppery flavor similar to watercress and their pickled buds can be substituted for more expensive capers. Borage tastes like cucumber, and miniature pansies (Johny-Jump-Ups) have a mild wintergreen taste.
Violets, roses and lavender lend a sweet flavor to salads or desserts. Bright yellow calendulas are an economic alternative to expensive saffron, though not quite as pungent. Other flowers may have a spicy or peppermint flavor.
When in doubt, taste, but first be sure it's not poisonous.

Edible flowers tips and hints

Edible flowers as a garnish make any dish look special on your table, but be sure the flavor of the flower compliments the dish. Here are a few ideas to beautify your recipes and perk up your taste buds:
• Place a colorful gladiolus or hibiscus flower (remove the stamen and pistil) in a clear glass bowl and fill with your favorite dip.
• Sprinkle edible flowers in your green salads for a splash of color and taste.
• Freeze whole small flowers into ice rings or cubes for a pretty addition to punches and other beverages.
• Use in flavored oils, vinaigrettes, jellies, and marinades.
• One of the most popular uses is candied or crystalized flowers, used to decorate cakes and fine candies.
• Asthmatics or others who suffer allergic reactions to composite-type flowers (calendula, chicory, chrysanthemum, daisy, English daisy, and marigold) should be on alert for possible allergic reaction.
• Never use non-edible flowers as a garnish. You must assume that if guests find a flower on a plate of food, they will think it edible.
• Use flowers sparingly in your recipes, particularly if you are not accustomed to eating them. Too much of a pretty thing can lead to digestive problems.
• If you are prone to allergies, introduce flowers in small amounts so you can judge their effect. Some have a much more pronounced flavor than others, so you'll need to judge accordingly.

Fried Squash Blossoms Recipe

Use squash, pumpkin or zucchini flowers for this favorite recipe that is popular in Italy as well as Mexico. If you are lucky enough to have a garden and plant any type of squash, you will know how prolific they are. Nipping off the blossoms will help tame the harvest and help the remainders that grow into fruit.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

* 12 squash (pumpkin or zucchini) blossoms
* 1 egg, beaten
* 5 Tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
* 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
* Parsley for garnish, optional

Preparation:
Clean the pumpkin or zucchini squash blossoms, removing the stems, if desired, and the small green spikes at the base. Press the hard bulbs to flatten, then separate and extend the petals until the flower shape is visible.
Dip the flowers in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry 6 flowers at a time until crisp and golden; change the oil if necessary between batches. Drain on paper towels.
Serve, garnished with chopped parsley, if desired.
Yield: 6 servings

Strawberry Mousse in Tulip Cups Recipe

Fresh tulip flowers make a stunning container for a light strawberry mousse, perfect for a party. Be sure to read up on edible flowers before you buy your tulips for this dessert.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup boiling water
* 1/4 cup cold water
* 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
* 6 cups (three 1-pint baskets) fresh strawberries
* 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
* 1/3 cup orange juice
* 8 large pesticide-free tulips, rinsed and drained
* 2 Tablespoons meringue powder
* 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup heavy cream

Preparation:
In medium-size heatproof bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar and the boiling water until sugar dissolves; set sugar syrup aside to cool.
In cup, combine cold water and gelatin. Set aside 5 minutes to soften gelatin. Meanwhile, hull and finely dice enough strawberries to measure 4 cups. Refrigerate remaining strawberries.
In 2-quart saucepan, heat diced strawberries and remaining 1/2 cup sugar to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer berries until very soft -- about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice.
Prepare orange-berry sauce: In food processor fitted with chopping blade or blender, process or blend cooked berries until smooth puree forms. Pour 1-1/3 cups strawberry puree into 2-cup measuring cup and stir in orange juice; cover and refrigerate until cold.
Pour remaining strawberry puree into same 2-quart saucepan and stir in softened gelatin; heat over low heat just until gelatin dissolves. Refrigerate strawberry gelatin, stirring often, until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from spoon -- about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare tulip cups: Cut off stems and remove the pistils and stamens from the tulips. Place each tulip cup in a custard cup or muffin-pan cup to keep them upright; set aside.
Add meringue powder to syrup in bowl. With electric mixer on high speed, beat until soft peaks form. Add vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold cooled strawberry gelatin mixture into meringue until well mixed. In small bowl, with electric mixer on high speed and same (no need to wash) beaters, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into strawberry gelatin mixture. Gently spoon strawberry mixture, or mousse, into tulip cups, dividing evenly. Refrigerate until set -- 2 hours or overnight.
Just before serving, sort remaining strawberries and reserve 16 small ones for garnish. Hull and slice remaining berries; divide equally and place in center of each of 8 serving plates. With large spoon, transfer tulip cups onto bed of sliced berries, moving slices around tulip to support cup upright. Pour a thin layer of orange-berry sauce around tulip cup on each plate. Garnish each with 2 berries. Pass remaining sauce. Serve immediately.
Yields: 8 servings

Curried Daylilies Recipe

The daylilies are enhanced not only by the spicy curry sauce but also make good use of carrots, celery, TVP, and nuts. Serve over brown rice or with Indian bread.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
Sauté:
* 1/4 cup sesame oil
* 8 cups daylilies, sliced
* 2 medium-size carrots, sliced
* 4 celery stalks, sliced
* 1 cup texturized vegetable protein (TVP), soaked for 10 minutes in 3/4 cup hot water, drained, soaking water reserved
* 1/2 cup raw cashews or peanuts
Sauce:
* 3/4 cup drained silken tofu
* 1/4 cup dark-colored miso
* 2 tablespoons curry paste
* Juice of 1 lime
* 1 tablespoon kudzu or arrowroot

Preparation:
To make the sauté:
Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add daylilies, carrots, celery, TVP, and cashews or peanuts. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes.
To make the sauce:
In a blender, combine tofu, miso, curry paste, lime, and kudzu or arrowroot. Process until smooth.
Pour the sauce into the skillet and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer the mixture for another 10 minutes.
Serve over brown rice or with Indian bread.
Yield: 6 servings

(This one also had charts for poisonous and edible plants - 1 chart for each - but again, the darn thing wouldn't import properly.)

And now for the Edible Flowers portion ...

The 10 Rules of Edible Flowers

1. Eat flowers only when you are positive they are edible.
2. Just Because it is served with food does not mean a flower is edible (see rule #1).
3. Eat only flowers that have been grown organically.
4. Do not eat flowers from florists, nurseries or garden centres (see rule #3).
5. If you have hay fever, asthma or allergies, do not eat flowers.
6. Do not eat flowers picked from the side of the road. They are contaminated from car emissions (see rule #1).
7. Remove pistils and stamens from flowers before eating. Eat only the petals.
8. Not all flowers are edible. Some are poisonous.
9. There are many varieties of any one flower. Flowers taste different when grown in different locations.
10. Introduce flowers into your diet the way you would new foods to a baby – one at a time in small quantities.

The Big 10

* Calendula * Chives * Daylily
* Mint * Nasturtium * Pansy
* Rose * Sage * Signet Marigold
* Squash Blossoms

* Walk around your property and your vegetable garden, to see which ones you have (from the above list).
* Once you have determined which flowering “delicacies” you have, consider adding a few choice perennials, bulbs, shrubs or trees. Because they grow for years, perennial plants need a permanent site; consider carefully where to locate them.

How to Grow Edible Flowers

Overview
Edible flowers include garden variety flowers such as violas, pansies, roses, calendula, chrysanthemum, day lilies, hibiscus, and snap dragons. Edible flowers have a number of uses for the home gardener. Use edible flowers such as nasturiums to add a peppery flavor to your salad. Add marigolds to a vegetable dish for color, or a hint of sweetness to a fruit dish by adding pansies. Many edible flowers can be sugared by painting with whipped egg whites then sprinkled with sugar and used for decoration on desserts. Freeze flowers in ice cube trays, one per cube, to add elegance to drinks. Grow edible flowers in pots.
Location
Step 1
Determine where you will be growing your edible flowers. Most flowers need at least six hours of direct sunlight to blossom and eight is better. Pots can be heavy when filled with soil and water. Decide where you want the pots before planting. Consider how you will get water to the pots if natural rainfall isn't enough to keep them growing. During summer months many pots will need to be watered once a day.
Step 2
Group flowers that have the same watering requirements together in the same area, pot or groups of pots. Some flowers, like roses, need to be kept moist but don't tolerate wet soil.
Step 3
Plant varieties together. It is acceptable to plant more than one variety in a single pot if the pot is large enough so the flowers won't be crowded when mature.
Step 4
Grow your own plants from seed. Edible flowers are best grown from seed unless you're willing to discard blossoms from nursery plants for at least several weeks. Nurseries and commercial plant farms use pesticides which can be harmful if ingested by humans. There are organic plants available but they aren't easy to find.
Step 5
Prepare the pots. Place a coffee filter in the bottom of the pot so the excess water drains out but the soil stays inside. You may have to use more than one. Fill the pot half way with potting soil. Water to settle the soil. Add a measure of fertilizer per package directions. Fill the pot to the about an inch below the top. Mix the fertilizer and soil well.
Step 6
Place the seedlings a little below the soil's surface. Plant seeds at the depth specified on the package. Plant seeds too deep and they won't sprout. Plant too shallow and they dry out.
Step 7
Water well. Do not let the pots dry out until the seeds have sprouted and are well established. Taper off watering to the point you only water when the soil feels dry at a depth of two inches. The easiest way to tell is to stick your finger in the soil. If it's moist you don't need to water.
Tips and Warnings
Do not use insecticides or pesticides unless clearly labeled that they can be used on the day of harvesting. If at all possible don't use them at all. Remove bugs by hand or spray off with a stream of water.

How to Pick Edible Flowers

Overview
It's shocking how many flowers you can eat. You'll never look at a bouquet the same way again. Consuming flowers can be traced back to medieval Europe and to Native American times. Nowadays, eating a mixed salad with pansies and chrysanthemums is considered fun, taboo, exotic and a culinary indulgence. Important note: All flowers should be organic, meaning no chemicals, pesticides or sprays have been used on them.
Flower Research
Step 1
Picking an edible flower versus a poisonous one is serious business. Print out a list of both edible and poisonous flowers from Rosalind Creasy's "The Edible Flower Garden." She provides an extensive, well researched list.
Step 2
Decide whether you'd like to grow a small edible flower garden or head to a greenhouse or farmers' market to choose your flowers. Either way, you'll narrow down your selections to a few flowers that pique your interest.
Step 3
Each flower has specific directions for preparation. For example: With roses, you'll remove the bitter white part off the base of the petal. With squash blossoms, you'll need to remove stems, stamens and stigmas. Lilacs? Pick the heads off the flower soon after they open. Following Creasy's advice will save you from eating and cooking the wrong part of the flower.
Step 4
Flavor: Obviously each flower offers distinct flavors. Doing your research ahead of time can save your taste buds disappointment. Lavender, the rock star of edible flowers, has a strong lemony taste. It can be used in many ways, most notably in syrup, flavoring sugar, jelly, custards and in many desserts. In comparison, tulip petals offer a sweetness like a pea. "Mustard flowers add a bite to a mixed salad," Creasy says.
Step 5
If the idea of eating and cooking with flowers intimidates you, try an easy recipe like Nasturtium Butter (only four ingredients: butter, nasturtium flower and leaves, chive leaves). Other recipes that can be found in Creasy's book: Rose Petal Sorbet, Lavender Shortbread cookies, Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Flowers and more.
Tips and Warnings
According to Rosalind Creasy, you should never risk eating any flowering plant unless it's on a edible list. Never make assumptions. Remember heating and cooking remove some toxins, not all. So don't think you can turn a "bad" flower into a "good" one. "Never use a flower as a garnish if it's not edible," Creasy says. Animals can eat plants and flowers that are fatal to humans. Here is a partial list of poisonous plants: amaryllis, autumn crocus, azalea, belladonna lily, bird of paradise, buttercup, clematis, daffodil, delphinium, foxglove, hydrangea, iris, lily of the valley, lupine, monkshood, narcissus, oleander, poinsettia, rhododendron, star of Bethlehem, sweet pea, wisteria.

How to Choose Edible Flowers

Overview
Would you be surprised to find out that many vegetables are really edible flowers? That's exactly what broccoli, artichokes, and cauliflower are--immature flower heads. Of course that's not what is usually meant by the term edible flowers. Edible flowers--like roses, pansies, and nasturtiums--can be used as seasoning, garnishes, or as ingredients in their own right. Before growing your own edible flowers, find out which ones you like and don't like.
Step 1
Select flowers at the grocery store that are clearly marked edible. Find them in the produce aisles. Flowers from the florist department of the store may in fact be edible but have been sprayed with insecticides during the growing season, rendering them poisonous. In the produce department most edible flowers are sold with just the blossoms. Look for flowers that are fresh and that don't have any signs of wilting, decay or mold. You will most likely find edible flowers in gourmet grocery stores.
Step 2
Order edible flowers online through specialty markets. Sometimes your regular grocer will special order as well. You can order edible flowers as dried flowers. They're not as pretty as fresh but for some recipes work just as well. Dried flowers are similar to dried herbs.
Step 3
Decide how you're going to use the flowers. Flowers, like vegetables and fruits, have different tastes. A flower with a strong herbaceous flavor, such as marigolds, won't work in a dessert but would work in a salad. Some flowers are best eaten raw and don't work in a cooked dish. You can use flowers as garnishes for cocktails, adding both a bright splash of color and taste. Freeze small flowers like pansies or miniature roses in individual ice cubes. Freeze large flowers in a bowl of water. Use the ice to chill a punch served in a punch bowl.
Step 4
Experiment with different flowers if you're unfamiliar with them. Of course that means that you may waste a few blossoms here and there. Nibble a petal or two to get the flavor and texture of the flower. Blanch it in boiling water to see if it retains its shape or turns into a slimy mess. Knowing which flowers you like makes it easier to select the flowers you want to grow.
Step 5
Grow your own edible flowers. Select a variety of easy-to-grow edible flowers, such as those already mentioned, plus geraniums, snapdragons, sunflowers and carnations. Start the flowers yourself from seed, or buy organically grown plants. If you buy the plants from a nursery, remove all flowers and buds and wait for the flowers to re-bloom before eating.
Tips and Warnings
Do not use flowers from your garden or florist thinking you can rinse them off to get rid of any pesticides.

... to be continued

Presentation continued

Some Other Common Weeds

Cattails have many food uses throughout the year. The young roots and stalks can be prepared like asparagus for a pleasant cooked vegetable. Even the immature flower spikes can be eaten as a vegetable. As with acorns, cattail pollen can be collected, dried, and used as a flour. Flour can also be made from mature rootstock gathered in the fall. Crush and pull fibers from the root core in a pan of cold water. The rootstock’s starch will settle to the bottom. Rinse and dry the flour before using.

Chicory, like dandelion, has similar uses. A coffee-like drink can be made from the roasted root of either plant. The drink is a pleasant, non-caffeinated beverage. The sky blue flowers are also edible and make a terrific addition to salads.

Day lilies are another versatile edible wild plant. The young flower buds can be eaten as a cooked green, not unlike green beans. The flowers are also edible. As will dandelion buds, batter and fry them as fritters. However, exercise caution when collecting day lilies. While most parts are edible, the roots are toxic.

Oaks have long been revered by ancient people and believed to be the first tree created. Acorns when shelled and boiled with several water changes, make a pleasant snacking nut or candy when dipped in sugar syrup. Acorns can also be ground and roasted to make flour. The flour has a delicate, nutty flavor. Because it is a heavy flour, it should be mixed with lighter flours before baking.

Cultivated Greens:

* Arugula * Asparagus * Beet greens (tops)
* Bok choy * Broccoli * Carrot tops
* Celery * Chard * Collard greens
* Endive * Escarole * Fresee
* Grape leaves * Kale (3 types) * Mitsuna
* Mustard greens * Pumpkin leaves * Radicchio
* Radish tops * Rhubarb * Spinach
* Romaine lettuce green and red leaf (no Iceberg or light colored leaf)

Do plants “want” us to eat their trunk and roots? Nope. Without roots, plants would instantly die. That is why the roots are hidden in the ground. The sweetness in roots is meant for specific beneficial microorganisms in the soil that are fed off of tiny rootlets. The trunk is also vital for the life of the plant and is purposely covered with hard and bitter bark. And what about the greens? Here, plants demonstrate their perfect ability to develop symbiosis with different creatures. Plants “allow” humans and animals to eat ALL of their fruits, but only PART of their leaves, because plants need to have leaves for their own use - which is manufacturing chlorophyll. However, plants depend on moving creatures for many different reasons, like pollination, fertilizing the soil, and hanging around to help eat the ripe fruit. For this reason, plants accumulate a lot of highly nutritious elements in their leaves, but mix these nourishing ingredients with either bitterness or very small amounts of alkaloids (poisons). That is how animals are forced to rotate their menu and that is why all wild animals are browsers. They eat a small amount of one thing, then move on to many other plants during the course of the day. The body is capable of easily detoxifying small amounts of a great many things, but it is much more difficult for the human system to get rid of a large amount of one type of poison. This is why it is crucial for us to learn to rotate the greens in our diet. Chimpanzees also rotate the green plants they eat. They go through approximately 117 different plants in one year.[2] We humans need to learn to alternate our variety of greens as much as possible instead of eating only iceberg lettuce, spinach and romaine.
Despite their names and appearances, cultivated greens have similar nutritional content. To meet our nutritional needs, it is essential that we learn to include greens from a number of totally different plant families into our daily diets.

Weeds:

* Borage leaves and flowers * Chicory greens and flowers * Chickweed
* Clover * Dandelion (greens and flowers) * Fiddlehead ferns
* Lambsquarters * Malva * Miner’s lettuce
* Plantain * Purslane * Sorrel
* Stinging nettles

Wild edibles often contain more vitamins and minerals than commercially marketed plants. Weeds have not been “spoiled” with farmers’ care in contrast to the “good” plants of the garden. In order to survive in spite of constant weeding, pulling, and spraying, weeds had to develop strong survival properties. For example, in order to stay alive without being watered, most weeds have developed unbelievably long roots. Alfalfa’s roots grow up to 20 feet long reaching for the most fertile layers of the soil. As a result, all wild plants possess more nutrients than commercially grown plants.

Sprouts:

* Alfalfa * Broccoli * Clover
* Fenugreek * Radish * Sunflower

Approximately from the third to the sixth day of their life, sprouts contain higher levels of alkaloids, as a means of protection from animals nipping them off and killing them.[3] That doesn’t mean that sprouts are poisonous or dangerous, but only that we cannot live on sprouts alone. Most sprouts are rich in B-vitamins and have a hundred times more nutrients than a fully developed plant because sprouts need more nutrition for their fast growing period.
(from an article by Victoria Boutenko, she also wrote a book "Green for Life")

Amaranth

One of the more interesting edible plants in North America is Amaranth. This plant’s use dates back to the pre-Columbian Aztecs and has long been used for its grain and medicinal purposes. In Mexico, the seeds are roasted for a traditional drink called “atole”. Peruvians use it to make beer and in other regions to treat toothaches and fevers.
Amaranth is a bush plant that grows 3-10 feet tall. There are vegetable and grain varieties. Plants will produce up to 50,000 seeds each. Amaranth is very hearty and will grow in your garden, or just about anywhere and reseeds itself. The grain is very nutritious, and the leaves are on par with spinach, which it’s related to.
Amaranth is high in protein, lysine and methionine, essential amino acids. It’s higher in fiber than wheat and has calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, vitamins A and E.
There are many varieties, one of which, Spiny Amaranth, is shown to control blood glucose, which could be very useful in a long-term crisis situation.
To harvest the seeds, cover the plant lightly with a non-pourous bag, gently tip the plant to the side and shake. You’ll need to winnow to separate all the debris that may come along. Amaranth grain must be cooked before eating. You can use as a cooked cereal, ground it into flour, pop it like popcorn, sprout it and toast it. You can also add the grain to soups and stews as a thickener. Amaranth flour is useful in pasta and all baked goods, but must be mixed with other flour for yeast breads as it contains no gluten - which makes it perfect for those with gluten allergies.

Boil 1 cup of seeds in 2 1/2 cups liquid for about 18-20 minutes, until they are tender. It has a sticky texture, so shouldn’t be overcooked as it will become gummy. It has a mild, nutty flavor almost like Quinoa, but without any bitterness.

To store the grain long-term, package in an air-tight container with oxygen absorbers. It should store in a dry, cool place for up to two years. Amaranth has a hard outer shell which makes it store longer than buckwheat or Quinoa.

You can cook the young leaves like spinach and you can use the sprouts in sandwiches and salads.

Interesting Links to check out:

- www.northernbushcraft.com/plants/index.htm - Wild Edible Plants of the Pacific Northwest - this guide covers wild edible plants of British Columbia, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, and the Rocky Mountains.
- www.herbvideos.com/ewpindex.htm – click on “mountain” for list of plants that grow in our region
- buybcwild.com/buy-bcwild-directory - A free guide to products from the WILDS of BC. It includes lots of recipes, too. Click on the picture of the book to get the download (pdf).
- www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/docs/Lmh/Lmh03.htm – for a free downloadable (pdf) guide to over 300 plant species native to BC.

(There was also a chart about edible weeds - but it wouldn't import properly into the blog....)

Garden Club Presentation

On April 17th, at the North Thompson Valley Garden Club meeting, I'll be doing a presentation on Edible Weeds and Flowers. - This blog, and the next few, will be most of what I'll be saying (& handing out).

Enjoy!

The Definition of a Weed:

The definition of a weed is "a plant out of place." OK, if that's true, think about this for a second.... If a dandelion is a weed in a home lawn, grass is a weed on a dandelion farm! (Where they grow dandelion greens.)

Weed Harvesting Guidelines

1. Only harvest weeds that you can positively identify and know to be edible. The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, by the Department of the Army is a good reference, if you aren't sure.

2. Avoid picking weeds close to roadways. They'll have absorbed exhaust fumes and road run off.

3. Avoid harvesting weeds in areas that may have been contaminated by animal feces.

4. Do not pick weeds from yards that have been treated with pesticides or herbicides.

5. Only eat the parts of plants that you know to be edible. Many edible plants have non-edible – and sometimes poisonous – parts.

Edible Weeds: What's in It for You

Not only will you be saving money on herbicides by tolerating edible weeds, but you'll also be saving money that would otherwise be spent on conventional edible plants from the supermarket.

However, the benefits of appreciating edible weeds go beyond saving money. For one thing, you won't have to worry about the potential harm that herbicides can cause children, pets or wildlife. Moreover, you'll develop a closer relationship with nature, one that will encourage you to stop to smell the roses. You'll find that your study of the edible weeds in your lawn will put you in closer touch with seasonal changes, botany and history. For instance, did you know that the dandelion, ubiquitous in North America, is not native to this continent, but introduced from Europe? Settlers brought it across the Atlantic precisely because it is an edible weed (with medicinal properties to boot).

Caveats in Harvesting Edible Weeds:

Of course, not all weeds are edible plants. In fact, some are quite poisonous! Consequently, proper identification is essential. Don't underestimate the complexity and potential danger involved:

* Never ingest a weed without first being certain that it is an edible plant! Books and the Web can help you with identification of edible weeds; but better yet, contact your local wildflower society or similar source for expert guidance.
* Just because a particular plant is an "edible weed," that doesn't mean that every part of it should be eaten. In some instances of "edible weeds," just the root or leaf, e.g., should be eaten.
* Likewise, some "edible weeds" must be cooked first -- never eat them raw!

Nor is that all. Consider the fact that "edible weeds" are only as safe as their growing conditions. For instance, avoid harvesting edible weeds in an area that has been subject to:

* Past or present herbicide use
* Road salt
* Pet waste

Edible Weeds! Local, Free & Nutritious

“Weeds are not the enemy. Rather, they provide solutions to global hunger, rising food costs, escalating malnutrition and other maladies of modern living.”

So says Dr. Peter Gail, Director of Goosefoot Acres Center for Resourceful Living in Cleveland. The ethnobotanist presents Edible Weeds Workshops throughout the United States, providing hands-on culinary sessions which introduce skeptics to the hidden nutritional, medicinal and tasty wonders of 10 common weeds.

Any invasive plant that grows where it’s unwelcome is considered a weed. But nature’s 10 best weeds, according to Gail, were intentionally brought to this country by European settlers who wouldn’t have survived their meager first years in America otherwise.

“Weeds are your real one-a-day-vitamin pills,” Gail says. “Everything you need to survive is growing right between your two feet on any ordinary lawn or vacant lot. There are actually 3,000 edible wild plants I’ve identified which are abundant, nutritious and enjoy a 10-12 month growing season.”

Here are Nature’s 10 Best Weeds, according to Gail:

1) The Dandelion, whose flowers, stems, roots and leaves offer nearly 17 times more vitamin C than citrus fruits. In addition, dandelion ‘bitters’ offer intestinal benefits that calm acid reflux, flatulence and other digestive discomforts.

2) Wild Violets, whose flowers and leaves are nature’s second-most abundant source of Vitamin C, after rose hips. These make attractive and delicately-flavored additions to salad.

3) Purslane, a fleshy-leafed plant found in most vegetable gardens, should not be pulled out and thrown away. The leaves are good fresh in salads or salsas, or dried and used later in soups. They are a prime source of Omega-3 fatty acids (for those who detest fish oil pills, purslane is a nutritional substitute.)

4) Mallows (not marshmallows) are usually found along outbuildings and garages. Used in salads or cooked in soup, the leaves are good for settling upset stomachs and help cure constipation. Hollyhocks, Rose of Sharon, hibiscus and dwarf mallow are all members of the mallow family.

5) Lambs Quarters is a basic wild green that tastes like spinach but offers even more nutritional benefits. The leaves can be used in any spinach recipe, and those eating it won’t recognize the difference. It’s a gourmet survival food.

6) Amaranthus (Red Root Pigweed) seeds can be crushed into flour for nutrient-rich bread. (You can find amaranthus bread in area health food stores and bakeries.) The wild green can also be used as a spinach substitute.

7) Plantain is called “Poor Man’s Bread By the Way” in England because the seeds were gathered by hobos and made into a gruel and flatbread. Its leaves are even more valued as a poultice to combat the effects of poison ivy, skin rashes and wounds. Plantain tea is said to cure the urge to smoke.

8-10) Sheep Sorrel, Curly Dock & Oxalis are all classed as spinach substitutes, but are generally sour, giving dishes a lemony flavor. The stems and leaves offer up a refreshing, lemony taste that’s good in salad, soup or steamed mixed greens.

... to be continued....

This picture was taken on Easter Sunday (2010). I decided to try out the timer on my camera, so that I could be in it too - worked great!

This one and the following picture were taken the week before Easter.

Scooter!!!!!!!! YeeHaw!

The Barriere Lions Club received the donation of a scooter, with the stipulation that it be passed on to a local citizen who needed one, but could not afford to buy one.
They chose to give it to DAD!



The last picture