Flowers, Edible

Edible flowers, the most popular being nasturtiums, pansies, marigolds, violets, and roses, have enjoyed a renaissance that began in the 1980s. Far from being only an ornamental conceit of nouvelle cuisine, edible flowers were being used in American kitchens by the mid-seventeenth century for both culinary and medicinal purposes. English colonists were primarily responsible for introducing flowers into American cooking; cookery manuscripts and colonial-era cookbooks contain a wide range of recipes. Traditionally flowers have been pickled or used fresh, like herbs, to add color, texture, and very subtle flavor to salads; infused into wines, cordials, syrups, and teas; made into conserves and jellies; or candied and added to desserts and confections. More recently, Italian Americans have popularized zucchini blossoms stuffed with anchovy and mozzarella and deep-fried in a light batter.