This spring and summer when you are hosting your teas, or just having a little teatime by yourself, try something different and prepare some flower butters for your sandwiches and crackers. There are many edible flowers you can include in your butters, just be sure they do not contain any pesticides!
Pick your flowers in the morning, when their water content is at it's highest. Then bathe the flowers gently in a salt-water bath. Immediately drop them in ice water for 1 minute and then dry them on a paper towel. For best results, use your flower petals immediately (not the stamen or the stems), or store the whole flower in a glass of water in the refrigerator overnight.
You will need:
1/2 - 1 cup chopped fresh or dried petals
1 lb. sweet unsalted butter
Finely chop flower petals and mix into softened butter. Let mix stand for several hours at room temperature, then refrigerate for several days to bring out the flavor. Your flower butter can be frozen for several months. You can even use this butter in sugar cookie or pound cake recipes for a new twist.
Idea: Use cream cheese instead of butter
Some of the more common EDIBLE FLOWERS in your garden are:
Apple Blossom, Basil, Bee Balm, Calendula, Carnation, Chrysanthemum, Cornflower/Bachelor Buttons, Dandelion, English Daisy, Geraniums, Honeysuckle, Impatiens, Lavendar, Lemon Verbena, Lilac, Nasturtium, Pansy, Primrose, Rose, Violets and many more. Again, make certain there are no pesticides on your flowers or blossoms if you are going to use them for consumption. You can also use your herbs to make wonderful butters.
Have a wonderful spring!
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