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A Delicious Guide on How to Incorporate Edible Flowers at Your Next Dinner Party

Have your (seasonal) flowers and eat them too!
A vibrant spread of flowers from the book 'Edible Flowers How Why and When We Eat Flowers'
A vibrant spread of flowers from the book Edible Flowers: How, Why, and When We Eat Flowers.Photo: Adrianna Glaviano 

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Monica Nelson has always been drawn to flowers. Growing up in Athens, Georgia, she was constantly surrounded by acres of botanical gardens. (Her hometown is the birthplace of America’s first Garden Club, which was established back in 1891.) But what Monica appreciates most about flowers is their role as devices to tell time in relation to the seasons, and all the variety of ways that they can be used. Wilder Quarterly, a gardening magazine that she founded in 2011, served as a primer for much of the work that Monica is doing now within the contemporary horticulture space. The art director, graphic designer, and writer recently took this passion to the next level with Edible Flowers: How, Why, and When We Eat Flowers.

Monica conceived the concept for the book back in May 2020 and collaborated with the food and lifestyle photographer Adrianna Glaviano to visually bring all the elements to life along with a handful of chefs and artists who share simple recipes. The 260-page guide provides digestible content that is not only beautiful but full of substance. Monica digs deep into the cultural history of each native species to build the most intricate profiles that go beyond the beauty of the flower. “I’m really interested in the ways that you can use objects and material culture to see more of the world and trace things back to their roots,” she says.

In terms of varieties that are easy to grow indoors without a garden, Monica recommends chamomile and cornflower. For the fall season, she can’t get enough of dahlias, marigolds, and asterids—Monica also notes that amaranth makes for a delicious grain dish. With so many of us tapping into harvest mode for the holiday season, we thought it would be fitting for Monica to recommend the best edible flowers to spice up your upcoming dinner parties. Here, she shares seven options for all sorts of occasions.

Nasturtium

“We did a pesto with it that is really easy; the flower has a peppery spice to it. You can also make the fresh pasta in the book—you put flowers in between sheets of pasta and then stick it back through the pasta machine.”

Sheets of pasta with edible flowers.

Photo: Adrianna Glaviano 

A pesto made with nasturtium.

Photo: Adrianna Glaviano 

Chamomile

“The name ‘chamomile’ means ground apples, and it has this fruity flavor, which I feel like I didn’t know before. You can add it to things that pair well with this flavor. I roasted dried chamomile with sweet potato recently, and in the book Heidi Swanson recommends mixing it with miso paste.”

A bundle of chamomile.

Photo: Adrianna Glaviano

Red rose

“For holidays, why not use red rose? You could add it to something with rosemary and cinnamon.”

A jar of rose for a syrup.

Photo: Adrianna Glaviano

Rose petals in a wooden basket.

Photo: Adrianna Glaviano

Violet

“Syrups are really fun—Laila Gohar has the recipe for [a rose syrup], but candied violet is also a lovely [and] easy one.”

Violet frozen in cubes of ice.

Photo: Adrianna Glaviano

Hyssop/Anise hyssop

“It has a licorice taste and the flower is bright purple and feathery.”

Pieces of hyssop.

Photo: Adrianna Glaviano

Borage

“Borage has a bit of a decadent holiday feel. It’s bright blue and has a storybook, winter-y look to it. You could freeze it in ice cubes or float them in a wintery soup.”

A spread of borage pieces.

Photo: Adrianna Glaviano

Mint flower

“Mint flowers are so pretty. There’s this one called Nepitella that we photographed at Farm.One.”