E is for Edible Flowers

I love flowers. So when my mother-in-law gave me a list of edible blooms many years ago I was intrigued. I kept it for years but sadly, misplaced it before any blooms made it to my dinner table even though I grew many on the list: tulips, nasturtiums, hostas, marigold, sunflower, honeysuckle.

But that all changed last year when my daughter showed up and asked for a bit of my lilac before we headed to my mom's for our Mother's Day lunch. She made us Forager's Punch (non-alcoholic, although you can try it with a bit of gin). It was so fun drinking something filled with flowers!

So for today's post, something fun you can make with the flowers from your garden.

Beth's Forager Punch

Serves 12

Ingredients 

25 fl. oz. elderflower and rose lemonade

52 fl. oz. Simply Lemonade strawberry lemonade

12 fl. oz. plain sparkling water

¼ cup lavender simple syrup

Lilac blossoms & rose petals, to garnish

Directions

Fill a punch bowl or dispenser with ice, rose petals, and fresh lilac. Add all liquid ingredients and mix well.

Notes: I used Belvoir Farm organic elderflower and rose lemonade. You can substitute whatever elderflower juice or soda is available. Regular lemonade would also be fine.

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Lavender simple syrup (great to do this the day before) 

Ingredients 

1 cup water

1 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon dried or fresh lavender blossoms

Directions

Combine water, sugar, and lavender blossoms in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.

Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let syrup steep for about 30 minutes.

Pour syrup into a sterilized glass jar through a mesh strainer to remove blossoms; let cool.

Remember: Only consume blooms that you know haven't been treated with harmful chemicals. So no foraging in your local park - or even your neighbor's yard - if you aren't certain about how they care for their plants.