Years ago, my brother gave me the most attractive cookbook I had ever seen. Even he, not one for sentimental slop, had inscribed the inside cover, “This book’s worth it just for the pictures.” It kills me to say this, but my brother was right. Every page was like looking through a window into a fairytale world of beautiful tableware and linens, set with bowls and platters of elaborate food presentations, in bucolic locations. Flowers were in evidence everywhere: decorating the dishes and incorporated into the foods and beverages.

            The photo which captured my imagination most was one of a large, crystal bowl of punch, with large, pink roses floating in it.  I envisioned holding a tea party for my girlfriends on our lawn, everyone dressed in white linen dresses.

            The reality was that I had neither the roses, a suitable lawn, nor even two friends with white linen dresses. Furthermore, it was the dead of winter in Calgary. I would have to wait until spring (arriving sometime in June) before I could begin to satisfy my new passion for cooking with flowers.

            There was one thing that I was very clear about: you cannot use flowers from a florist for garnish. They will all have some sort of pesticide, and the last thing I needed to be accused of was trying to kill my in-laws. I knew of one speciality store which sold tiny containers of edible pansies and violets, but I just couldn’t justify spending that kind of money, even in the name of art and good taste. It would have to wait until I could grow my own.

            As soon as that first spring bloom poked its way through the snow, I could be seen running out into the yard with scissors. Nothing was free from my snip, snip. Everything from Johnny jump-ups to daffodils were soon garnishing my food presentations. Apple blossoms and chive flowers, lilacs and lily of the valley, baby’s breath and cornflowers would all soon find their way into my kitchen. I would have loved to use roses, but I never did have much luck growing them. In general, other than for nasturtiums and pansies which I would toss into salads, I tended to use the blooms for decoration. I didn’t really give any thought to how they tasted. It was all about colour.

            It wasn’t until I was researching nasturtiums for my last column that I realized I had never considered whether the pesticide-free flowers I had been using were actually toxic themselves. I realize now just how lucky it was that I didn’t taste-test my garnishes!

            There are probably more flowers with some sort of toxic effect than there are ones totally safe to eat. Anyone who has ever read an Agatha Christie novel knows that foxgloves are poisonous. But did you know that so are lily of the valley, buttercup, clematis, daffodils, delphinium, periwinkle, and morning glory? Poisonous may be too harsh a word; some of these are only mildly toxic. Calendula (considered a poor-man’s saffron), daisies, and mums are safe for some people to eat, but for those with allergies and especially asthma, these same flowers can cause serious reactions.

            It is recommended that any flower should only be eaten in small amounts. For even the hardiest of tummies, too many flowers, especially herbs, can cause digestive upsets and diarrhea.

            On that tasty note, there are many ways to use flowers in cooking other than mixed into a salad. Roses, geraniums, and lavender can be buried in sugar which will impart the fragrance of the bloom to the sugar which can be later used in baking, and for making beverages. A flower tisane can be used to prepare a floral simple syrup to use for desserts and jellies.

            Large blossoms like gladiola can be set into a glass bowl and used to hold a dip. Blossoms such as geranium, lilac, rose, and violet all have flavours that will add to a dish, while others, such as snapdragon, impatiens, and hollyhock, have virtually no flavour and are used for their colour. And if you really have a sense of adventure, try making tempura-battered prawns and pansies.

            Keep the rinsed flowers on their stem in a glass of water, refrigerated until just before using. When using whole blooms, remove the stamens and pistils, which tend to be bitter and also increase the chance of an allergic reaction. When using individual petals, remove the white base, or heel, which tends to be bitter.

            There are many lists available on the internet to tell you which flowers are safe to eat, but be warned that there are many discrepancies. Ornamental sweet peas are just one of the flowers I found on both edible and non-edible lists.

            Maybe we should just stick to nasturtiums and roses, two I know are safe. I have found in general that if I place a flower on a tray of goodies, no one really ever eats it. Either my friends aren’t particularly fond of blue foods, or they just don’t trust me.