In this weeks edition of ‘In The Garden With Susan’ we look at the following flowers:
Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)
Flavour Profile: Offers a blend of mint, oregano, and citrus flavors.
Culinary Uses: Used in teas, salads, baked goods, and sauces.
Bee Balm Lemonade: Juice of 6 lemons, sugar, water, bee balm flowers.
Bee Balm Jelly: Bee balm tea, sugar, lemon juice, pectin.
Bee Balm Pesto: Bee balm leaves, olive oil, nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic.
Lemon Bee Balm (Monarda citriodora)
Flavour Profile: Strong citrus scent with a mint undertone.
Culinary Uses: Ideal in herbal teas, salads, baking, marinades, and dressings.
Lemon Bee Balm Cookies
Lemon Bee Balm Syrup
Preservation: Drying, infusing in honey or vinegar.
Lilacs
Flavour Profile: Floral and lemony taste with a hint of bitterness.
Culinary Uses: Flavoring for drinks, desserts, and salads.
Lilac Syrup
Ingredients: 2 cups water, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup lilac flowers (fresh and gently rinsed).
Directions: Boil water and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add lilac flowers, and let steep until the syrup is fully infused and cooled. Strain and store in the refrigerator.
Lilac Sugar Cookies
Ingredients: 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 1 egg, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tbsp lilac flowers (chopped).
Directions: Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to the butter mixture. Fold in lilac flowers. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes.
Lilac Jelly
Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups water, 1/4 cup lilac flowers, juice of one lemon, 4 cups sugar, 1 package (1.75 oz) powdered pectin.
Directions: Boil water and infuse with lilac flowers. Strain and mix lilac water with lemon juice and pectin in a large pot. Bring to a boil, add sugar, and boil for 1-2 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.
Oregano Flowers
Flavour Profile: Milder and sweeter than oregano leaves.
Culinary Uses: Garnishes, infusions, and baking.
Oregano Flower Vinegar
Ingredients: 1 cup white or apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup fresh oregano flowers.
Directions: Warm the vinegar gently (do not boil). Add the oregano flowers to a clean jar and pour the warm vinegar over them. Seal and let sit for a few weeks in a cool, dark place. Strain before use.
Oregano Flower Compound Butter
Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, softened; 1 tablespoon fresh oregano flowers, finely chopped; 1 clove garlic, minced; salt to taste.
Herbed Oregano Flower Focaccia
Ingredients: Basic focaccia dough, olive oil, coarse salt, 2 tablespoons fresh oregano flowers.
Directions: Prepare your focaccia dough and press into a baking tray. Before the final rise, dimple the dough with your fingers, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse salt and oregano flowers. Bake as directed.
Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima)
Flavour Profile: Mild and slightly sweet to spicy flavor.
Culinary Uses: Garnishes, infusions, and baking.
Sweet Alyssum Infused Honey
Ingredients: 1 cup honey, 1/4 cup sweet alyssum flowers.
Directions: Gently warm the honey without letting it boil. Stir in the sweet alyssum flowers and let infuse for a week, stirring occasionally. Strain the honey and store in a sealed jar.
Sweet Alyssum Lemonade
Ingredients: Juice of 6 lemons, 1 cup sugar, 6 cups water, 1 cup sweet alyssum flowers.
Directions: Mix lemon juice, sugar, and water until the sugar dissolves. Add the sweet alyssum flowers. Refrigerate for several hours, then strain and serve chilled.
Elderflowers (Sambucus nigra)
Flavour Profile: Lightly sweet and floral with notes of lychee, pear, and citrus.
Culinary Uses: Drinks, desserts, and syrups.
Elderflower Cordial
Elderflower Tea
Elderflower and Lemon Cake
You can find Lemon Bee Balm seeds at https://gardenfaeriebotanicals.ca/product/lemon-bee-balm-seeds/
Also on YouTube & Rumble.
See you in the garden!!
welcome to the new podcast in the garden with Susan I’m your host Susan Ladner I will aim to bring you top quality information on how to save open pollinated seeds grow a garden and preserve what you grow every Wednesday I’ll be sharing practical tips and techniques to help you on your journey to food security join me as I preserve the abundance of produce that my garden provides learn new ways of putting food away for the winter and some old ways that are from another Century you can find this podcast on Shopify and at my website come on let’s go wander down to the garden and awaken the dreams history and love that is held inside every seed hello everyone and welcome to another edition of In the Garden with Susan and today I’m trying out a new recording tool so I hope everything goes okay it seems to be pretty easy um so let’s hope it all works out um so I’m going we I just want to remind everyone that we are still in the floral flavor Challenge and I know I’ve had a pretty busy week so really I’ve only been using the um flowers in salads which I find is very interesting I I I love the different flavors it’s it’s very unique I mean I’ve always thrown petals in of the kandula however I’m like putting like the merry Golds are a little bit different and they’ve been so small so I’m putting the whole head in and and the other day I put pineapple weed in the salad and I didn’t put too much in because I wasn’t sure it’s it was one of those I don’t know if I really want to be putting this in my salad what if I wreck it but I ate a few just picked them off the plant and they’re they’re nice they and they give they gave a really different sort of Pop to the salad it it made it interesting and I actually really liked it so and then what I made which which was sort of the highlight of last week I made a chamomile syrup and I have so many chamomile plants out in the garden and i’ I’m trying to harvest them you know the more you harvest the more they grow and so I had a whole bunch of dried chamomile and I was feeling very luxurious and I made like I quadrupled the recipe and I like doubled off maybe like more than doubled the amount of chamomile that went into the recipe and so then when I boiled it up when I boiled the syrup and then you’re s to sit there and let it steep I let it steep overnight like this is stuff I I find it powerful I I and then on top of it so I made that and I canned it up and one of my canning jars didn’t seal and I had some left over that didn’t quite fit into all the jars and so I made chamomile tea and then I sweetened it with the chamomile syrup and W it knocks you out while it sort it no it doesn’t knock you out it calms it made me very calm it made me so calm the one night that I couldn’t I was going to go back out to the garden and shovel I still have some of the new expansion that I’m still trying to shovel out and I couldn’t even get up off the couch to go do it so it’s a very uh lovely it I really enjoyed the chamomile syrup and I’m very excited that I have quite a few jars for in the winter and um and it and then I I poured it on top of I had some chia seed pudding and I couldn’t find any honey to put on it I like a little bit of sweetness and so I poured some of the chamomile on and the the smell of it it it was really it’s it’s a very nice recipe and it had the oranges in it so so that’s what I did last week and this week um I’m not sure what we’re going to get get into with making things I I have a lot of ideas of things I want to do um but we’re going to start with lilacs and I think I don’t have any lilac um there there’s no lilacs around where I live um at least not that I I know of I don’t see them all the time and I I think I sort of Miss the season on this and so but we’re still going to talk about it because I’ve on Instagram I saw a lot of accounts that I followed they were making recipes with it and they just looked amazing so lilacs are not only admired for their beautiful blooms and sweet fragrance but they also have edible qualities that can be used in various culinary applications and so they have a slightly floral and Lemony taste with a hint of bitterness and they can be used in both sweet and savory dishes and um it adds a spring-like Essence and a beautiful visual appeal and lilac can be used in drinks they can be infused in water to make lilac flavored lemonade or also they can be used for cocktails or mocktails the flowers can be added to sugar for lilac flavored cakes cookies or custards and fresh lilac flowers can be sprinkled over salads for a touch of color and a mild floral flavor and so you the some of the recipes that you can make with lilacs are there’s a syrup and it’s basically two cups of water two cups of sugar and one cup of lilac flowers fresh and gently rinsed and you bring the water and sugar to a boil until the sugar dissolves remove from the heat add the lilac flowers and steep until the syrup is fully infused and cooled and then you can strain it and store it in the refrigerator um you can also make lilac sugar cookies there’s lilac jelly and um that takes a lot of sugar it has the the pectin in it but if anyone wants to Google these recipes or I’ll actually leave the recipes in the show notes below if anyone’s interested in them and so how to preserve lilac flowers you can dry them and you just spread them onto a paper towel in a cool dry Place away from direct sun and once they’re dried you store them in an airtight container you can also freeze lilac flowers in ice cube trays filled with water and these can be used in drinks or thaw for use in recipes and lilac flowers can be infused in honey syrup or vinegar capturing their flavor in a liquid form that can be easily incorporated into various dishes and so the fla the different flavor profiles of the different varieties is they they mostly share a common floral and slightly lemony flavor however the common ilac typically has the stronger floral taste and it is ideal for syrups and jellies whereas the Persian lilac offers a milder flavor suitable for delicate Desserts and Drinks and now so I’d like to try some of that sometime but I think we miss the season and then now we’re going to talk about oregano flowers because in my garden my oregano plants are just starting it’s just they’re going to begin soon and the the delicate Blooms of the oregano plant are not only edible but also offer a milder version of the herbs robust flavor and these tiny flowers are versatile in culinary applications and can be added to dishes to enhance them with their subtle Herby note and so um even though they have a slightly milder and sweeter taste compared to the leaves they still retain some of the characteristic oregano flavor and they can be used as a garnish and you can sprinkle the flowers on salads soups pizzas and other dishes to add color and a hint of oregano flavor you can Infuse them into oils and vinegar and you can bake with them by incorporating flowers into bread do or sprinkle them on top of Folia and then I have a recipe here of oregano flour vinegar and you just use one cup of white or apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup of fresh oregano flowers and you want to warm the vinegar gently but do not boil add the oregano flowers to a clean jar and pour the warm vinegar over them seal and let sit for a few weeks in a cool dark place and then strain before use you can also make oregano flour butter by taking softened butter and adding a tablespoon of fresh oregano flowers finely chopped one clove of garlic and salt to taste and you mix all these ingredients thoroughly and then roll into a log using parchment paper twist the ends and refrigerate until firm and then you can slice and serve however you like and then there’s herbed oregano flour fuka and you take the basic fuka dough olive oil coarse salt and 2 tbspoon of fresh oregano flour and you prepare the dough as you do press it into a baking tray and then you will sprinkle it with olive oil and salt and the oregano flowers and then bake as directed so to preserve them you can dry them um and we’ve talked a lot about how to dry herbs it’s the exact same way you can also freeze them in ice cube trays or with water or olive oil and then this is really easy to add to cooking or as a garnish and you can Infuse them into oils or vinegars and so the different flavor profiles is that the Greek oregano is known for its strong flavor and the flowers are similarly potent and perfect for bold culinary uses whereas the Italian oregano has a m it’s a milder variety and its flowers are ideal for more delicate dishes where a lighter oregano flavor is desired and now in my garden as I’ve been looking around at what’s blooming and what could I eat what can I make with some of these blooms I have two different kinds of sweet alysum that has been blooming for a little while here and they’re starting just to get a bit bigger and so I’m amazed to find out that this is edible and this plant is known for its Charming tiny flowers and sweet hone like FL fragrance and these flowers are not just ornamental but they’re also edible and offer a subtle slightly peppery flavor that can add a unique touch to various dishes and the way you can use them is as a garnish the small delicate flowers make a beautiful beautiful a beautiful edible garnish for salads desserts and appetizers you can also Infuse the sweet alysum into syrups Waters or even vinegars and you can bake with them by sprinking flowers over baked goods before baking for a decorative and flavorful touch and so some of the recipes I found is there’s a sweet alysum infused honey and you take one cup of honey and 1/4 cup of sweet alysum flowers gently warm the honey without letting it boil cuz you don’t want to destroy the honey and stir in the sweet alysum flowers and let it Infuse for a week stirring occasionally then strain the honey and store in a sealed jar and you can use this to sweeten teas or drizzle over desserts and then this is an interesting one sweet alysum lemonade you take the juice of six lemons one cup of sugar six cups of water one cup of sweet alysum flowers and you mix it all together and the lemon juice sugar and water until the sugar dissolves then add the sweet alysum flowers refrigerate for sever several hours then strain and served chilled and add a few fresh flowers to each glass when serving for a Decorative Touch and you can also make a sweet alysum flour salad you take your mixed greens sliced cucumber avocado radish and a handful of sweet alysum flowers toss it all together and serve with a light vinegarette so the way to preserve these flowers is you can spread them on a paper towel and allow them to dry in a warm place away from direct sunlight and then of course store them in an airtight container and you can also freeze them in ice cube trays filled with water and so the different flavor profiles uh while all the varieties have a mild peppery taste the white sweet alysum tends to have a milder flavor making it ideal for delicate dishes or as a garish whereas the purple and pink sweet alysum have slight more pronounced flavor and they are better for infusions um and as flavor Accents in salads and dressings so there we go and now Elder flowers I I love this I wish I had some Elder flowers around trees or around here because I just love the elder flower trees um but the the Elder flowers are sourced from the Elderberry plant and they are renowned for their delicate floral Aroma and subtle sweet flavor and these blossoms are a popular ingredient in various culinary applications particularly used in European Cuisine and just a side note if you do have an elder you know flower tree around or I mean an Elderberry plant um you don’t want to go and harvest a lot of the flowers off it because the Elder berries are such a important medicinal for uh herbal medicines in the fall and everything you can do with the elderberries so this flower is celebrated for its distinct slightly sweet and floral taste and it’s often described as having notes of leachi pear and citrus and they are primarily used to impart flavor in drinks and desserts and and so you so you have your drinks you have your desserts and it’s a very popular thing to make is Elder FL flour syrup and um you can one of the recipes is Elder flour cordial I’ll leave these recipes in the show notes below you can also make Elder flour tea by taking four to five elder flower heads a liter of boiling water and place them in the tea pot or jug pour the boiling water over and let it steep for 5 to 10 minutes and you can serve this strained and hot or chilled with ice you can also make Elder flour and lemon cake I’ll put that recipe down below and so for preserving them you can hang the elder flower heads upside down in a dry Airy place and then you can also freeze them in ice cube trays with water and you can Infuse them into syrups or Oils and the different flavor profiles is the black elder flower or sorry the black Elder is the most commonly used variety for culinary purposes and it’s known for its sweet and floral flavor and then there’s the American Elder and it is it has a slightly different floral intensity and it can be used also in recipes calling for The Elder flour so that is a really highly valued um flower and it’s very it it it’s very versatile and uh yeah so there we go and now this one I’m excited about because I have a massive bbom plant down in Garden number one and this guy he’s big and he gets lots of flowers on it and so the bbom manard um it’s it’s from the it’s from the mint family and so it’s cherished for its vibrant flowers and aromatic flavorful leaves and some of the different um the key varieties of B bomb there’s the red B bomb and that has a strong minty flavor and it is ideal for teas herbal dishes and as a flavor enhancer in various recipes and then there’s the wild Bergamot or lavender be balm and this has an oregano like flavor and it’s suitable for Savory dishes and it works well in sauces dressings and savory baked goods and then there’s the lemon be balm and this has a strong Citrus scent with a gentle mint undertone and it’s perfect for adding lemony zest to teas salads baking marinades and dressings and so basically that’s what we can do with it we can make tea with bbal use it in salads put the fresh flowers as a garnish to add color and flavor put them into baked goods and also blend the flowers into sauces and dressings for subtle hint of mint and citrus and some of the recipes are bebom lemonade and you can combine lemon juice sugar water and B balb flowers refrigerate and strain before serving you can make be bomb jelly and you use strongly steeped be bomm tea with sugar lemon juice and pectin boil and jar and I’m sure you should look up a recipe for that that’s all I have it’s a little too vague and then this is an interesting one B bomb pesto um I’m just into the pesos lately I made a lot of garlic skate pesto and I’ve probably been eating way too much of it but it’s just so good I put a lot in the freezer um but I’m ready to make some more because I’m just loving it so that I want and this is something I really want to try you blend the be balm leaves with olive oil nuts parmesan or if you’re vegan nutritional yeast and garlic for a fresh spread like I know that doesn’t use the flowers but interesting I mean I’m sure you could throw some in and then for preserving you can hang the bunches upside down in a dark dry place and then store in an airtight container you can freeze the flowers in ice cube trays with water or you can soak flowers in oils or vinegars to create flavorful infusions and uh basically the the flavor profile is it’s um hints of spice and mint and some some of them like the white white bergamont it’s less minty than the red or um lemon varieties and so there we have it I think we’re going to end it it there um I hope that everyone is having a wonderful week and you’re finding some flowers in the garden to add into your dishes or drinks and I will see you in the garden oh we’re we’re sorry we’re cutting it a little short today but next week I’ll just add some more in have a great week [Music] [Applause] thank you for joining me for this episode of in the garden with Susan I hope you’re enjoying the flower power series and as we look at all the different edible flowers you can find this podcast and others at Spotify podchaser radio public it’s on my right Umble channel it’s on my YouTube channel and you can always find it at my website at www. gardenfairy botanicals.com [Music] [Applause] [Music]