1. Garnish everything

 

 

While flavour is a big part of cooking, let's be honest—looks are still important. From a summery mocktail to a rich soup suited for the fall months, flowers can be used to garnish almost anything. Opt for petals that are mildly flavourful and come in bright and eye-popping colours. Borage, lavendar, violets, daisies, and lilacs fit the bill. Lavender is also good for health due to its calming properties.

 

2. Freeze them into beautiful ice-cubes

 

 

Floral ice cubes are an easy way of adding a dash of fair to your summery drinks. Along with being a party pleaser, these beautiful ice cubes can also have certain health benefits if crafted with antioxidant rich flowers like pansies. To make them, simply put a little bit of water in your ice tray and then place your favourite edible flower on top. Next, fill the rest of the cube up with water and freeze. Once they've frozen, take them out and pop them into your favourite drink.

 

3. Add florals to a perfectly baked focaccia bread loaf

 

 

Baking has been a hobby of choice for a lot of people during the lockdown and that has contributed to the ever growing popularity of focaccia bread. Baking the loaf itself is fairly simple but it’s the edible artwork on top that turns it into a pièce de résistance. This is also the perfect opportunity to throw some flowers into the mix. You can use anything that’s edible and breathtakingly beautiful, like nasturtiums or marigolds.

 

4. Toss your blooms into a fresh salad

 

 

While you can both bake and freeze them, eating your flowering vegetables straight up, in salads, is one of the easiest ways of adding them to your diet. Arugula flowers in particular carry a lot of flavour and can be effortlessly incorporated into a green salad. They are also rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin A and potassium. Another ideal option for salads would be radish blooms that are perfect when you want the zesty radish flavour, but in a much less potent way.

 

5. Cook them however you like

 

 

Just like focaccia bread, pappardelle floral pasta has been taking over Instagram and Tik Tok recently. Served with a basil pesto, it has a special floral, herby twist that not only looks gorgeous but also adds a delicious, delicate flavour to a dish. Just stick some radish blossoms or marigold petals to your dough before turning it into pasta and you’re done. Closer to home, pumpkin blooms are a part of many local cuisines. These yellowish flowers pack a flavourful punch and can be either baked or simply stir fried along with pumpkin seeds for a nutty flavour.