So I found a rose lemonade drink, and saw pictures of cupcakes with real flowers on them. It got me interested. Are many flowers (and petals) edible? Do they actually taste good, or is it just to make food look fancy? Can you just eat any rose petals, and eat them ‘raw’? Do you have any recepies? (No alcohol, I don’t drink) ;) Thanks!

systlin:

Sure can, lots of flowers are edible!

Partial list;

Violets (tasty and sweet) and their cousins johnny jump ups and pansies. Often candied for use as garnishes. 

Roses (taste like roses smell). Delicious in tea, but is a mild laxative so use sparingly. Used to flavor cakes, cookies, and syrups for ages. Also often candied. 

Marigolds, both french and pot. Zesty, tangy, used as a saffron substitute. Calendula (pot marigold) is soothing to people with Crohn’s disease and IBS if drunk as a tea. As someone with IBS, I use it often. 

Daylilies. Flowers and buds are both tasty in stir-fries or fritters. 

Dandelions; delicious as fritters, make beautiful jelly, tea is a diuretic and high in vitamins. I snack on the unopened buds as nibble food while weeding the garden. 

All species of mint; Taste like the mint it came from. Lovely garnishes, can be used in tea or wherever you would normally use mint. 

Carnations and pinks; used to flavor syrups for centuries. Spicy and sweet. Good candied.

Lavender; used for medicine, flavoring cakes and cookies, and also lavender tea is simply divine. 

Hibiscus; I adore hibiscus flower tea. Tart and lovely. 

Nasturtiums; Flavor is peppery and they are excellent in salads. 

This is by no means a complete list but it should get you started!