I’m quite a traditional gardener growing the usual potatoes, onions, tomatoes etc along with apples, pears and my favourite grape vine but now it’s time to try something different.
Here’s where The Herb & Flower Cookbook and the Gourmet Flower Kit comes in which I got as presents for my birthday last month.
My favourite herbs, and ones I use regularly include parsley, mint, basil and rosemary, and they’re pretty much kitchen staples for most households including lots of dried herbs but it’s the flowers that really interest me.
Gourmet Flower Kit
I’ve seen plenty of cooking shows on TV where meals are garnished with flowers but would I know where to start and is there more that can be done with them as a garnish seems like a bit of a waste?
Starting off with a kit such as the Gourmet Flower Kit is a great start to growing something different and will also ensure I don’t poison myself!
The box contains:
- 1 x Packet of French Marigold ‘Red Brocade’ seeds
- 1 x Packet of Cornflower ‘Blue Boy’ seeds
- 1x Packet of Calendula ‘Orange King’ seeds
- 1 x Packet of Dianthus ‘Sugar Baby’seeds
- 1 x Packet of Nasturtium ‘Jewel Mix’seeds
- 1 x Packet of Wild Pansy seeds
- 6 x Starter growing pots made from peat 6cm in diameter
- 6 x Peat blocks which expand when watered
- 6 x Plant markers
- 1 x Sowing & Growing Tips
With all that included it means that you can start growing edible flowers no matter the outdoor or indoor space you have an allotment, a greenhouse, a courtyard, a balcony or even a windowsill.
The majority of the seeds should be sowed around February-March so that’s something to look forward to!
Herb & Flower Cookbook
Once I’ve got my flowers then I can start using recipes from The Herb & Flower Cookbook by Pip McCormac. I love cookbooks with great photography and this doesn’t disappoint with the bright and colourful photos really doing the food justice. The recipes aren’t too complicated either with a large number being traditional menus but with a twist such as Lemon Balm and Parsley Spaghetti to Coconut and Coriander Eton Mess.
The book is most definitely more focused on herbs and it does seem like a lot of the flowers will be used as garnish, but thinking about it, they’re beautiful flowers so they really should be on show right? The Pansy Salad in the photo below looks amazing!
More than your supermarket
You won’t find many of these flowers and herbs in your supermarket so why not grow something different and unique? I can guarantee they’ll make your dishes look extra spectacular especially when you tell people you grew them yourself!
The Herb & Flower Cookbook is now only £4 in hardback and the Gourmet Flower Kit costs £12.99 but you could always receive them as presents like I did.