"Cooking With Flowers" by Miche Bacher

Tea friends are extraordinarily generous about sharing, I have learned. When I commented on how I simply *had* to order a copy of this book after reading about it on my Canadian friend Judith's blog, Lavender Cottage Gardening, she told me to wait, she would pass along her copy when she came to visit Linda in Kentucky, and since I was going to see Linda shortly thereafter, this gorgeous book was there waiting for me. I'm gathering ideas for the bridesmaids' luncheon I'm hosting for a dear friend's daughter this fall, and when I saw the cover of this book I was hooked. I had no idea so very many flowers are edible!

Confession: I fully intended to gather up some of the wild violets in my lawn and try a recipe like these charming Violet Flower Cupcakes. I went out to pick some last week, and to my dismay the violets are all gone! I had not expected they would flower and then disappear so quickly. Next year, I will try to gather them as soon as I see them!

But I need not fear, as daylily season hasn't yet arrived at my house, and I was tickled to learn from this book that all parts of the daylily, "including the early spring leaves, the flower buds and blooms, and even the roots," are edible. At far right you can see a photo of Daylily Curry. Talk about exotic! I know I'm not alone in my love for flowers, so if you're interested in cooking with them as I am, you may wish to check out this book. (Unlike generous Judith, I'm keeping my copy!)