Sage, Salvia officinalis
Sage has proven to be a real fighter in my garden. Not only has it produced beautiful leaves and flowers year after year, but it’s also managed to spread and increase its yield. Thank you, sage! I love the flavor of sage, but it is quite powerful and a little goes a long way! Fortunately, the flower has a gentler flavor and makes a great addition to almost anything where you would normally use sage – mushrooms, pesto, beans, rice, poultry dishes, corn casseroles or bread – even cocktails!
Scented Geranium, Pelargonium spp. (not to be mistaken for geraniums in the Geranium genus)
All geraniums in the genus Pelargonium are safe to eat, but some taste better than others. They also come in a variety of flavors so you’ll need to taste yours to see what you’ve got. Some have a lemony, almost citronella flavor, while others more like nutmeg or rose. They can be used in a plethora of dishes, including ice cream topping, soups, stews, both savory and sweet sauces, tea, ice cubes, candied, and sprinkled on cooked grains.
Squash blossoms, Curcubita pepo
Both squash and pumpkin blossoms are edible – simply remove the stamens and stems. They have a very mild taste, and can be used to stuff and bake or fry, on pizza, in soups and quesadillas. It’s usually the male blossom that is eaten, leaving the female to fruit. The male blossom comes straight out of the stamen while the female has a larger stem that looks like the beginning of fruit.
