RRP: $40.00

Flowers have been used for culinary purposes since earliest times; rose petals have been used to perfume sweetmeats, jellies and cakes for centuries, and the tiny, richly scented "Parma" violet was a popular flavoring during the Victorian era. Today, there is renewed interest in using flowers as ingredients in cooking; their subtle flavors and glorious colors impart an extra dimension to many of our favorite foods. This is a unique gardening guide and recipe collection in one beautifully photographed volume. Over 25 planting schemes explain in foolproof detail how to plant and cultivate edible flower combinations, with accompanying recipes showing how to use blossoms, blooms and petals in the kitchen. Choose from themed planting ideas and create a beautiful spring planter of violets and primroses, a scented lavender basket, or a striking pairing of sunflowers and nasturtiums, then follow the recipes to create a variety of sweet and savory dishes, salads, and drinks. Make a summer punch glow with the brilliant blue borage flower; add vibrant nasturtium petals to green beans in mouthwatering omelettes, and lift cakes and cookies into another realm of flavor with the addition of crystallized roses, sugared cowslips or candied primroses. Throughout, gorgeous color photographs capture the beauty of the garden in bloom and the culinary potential of flowers, while step-by-step sequences complement the informative instructions. Keen gardeners and avid cooks will be thrilled by the imaginative use of flowers both outdoors and in the kitchen.