FLOWER TALK

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April 2008 - Issue #4

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Welcome to "Flower Talk" from Artistic Flower Arrangements

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In This Issue:

• Flowers in the Kitchen?
• Add Style to Your Home with Fresh Flower Arrangements
• Create this Special Kids Mother's Day Flower Arrangement
• Tell Us What You Think
• A Surprise for Our "Loyal" Subscribers

 

 

 

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FLOWERS IN THE KITCHEN?

When entertaining family or friends, you want to have an extra special something up your sleeve to impress your guests and make them say "Wow". When adding personal touches to otherwise mundane objects and the same goes to creating food; and as someone who loves flowers the ideal way to personalize your dishes is with edible flowers.

Flowers have been used in a similar way to vegetables for many years; dating back even as early as the Roman times. The use of flowers in cooking became particularly fashionable in the early 1900's and since has subsided in popularity. However, as people begin to focus their attention back to traditional means of obtaining food the use of flowers in cooking is becoming increasingly common.

Before discussing your favorite flowers any further to use in cooking, it is important to note that not all flowers are edible. The ones mentioned in this article have been carefully researched (and tested), so please don't just try to eat any old flower. Secondly, be sure that any flower you consume is free of pesticides and chemicals; do not eat flowers from your florist or garden center. As a rule it would be best to only eat flowers which have been home grown. A lot of effort you may say, but it is most definitely worth it!

Not only can flowers be used to create dishes, they are also a fantastic way to add a touch of your own personality to shop bought or personally baked cakes. Both lavender and rose petals are edible, and these add a fantastic flash of color to any cake.

Lavender flowers have a sweet, floral and citrus taste which makes them ideally suited to topping a lemon or orange cake. They also add a delicious taste and a hint of color to a glass of champagne, perfect for welcoming special guests in to your home.

Rose petals are reminiscent of summer flavors, such as strawberries and green apples. The general rule is the darker the rose variety the more intense the flavor will be. Rose petals look fantastic on desserts but can also be frozen in ice cubes to add a touch of color to any drink; a great way to brighten up a jug of water! Recipes are also available to make rose petal jam. A hint when using rose petals is to remember to remove the bitter white portion of the petals before use.

Besides the classic flowers used to add interest to sweet dishes there are also plenty of edible flowers that are flavored in a way that makes them an excellent addition to salads or as an accompaniment to a meal.

The flowers of the Nasturtium plant are not only colorful but extremely tasty. Coming in red, orange or yellow varieties and having a peppery taste results in them becoming a pretty addition to salads.

When a mild onion flavor is required an original and beautiful way to add that it is through the use of Chive Blossoms. This quirky way of adding onion flavoring is individual in both its aesthetically pleasing nature and the mild quality of taste.

Using flowers in cooking not only adds color and flavor to your dishes but also allows a big part of your personality and interests to be shown through the food you serve. It is a sure fire way to make your guests say "Wow". Try it, you'll be amazed!

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ADD STYLE TO YOUR HOME WITH FRESH FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS

I really believe that most everyone loves flowers and like to have them around every minute of the day. If nature is so generous and provides us with so much beauty in flowers and leaves, we too can make a small effort and try to integrate those flowers into our lives with a little style. Therefore, creating  a stylish flower arrangement for your home is always a sign of good taste and respect for the beauty of nature.

There are few simple rules when it comes to choosing the right flower arrangement for your room. Each flower arrangement can be the expression of a mood, a memory or of someone's personality.

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• The present is represented by flower arrangements that contain fresh, green leaves and flowers that will soon bloom;

• If you want to express the future of a relationship, then go for flower arrangements that are made of flower buds.

It is said that the best flower arrangements are the ones made for special occasions, such as weddings or fancy parties. Professional florists say that anyone should enjoy a flower arrangement during the holidays, at birthdays or at least at every couple of weeks.

 

 

 

    

• For simple rooms, with minimalist designs and neutral colors, you can always choose bright colored flower arrangements.

• Remember not to leave flower arrangements in warm rooms.

Here is one tip florists usually give: there are flowers that just don't go with others. You can choose wild or exotic flowers and combine them successfully, or just opt for delicate, luxurious flowers, such as roses. One good example would be a flower arrangement made of small roses and roses grown in greenhouses. On the other hand, you can always associate wild flowers with sun flowers, ivy and all sorts of branches.

Whatever your choices regarding the flowers you put in a flower arrangement are, there are few elements that will always bring style and personality to any house: a good choice of colors, a simple yet expressive design and a lot of delicacy are the key to a wonderful flower arrangement. 

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CREATE THIS SPECIAL KIDS MOTHER'S DAY FLOWER ARRANGEMENT

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Tell Us What You Think

We've received another bit of feedback for this category:

Kathy Keeney wrote:

Dear Judy,
   Thank you for the instructions for the watering can.  I loved it.  It is so pretty and easy to do.  I work for a florist one day a week and I love to make arrangements that impress her.  I can't wait until the next newsletter.  Thank you again.
                                                                Kathy  

Thank you Kathy for your kind words.  I try to make the arrangements easy and quick to put together but still pretty to look at.  I hope you enjoyed this month's arrangement....Judy

We'd love to hear what you think of this issue!