The Cosmea is edible, usually only the flowers are used. The harvest season begins with the flowering in May and lasts until autumn, depending on the temperature, because the decorative basket is not hardy.
Can you eat cosmea flowers and how to use them?
The cosmea flowers are edible and can be used as decoration, in wild herb salad, to make flower butter or decorative ice cubes. Harvest the flowers in the morning as soon as the dew has dried and only use unsprayed flowers from your own garden.
If you often use edible flowers in your kitchen, then create a kitchen bed with various edible flowering plants in which you also plant the Cosmea. It can easily be brought forward in spring and planted outdoors after the ice saints.
When is the best harvest time?
It's best to harvest the Cosmea flowers in the morning, as soon as the dew has dried off, because that's when the aroma is most intense. The flowers should no longer be budded, but not just about to wither, but rather nice and fresh. By cutting you stimulate the Cosmea to form new buds and thus extend the flowering period.
How to treat the harvested flowers?
Rinse the flowers briefly under cold water. Then pat them dry carefully. Then carefully pluck off the outer, delicate petals. You can also use small flowers whole for some purposes. Only consume unsprayed flowers, ideally from your own garden.
Preparation of flowers:
- harvest in the morning as soon as the dew has dried (flavor is most intense)
- rinse under cold water
- dry patting
- Pluck the tender outer leaves
- only eat unsprayed flowers from your own garden
How to use the flowers?
You can easily use the flowers as an edible decoration on the cold buffet or on a cheese platter, sprinkle them into a wild herb salad and use them to make ice cubes or flower butter. Only add the fine, plucked petals to the flower butter; it is better to use the entire flower as decoration; you can use both for the wild herb salad and the ice cubes, depending on your taste.
Use of flowers:
- edible decorations
- Wild herb salad
- Flower Butter
- decorative ice cubes
Tip
Only consume unsprayed flowers, preferably from your own garden. The ideal time to harvest is in the morning, as soon as the dew has dried.
