How to make Edible Flower Spread - How Tuesday

One of the most decorative and easy to create dishes you can make for summer gatherings. Just a few simple ingredients but a lovely item that will be talk of the event. 

Here is a list of possbile Edible flowers to use in your creation:

• Pansies are probably the most common of all edible flowers, so pretty and they come in a wide range of colors and hues. Pansies are really more showy than flavorful but you might note a slight "grassy" taste.
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  Violets grow wild in the spring and early summer (depending on where you live) and can also be grown as a landscape perennial (known as sweet violets). Violets have a sweet, floral flavor in both leaves and flowers. However, don't confuse violets with African violets which are usually considered non-edible.
• Johnny-Jump-Ups look like miniature pansies, but have a different flavor that is slightly "minty." some say they taste a bit like bubblegum! They're perfect on cakes or with soft mild cheese. Johnny-jump-ups, pansies and violets are all members of the Viola genus.
• Marigolds, like the name says, come in shades of yellow and gold. They have a mild citrus flavor. Another bonus to marigolds? Deer are not too wild about them, and tend to leave them alone in the garden!
• Roses are not only beautiful to look at and smell! All roses are edible, each has a delicate, slightly sweet flavor. So stop and eat the roses!
• Honeysuckle flowers are abundant in the spring and, like the name says, have a sweet honey taste. They can be used as a pretty garnish, but also for tea, jelly, syrup and lots of other things. Just a note: only the flowers are edible, the berries are poisonous!
• Chive Blossoms are a beautiful pale purple and have a mild chive taste. They're lovely in salads and you can break apart the flowers and sprinkle the tiny pretty purple petals over vegetables, eggs, soup, potato salad, etc.
• Dandelions aren't just pesky weeds! You can eat dandelion greens. But everything; the leaves, the flowers and even the roots of the dandelion are edible. Dandelion leaves are a bit bitter, but the flowers have a sweet flavor. Their bright, cheerful color makes a beautiful addition to salads!
• Elderflower has a flavor profile described as uniquely fresh, fruity, green and slightly floral with subtle pear, lychee and tropical nuances. You can pair elderflower with light teas, as well as adding to fruit salads or combining in spreads or dips and use to make elderflower cordial. Remove the flowers fully from the stems which can be toxic.
• Nasturtium is a favorite flower for displaying and eating. Nasturtiums have brightly colored red, orange and yellow blossoms and round stiff leaves. Both the leaves and the flowers are edible with a slightly peppery flavor a bit like arugula. The blossoms have a milder taste and add color to garnish cakes, pastries, salads, soups, etc.
• Cornflowers, also known as Bachelor Buttons have a sweet, spicy clove-like flavor. Their brilliant blueish purple hue adds an eye-catching touch!
• Campanula (bell flower) has a mild, bland flavor so it's used more for the pretty purple flowers than for added flavor. The leaves and flowers of the Campanula plant can be used in salads and as an edible garnish for lots of other dishes.

Your first step is to gather the flowers.  Whatever is in season when you are ready to create the spread.

Pull the flowers from the stem. Save some whole for garnish and chop the rest fine.

I did cut flowers up with scissors directly into the cheese mixture, but I started with a bowl of cut flowers, like chamomile, roses, lavender, daisy, calendula, etc. Then added the pansies later.  I soaked the chopped flowers in 1 1/2 tsp of lemon juice while I blended the cheese and butter.

Step Two is the create the cheese mixture. Blend the one 8 oz. package of cream cheese with 1/4 cup of butter.

Once the cheese was blended, I added the thyme or savory and mixed well. Then blended in the flowers.  I use a fork to get everything well mixed, so I don't have clumps of cheese or butter in the final product.

Once everything is well blended, I placed it on some plastic wrap (or wax paper) and shaped it into a log.  

  

     

I placed the log in the refrigerator for about 15 to chill it, then I unwrap and cover the top side of the log with whole flowers (garnish.) Then I put the flower covered log back in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. 

Place clean wrap over the flowers and allow to chill up to overnight.

When ready to serve, carefully unwrap the log and place on a decorative plate for serving.

Edible Flower Spread 

8 oz. package light cream cheese

1/4 cup butter

1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

3 to 4 tsp fresh minced flowers

1 tsp fresh thyme or savory

Blend butter and cream cheese together with a fork in a medium bowl.  Add the lemon juice to herbs and allow to soak a couple minutes before blending into cheese and butter mixture.  Roll into a log and wrap in plastic wrap.  Allow to meld in refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving.  Spread on toasted French bread, crackers, cut vegetables or fruit wedges.

Cream Cheese Spread and Chive Dip for a Charcuterie Board

For May the recipe theme is appetizers.  Since we just created a new product, a Charcuterie Starter Kit.  This month we thought we would share different recipes one can use on a Charcuterie Board. 

Charcuterie, pronounced [shar-koo-tuh–ree], is the art of preparing cured or smoked meats. Charcuterie boards are essentially meat’s response to a cheese board, and boy are they good. For many folks they are a great way to create a board filled with appetizer bites.  And the awesome thing about charcuterie boards is that there is no end to the possible variations. Switching up a few ingredients yields something new and amazing each and every time.

In our CharcuterieStarter Kit we have combined several herb mixes for spreads and dips, Olive Oil Dipping sauce, a small bowl, and instructions for putting together a Charcuterie Board including a recipe for a board to serve 4 with all the needed ingredients. 

To get us started this month here is a cheese spread and a dip you can try with fresh herbs from your garden.  If you have chive blossoms available, you can substitute those for snipped chives.

Herbed Cheese Spread

• 2 Tbls fresh thyme, chopped fine
• 2 Tbls marjoram, chopped fine
• 2 Tbls chives, snipped with scissors
• 2 Tbls shallot, minced
• 8 oz. cream cheese at room temp

In a small bowl add the herbs and cream cheese.  Mix together until well blended.  Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  Serve with an assortment of crackers and breadsticks.

 

Chive Dip

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup fresh chives, snipped with scissors
• 1 Tbls fresh sage, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic salt

In medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.  Let chill for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator before using to allow all the flavors to meld together. Serve with vegetable dippers.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  

To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, Recipe2019, or Recipe2020.

 
You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD for each month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2021 so you can find them all.

The themes are:
Jan 2021 – Baked Items
Feb 2021 – Breakfast Dishes
March 2021 – Italian Dishes
April 2021 - Chicken Recipes
May 2021 - Appetizers
June 2021 – Mediterranean Dishes
July 2021 – Pork Recipes
August 2021 - Seafood
September 2021 - Pizzas
October 2021 – Mexican Dishes
November 2021 - Cookies
December 2021 – Gift Recipes

Rosemary, Lemon & Feta Spread

Feta cheese is often relegated to a crumble on top of a finished product, but that robust tangy flavor is great used in other ways too.  Here is a tasty spread you can serve with vegetables, crackers, toasted baguette slices, pretzels, etc. that makes a wonderful appetizer for holiday entertaining and the rosemary is a great seasonal herb.

Rosemary, Lemon, & Feta Spread

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped (only use 1/2 Tbls. if using dry)

1 tsp. fresh or dried lemon thyme (optional)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium mixing bowl mix together cream cheese, feta, rosemary, lemon thyme, lemon juice, and garlic until well combined (or place in a food processor and process several times until just combined). Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Wordle Recipes - Chives

I was playing around on the internet and found this site that takes your words or articles and turns them into a graphic.  This is a set of my recipes visually presented.  Is this not fun?

The website is: http://www.wordle.net   Here are the recipes I wordled:

Fines Herbes 

1 Tbls. chopped fresh chives
1 Tbls. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbls. chopped fresh tarragon
1 Tbls. chopped fresh chervil


 Chop herbs finely and combine.  Add to cooked dishes toward the end of cooking.  Great with fish, eggs and salads.



Fines Herbes Spread


Soften 1 8-oz. package cream cheese.  Add 1 tsp. each of fresh chopped chives, parsley, tarragon and chervil.  Place in serving dish or form into a ball.  Refrigerate for several hours or overnight for flavors to meld.  Serve with your favorite crackers.  You can roll the cream cheese blend into a ball or a log and wrap in plastic wrap to firm before serving.


Chive Butter


10 long mature tender chive leaves
1/2 pound unsalted butter, room temp.
Soften the butter.  Place in blender container with the chive leaves.  Blend until all the chive pieces disappear.  The butter will take on a beautiful green color and taste wonderful.  Pour the mixture into a container and chill.  Use as a dip for crackers or a spread for your favorite bread. For a perfect appetizer, slice French bread the long way, spread with the butter and broil for a few minutes.