Not Sophisticated Enough for Edible Flowers

Pansy Psychedelic Blue Butterfly Hybrid from Park Seeds. Would you eat something called "Psychedelic Blue Butterfly Hybrid"? I don't eat blue food. I don't eat flowers. I certainly don't eat psychedelic blue butterfly flowers. Do these make your mouth water?

I used to fancy myself a sophisticated eater (several notches below a "gourmet" but a few notches above "all you can eat"). I knew that a dish with "Normandy" in the title meant something to do with apples and a few other code words that might keep me from accidentally eating tripe. But I draw the line at flowers.

My mother told me never to eat flowers or other things that were in the yard. We had azaleas and abundant other blooming things that were poisonous. Never eat flowers, she said. And I lived to tell you that I never did.

I still can't bring myself to eat flowers. If you're going to garnish my plate, I'll take parsley or chocolate. Please, keep the flowers in the centerpiece. If you throw nasturtium petals in my salad, well, I'll be intimidated at your boldness and you'll probably find them later in the centerpiece, where they belong. My mouth won't accept flowers. Like one of those Coke machines that's picky about dollar bills.

Now, Lucy, my horse, will eat pansies. I was really sorry to find this out after she ate a whole planter full I had put by the barn. Quite pretty. Must have tasted even better.

I get an e-mail newsletter from Park Seeds, my father's favorite supplier of seeds for his garden, and today's promotion was edible flowers. This is not an ad, but a confession.

Comments

[groovyoldlady]

But I like nasturtiums in my salad!

[Angry]

As a teenager I ate some things that had a psychedelic affect, does that count? Probably not but I think it does explain the condition of mind these daze.