Thursday, May 7, 2015

Eye for the Edible : Alłium ( garlic family ) flowers !

We have these here in our community exercise area and walkway which abuts a wild garden. I know the Gentilly gardeners and am sure that this area doesn't get any kind of pesticide. So when I saw one that had blown over after a stormy night, I thought why not? City eats !



Any part of an allium is edible. Flower, stem, root. Onions, garlic, leek, chives...all work. Four colors of flower : vibrant blue, purple, white and yellow too. 

I like them just as they are. No cooking. I can see using them on a delicate filet of sole or with another vegetable like green beans or in a simple green salad. Slightly sweet, these delicate little blossoms offer a gentle onion flavor without overwhelming you. Very, very pretty too. 

These are great late spring, early summer perennials for your garden if you have one to play in ! Very popular with honeybees and other flying fellows. Other beasts don't seem interested. Not even the dreaded slugs ! Although that may be because of the local hedgehogs. Yes ! Lucky me ! I have a visiting family of hedgehogs here !

Alliums grow almost anywhere and in any kind of soil. And they are one of those bulbs that keeps on giving. Like tulips ! 


Yes that's a Romig Pot ! One of her lovely little stoneware ovals with a matte white glaze. Today's lunch !