On the Sunday the 7th, I met up with Juls at the Wonder Market and when I spotted these beautiful Proteas, which I know are Sandro’s mom’s absolute favouite and I just couldn’t resist buying them for her. Aren’t they just gorgeous??! They are called the Madiba Protea. Nelson Mandela has made such an impact on South Africa and the South African people that he even has a flower named after him. This flower is one of the species of Proteas, which is our National Flower Long live Madiba Vanilla Roses x |
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I have an absolute fetish for flowers these days- their beauty leaves me mesmerised and in awe. How can something so small can turn any frown upside down? God seriously created a masterpiece when he crafted flowers? After reading Language of Flowers, I feel my obsession with flowers became more intense, especially now that I have a flower dictionary (fiction or not) that allows me to assign meaning and significance with each flower I encounter. Click to see flower dictionary from Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh Growing up my mom and I would often walk around our garden picking flowers and leaves, both fresh ones and ones that had died and we would put them into a flower press, where we would leave them to dry out over the next few days. Once they had dried out we would spend an afternoon making handmade cards to give to my friends as thank you notes or birthday cards. I wonder where that little flower press is. I would love to maybe re-kindle the tradition. I re-read my Midlands Meander post a few days ago and after being unable to get the image of those mini pansies out of my mind I knew that it was time for a flower post. Do you know the answer to my question below?: “What do Pansies; Roses, Violets and Nasturtiums have in common? Yip you are right, they are exquisite BUT they are also EDIBLE! Not only are they visually appealing but you can also add them to your salads or even your desserts and bam! your plate is instantly transformed. There are actually quite a few edible flowers Have you ever tried one of these? I had to complete a thesis when I was doing my honours degree at College last year and I decided to do mine on organic. As part of my activation I decided to make 'plantable' paper (what’s this?? I’ll be posting about this soon- watch this space!!) But I also created an herb and flower garden (nothing excessive) however I had so much fun learning about gardening and watching my flowers blossom into flowers or sprout into herbs. My reason for this was I wanted to get into the organic culture and support the whole sustainable living whilst having a touch of the ‘local is lekker’ ethos. My mom and I headed down to Builder’s Express and purchase some pansies, lavender and nasturtiums as they would be a great addition to our garden. If I had been aware of the mini pansies I would have probably been tempted to harvest them but nonetheless the regular pansies never disappointed. Look how gorgeous they are and how well they have blossomed. I even spotted a caterpillar on them the other day, naughty bugger, munching on my edible petals. There really is that sense of achievement and pride when you walk out into your garden and see your little babies smiling in the sun, knowing that you helped contribute to their growth and development- a really great feeling! Now that I have these edibles in my garden I have been itching to try them out. Vicki Christina’s, a Spanish Tapas Bar in Umhlanga, serve a heart-shaped pizza with edible flowers on it. OF COURSE! I couldn’t resist... I came home from work on Thursday and there she was a delicious looking salad, made by my mom, and on top sat, in all her glory, our first Nasturtium from our garden, dressed head to toe in tangerine orange. Just in case I wasn’t in the mood for salad- I most certainly did now. My parents and I had to share out this little flower and in fact it was more than enough as it has quite a unique taste. Whilst I’m sharing stories about edible flowers I think I have to share some of these creative ideas with you. When I stumbled across these recipes I was so intrigued and eager to try them out. Crystalised or Candied flowers are a perfect topping to any ordinary sponge cake or un-iced biscuit. Sometimes all you need is a rose petal on a chocolate cake or a sprig of rosemary across a yoghurt loaf to transform your creations into something from the MasterChef TV series. Below are the few easy steps on how to do just that! Come on, I know you want to 'wow' your friends at your next tea party. (Note: First impressions last a lifetime!) Crystalising Violets Crystallizing these flowers are really quite simple. Take one egg white (room temperature). Whisk it until a little bit foamy. Paint the egg white liquid carefully onto the petals of the violets. Sprinkle sugar on top until lightly coated. Rest flowers at room temperature for 24 hours. And serve them on cupcakes and cakes (S.Kenney 2010) Candied Rose Petals
I unfortunately haven't tried this recipe yet but I found the recipe and images from 'Heather from Sprinkle Bakes'. Bake your own tried and tested cupcakes, ice them and then garnish them with: CANDIED ROSE PETALS 15 blemish-free rose petals 1 tablespoon meringue powder ½ tablespoon warm water ½ cup extra-fine granulated sugar Paint brush Wire rack for drying 1. Mix together the meringue powder and water in a small condiment cup. Pour the extra fine sugar in a separate small bowl. 2. Dip the paint brush into the diluted meringue and brush an even coat onto the front and back of a rose petal. Dip the petal in the granulated sugar and place on wire rack. You can also place the petals upright in a clean egg crate to give them dimension. Repeat process with remaining petals until all are coated. Let dry at room temperature until crisp. 3. Garnish cupcakes with petals or place in an air-tight container until ready for use. Quick Note: Meringue powder can be found at most cake specialty shops. A few years ago I read a truly delightful book by Vanessa Diffenbaugh: "The Language of Flowers". A novel which changed my view of flowers. Although this is a fictional novel, it gave me insight into a variety of different flowers- unusual flowers; extraordinary flowers. I always knew the basic flowers (or had heard of them) but to actually read about them in a story and learn of the author's meaning and significance for each flower- was marvelous. As you know I love roses and sunflowers, and have always loved them, apart from learning that sunflowers symbolise false riches, it was intriguing to read how and why definitions were attached to certain flowers. Take a look at Vanessa Diffenbauch's flower diction and find out the meaning to your fav flowers - click this link below: http://www.languageofflowers.com.au/dictionary.html Below is a glimpse into this [heartbreaking and redemptive novel about the meaning of flowers, the meaning of family, and the meaning of love. Beautiful, original and utterly unforgettable] "I had a sudden urge to tell him about the flowers, to explain the hidden meanings. Honeysuckle for devotion. Azaleas for passion. Red roses for love. I placed a rhododendron on the plywood counter before him. The cluster of purple blossoms was not yet open and the buds pointed in his direction, tightly coiled and toxic. Beware. In The Language of Flowers, Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s powerful first novel, a damaged young woman, Victoria Jones, who can only communicate through the Victorian language of flowers, goes from being homeless to a sought after wedding floral designer. The Victorian language of flowers was used to express emotions: honeysuckle for devotion, azaleas for passion, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it has been more useful in conveying feelings like grief, mistrust and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings. Now eighteen, Victoria has nowhere to go, and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. When her talent is discovered by a local florist, she discovers her gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But it takes meeting a mysterious vendor at the flower market for her to realise what’s been missing in her own life, and as she starts to fall for him, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness". Above extract taken from: www.languageofflowers.com Check out the Language of Flowers app on Facebook and send flowers to all your friends! Email me: click on the envelope at the top right of this blog |