FOOD

Flower Power 

“In a world full of roses, stand out like a dandelion

in the middle of a green, plush lawn!”

― June Stoyer

The word Dandelion is from the French ‘dent de lion’, “lion’s tooth,” referring to the shape of its leaves. Dandelions are an amazingly versatile, nutritious, free food to forage. I’ve been busy harvesting them from our pesticide free garden.

Dandelions are delicious, edible weeds. They were not always seen as weeds. Previously dandelions were classed as herbs. They contain calcium and iron, as well as vitamins A, C and K. Some say that they have medicinal properties, for detoxing as well as stimulating digestion.

The more I researched this humble plant, the more I began to see it as a much over-looked super-food.

Over the last couple of weeks we’ve harvested the leaves or flower heads just before they’re needed in the kitchen. We’ve enjoyed them on an open tart, with small, fresh pomodorini, ricotta cheese and pine nuts. I’ve baked them in cookies, which gives a delicious, slightly honey-ish finish. And the biscuits look so pretty, with the tiny flecks of yellow from the flowers.

Some of the flowers were infused in olive oil, to make a special body oil. The jar took two weeks of basking in the sunshine, on a sunny window sill.

Bright and resilient, Dandelions are tough. They can spring back to life, even when they’ve been trodden on. If I was a flower, I think I would be a dandelion.

Over the years we’ve bought countless bags of fresh rocket and spinach, wrapped in plastic packaging. Never again. Dandelion leaves are every bit as delicious. Today’s lunch was sourced in a few minutes, a large handle of fresh, dandelion leaved, washed and sautéed in olive oil with some fresh garlic, chilli and pine nuts.

All this harvesting of a so called common weed got me thinking. How much do we simply throw away? How much do we simply discard?

Modern society sells to us. Constantly. We’re not encouraged to look for alternatives. But there are many.

Big business attempts to tell us what we need. And so much knowledge has been lost, in the presenting to us of convenience. But what if we don’t want or need convenience?

Recently we’ve been keeping orange peel, something that would usually be thrown away, and drying them to start log fires. Their waxy, oily peel make brilliant, sweet smelling fire lighters.

How many other things are being forgotten in our rush-rush lives?

How do you use something from your home or garden, that typically gets thrown away?

Maggie M / Mother City Time