Edible Flowers of Cowslip Primula veris
Preserving Flowering Cowslip in Sugar, Syrup and Vinegar
Apr 22, 2009
Primula veris (cowslip) is a relatively compact native flower found in planting in USDA Zones 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Cowslips are effective in reproducing and spreading across partially shaded areas in wildflower meadows, below deciduous trees and under large canopies of shrubs on the edge of woodland areas in backyard gardens.
Gardeners growing cowslip on limestone or chalk, in semi-shaded areas may be reward in several years with drifts of native cowslip producing bright yellow nectar-rich flowers from early spring. In many European countries, collecting cowslips from the wild as edibles or for planting in backyards is prohibited. With an abundant perennial supply in a home garden, Primula veris or cowslip flowers can be preserved in sugar, syrup and vinegar, added as an edible flower to spring salad leaves or made into a West Country-inspired country wine.
Important Notice About Cooking with Cowslip
Care is needed when harvesting cowslip flowers for cookery as some people can experience contact dermatitis. Neither the author or publisher can be held responsibile for any adverse reaction to the recipes and directions and the use of any plant or flower is entirely at the reader's own risk. Readers should make sure that their native flower is edible or not. Any flower consumed for the first time should be eaten in very small quantities to establish whether it can be consumed without adverse or allergic reaction.
Preparing Cowslip and Dandelion for Adding to Spring Salad Leaves
Complete yellow flowers of cowslip only should be used. Green sepals and stalks should be removed before edible flowers are added to a spring leaves salad. In several British counties, dandelion is also available to add to a spring salad. Dandelion flowerheads are bright yellow like cowslip yet do not share the taste and can be bitter to taste. With knowledge that the dandelions have not been sprayed with any weedkillers or other chemicals in the backyard, young dandelion leaves can be edible and join spring salad leaves.
Cowslip can be preserved as a floral sugar or syrup, depending on availability of the flowers and preferences for preserve. Floral vinegar and a country wine are other ways of preserving cowslip, Primula veris.
Cowslip Sugar
Ingredients:
- 350g caster sugar
- 16 tablespoons chopped cowslip flower petals
Directions:
- Blend the sugar and cowslip flowers in a glass bowl.
- Spoon the cowslip sugar into a lidded glass jar or kilner jar and leave to stand at room temperature for 1 week.
- Remove the cowslip flowers by sieving the jar's contents and store in a lidded container in between use.
Cowslip Syrup
Ingredients:
- 450g granulated sugar
- 16 tablespoons chopped cowslip flower petals
- 300ml water
Directions:
- Dissolve the sugar into the water in a preserving pan over a moderate heat.
- Add the cowslip flower petals to the pan stirring gently until the liquid turns to syrup.
- After around 10 minutes, strain the now syrup through a jelly bag to remove bits of cowslip flower into a sterilised jam jar and seal.
- Allow to cool before refridgerating for later use.
Inedible Flowers to Avoid in Seasonal Cookery
Seasonal cooks desiring edible floral ingredients should ensure that they avoid the following plants at all times and seek advice from local gardening clubs, master gardeners, their national horticultural society and botanic gardens about what flowers are edible in their gardens. Research about this can drawing on a list prepared by Jekka McVicar in Cooking with Flowers (Kyle Cathie Ltd, 2003).
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