Herbs and Flowers In My Platter

I have hosted around 20 events here.Some are the ones I conceived and others were guest hosted as a part of a series.All those that I have hosted are individual events and a tiny part of me craved to start a series.There is cooking with spices, fruits, vegetables, seeds, cereals etc and I was wondering how it would be to start a series to cook with herbs and flowers. Yea, I know, the title would sound better if it was 'herbs and spices' but Think spice is already going on so I chose ' Herbs and Flowers'.What do you think ,ladies?

I use herbs in my cooking but my interest in growing them increased after I read The Herb Bible which tells you everything you need to know about growing, storing and cooking, non culinary uses of herbs.

Herbs,as you are aware, are used to enhance the flavor of the dishes.Even a simple dish can be turned into an exotic one with the addition of herbs.Small quantity of herbs are more than sufficient to add the magic touch.Fresh and dry herbs have been in use from time immemorial.Some of the common herbs are Coriander, Mint, Thyme,Sage, Sorrel, Chives, Basil, Parsley,Fenugreek , Bayleaf etc.

Edible flowers are quite different from the ones grown for aesthetic purpose.These are also different from the ones sold at the florists.Flowers that are either home grown or free of toxic pesticides are used in creating culinary magic. Fresh and dried flowers are used to make a wide range of dishes from appetizers, juices, stir-fries, liqueurs, syrups ,desserts.Flower garnishes are also very popular.The flowers commonly used are Roses , Lavender, Banana blossom, Squash and Zucchini blossoms,  Hibiscus,Neem flowers etc.Each culture / cuisine has some flower to make the dish interesting.

These herbs and flowers not only add flavor to the platter but also have some medicinal properties that are so valuable to us. 

So dear friends, are you ready to cook with Herbs and Flowers?

If you say 'Yes' then the theme for this month is MINT.One of my favorite herbs.Mint comes in many varieties like peppermint,spear mint, lemon mint and even chocolate mint!It is used as a seasoning for many dishes, can be added to liven soups, beverages, desserts and even main dishes.

Here are some guidelines for the event:

1. Cook and blog about a Vegan or Vegetarian dish which features 'Mint'. If fresh mint is not available you can also use dried mint  / Mint Syrup etc.
2. Though this series is based on the culinary uses, you can also share the following -growing mint or tips on freezing or storing them,non culinary uses that have been tried and tested by you like cosmetic uses,home remedies,crafts etc.You can also write about some interesting facts on mint.
3. Please add this announcement link,logo to your post so that we can spread the word.
4. Send in as many entries as you wish.Archives entries are also accepted but do make a link to the post with this announcement.
5. Non bloggers are also welcome to participate
6. The last date for the entries is March 15th 2011.
7. Send me the following details to seduceurtastebuds@gmail.com

• Your name and name of your blog
• Recipe and URL
• Picture of your dish.[Please re-size your images]

 Hope you will support me as you have always done.I look forward to cooking new recipes with herbs and flowers :)

If you are interested in hosting a herb / flower in your blog, do drop me a line...

Happy cooking....