Garnish with Flowers

If you want to add instant charm to your party food, garnish with flowers! It is amazing how much impact beautiful blooms can have on a table!

Use fresh flowers at your party to create stunning centerpieces, dress up desserts & drinks, and to add color to the table.

If you're looking for a fast and easy garnish, a simple vase of fresh flowers will do the trick.

If you're looking for something a little more creative, take a look at the ideas below.

Use a Flower Garnish to Add a Splash of Color

For an interesting change of pace, stick some flowers inside vases made of vegetables!

Hollow out colorful bell peppers, red cabbage, eggplant, squash and more and pop a flower or two inside.

They make quite an impression and look really nice on a food table.

Remember to add a little bit of water to the vegetables so that the flowers won't wilt!

Use a Flower Garnish to Pack a Punch

Impress your guests by adding flowers to an ice ring in your punch bowl! This is a unique way to garnish with flowers and it is SO easy!

Here's how:

Rinse about 1 cup edible flowers.
Fill a bundt pan (or ring mold pan) with about 1/3 full of water.
Add 1/3 of flowers; freeze until firm.
Fill pan about another 1/3 full of water.
Add 1/3 of flower; freeze until firm.
Repeat with remaining water and flowers.
To unmold, hold bottom of pan under warm water for about 30 seconds.
Add to your punch bowl and enjoy!

Crystallized Flowers

An incredibly pretty way to garnish with flowers is to use crystallized flowers. They are a fabulous addition to cakes and pies. They aren't hard to make, but they do take time. If you plan in advance and are willing to give it a go, making them is well worth the effort.

To crystallize about 2 cups of edible flowers you'll need:

1/4 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup superfine sugar
a small, soft paintbrush
wire racks

How to Crystallize Flowers:

Rinse flowers and let air dry.
Using the paintbrush, gently brush egg substitute onto flower petals.
Gently place flower in a bowl filled with sugar, and use a spoon to lightly sprinkle sugar over the flower, being sure to coat all sides.
Softly shake excess sugar off of flower and place on wire rack to dry.
Dry, uncovered, for 8-12 hours. Use immediately after drying, or store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Edible Flowers

Some flowers are edible, and can be used right inside your party dishes. Here are a few that are safe to eat:

Pansies
Violas
Lilacs
Daisies
Geraniums
Mums
Marigolds
Hibiscus
Roses

If you do choose to eat these flowers, just be sure that they have not been treated with any chemicals. If you're purchasing them, ask a sales associate if the flowers have been chemically treated.