Eating Flowers
Were flowers ever a food-group for you? Ever a source of physical, gastrointestinal nourishment? A carbon-source?
Did it even occur to you, when you were small, that eating a flower was even something you'd consider?
I wonder now how many things in my white, suburban, christian (well, catholic, at least) upbringing were simply off-limits to the mindset. I'm not talking about questioning and being convinced. I'm not even talking about having questions shushed before you can get to the question-mark. I'm talking about normalcy. And Normalcy. And being guided into limits you didn't even know were there. Limits on the world indistinguishable from the world itself.
Who eats a flower? Well, there was the idea of eating the flowers from zucchini plants (only the male flowers) when I was a kid, but those were drowned in pancake batter and fried to hell. And they were an astonishment. Definitely Not Normal.
What else about the world do we just not sense because we've been trained that way? What senses—or sensibilities—do we lack that prevent us from seeing beyond red or purple, beyond taste and smell?
Why the discouragement to go where others are afraid to?
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Comments
As a matter of fact, my mother growing up made candied flowers and violet syrup. The syrup is like maple only flavored and colored with violets. Quite yummy.
Posted by: geno | July 26, 2005 01:36 AM
Point well taken. Interesting example you use, too.
Also, I did eat flowers. There was a small clump of oxalis growing under a tree in our front yard, and every summer I would pick the tiny pink flowers and eat them. They were very tart, and I ate them despite the fact that I don't really like tart foods. I suppose it just amused me to eat them. I have no idea how I determined that I could do that. I still have no idea if they were edible, or if I just never ate enough to kill me.
Posted by: Josh | July 26, 2005 03:29 AM
i always wanted to eat flowers. i got started wanting to after i saw willie wonka and he ate that buttercup tea cup. then i started eating the honeysuckle in our backyard as a kid. i think that's what made me gay. yahoo!
Posted by: jiminy | July 26, 2005 09:01 AM
There's that whole poppy flower thing I did back in the 90's, but I'm guessing that's not what you're talking about here.
Posted by: palochi | July 27, 2005 02:40 AM
my mom for all my birthdays always makes me an orange flavored cake with lemon frosting and decorates it with an edible spring bouquet of flowers.
delicious. and that's why i'm gay.
Posted by: jennie | July 27, 2005 04:43 AM
Why is it ok to eat shrimp and lobster, but not scorpion and spider? Same basic desigin, just different habitat.
Posted by: Lee(Skittles) | July 27, 2005 07:10 AM
A few years ago I had the opportunity to dine with Moby at a strictly vegetarian restaurant to celebrate cd sales for Play. It was a work function but it was a small affair. He (at least then) was adhering to a microbiotic diet and we wanted to celebrate his birthday which was the day before so we pre-ordered a completely organic dairy free, gluten free, you name it free birthday cake. I think it was made with organic apple sauce to sweeten it. They decorated the whole thing with an array of edible flowers and it was stunning (and delicious) It opened my eyes where food's concerned, that's for sure.
But I still have a soft spot for butter cream icing.
Could it be "thinking inside the flower box" ?
:)
Posted by: Tina | July 27, 2005 09:57 AM
Tina, you a hoot! :)
Posted by: GodOfBiscuits | July 27, 2005 10:04 AM