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Our Brand New ACCELERATED Fat Loss Diet!I have seen fried zucchini blossoms on the Food Network and heard the judges comments on it. i have a very small garden and a bush full of Zucchini blossoms and would like ti use them. Some fall off and others are on the end of a three to four inch Zucchinis. Can I pick those?
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1 response so far ↓
1 bobi // Jul 27, 2008
Yes, you can. Once the squash itself has started to form, plucking the blossom will not harm the fruit nor inhibit its growth. Gently separate the blossom from the fruit by hand, not with a knife and enjoy! That is how I was taught.
A bit of looking yielded this:
Squash blossoms are edible flowers, raw or cooked. Both summer and winter squash blossoms can be battered and fried in a little oil for a wonderful taste sensation. Harvest only the male blossoms unless the goal is to reduce production. Male blossoms are easily distinguished from the female blossoms. The stem of the male blossom is thin and trim. The stem of the female blossom is very thick. At the base of the female flower below the petals is a small bulge, which is the developing squash.
Always leave a few male blossoms on the vine for pollination purposes. There are always many more male flowers than female. Harvest only the male squash blossoms unless you are trying to reduce production. The female blossom can be harvested with a tiny squash growing at the end and used in recipes along with full blossoms. Use the blossom of any variety of summer or winter squash in your favorite squash blossom recipe.
Use pruning shears or a sharp knife to cut squash blossoms at midday when the petals are open, leaving one inch of stem. Gently rinse in a pan of cool water and store in ice water in the refrigerator until ready to use. The flowers can be stored for a few hours or up to 1 or 2 days. If you’ve never eaten squash blossoms, you are in for a treat.