And which Bouquet will make Her Heart Sway?
The ancient Egyptians are considered to be the first to use flowers as symbols of love. What a trend they set… thousands of years later, flowers are still at the top of the charts for gifts of love. Love is a hugely broad category, and fortunately, so are flower varieties. Love can be expressed as friendship, as intense passion, as filial, and any relationship in which respect and care are the foundation. Thus, when choosing flowers to send to whomever your feelings bend to, and in whatever degree of love, there are flowers that are appropriate. Beyond your feelings for the lady or man, consider her or his feelings – the type of person receiving the flowers is more important than the meaning of flowers, as interpretations differ, and while you may be passionately in love with a girl who loves nature, she may prefer simple ivy to red roses. In addition to the personality, flowers can wonderfully complement a lifestyle. Take note of the type of surroundings, colors and style of those you love, and they will be impressed by your sensitivity to what they love. When thought goes into a bouquet, the gift takes on a new meaning, and will be remembered long after the blossoms end blooming.
First on the list in choosing your bouquet is to know what you want to say in giving it. If you are giving the bouquet to one who is cheerful and charming, and your relationship is innocent, chrysanthemums or daisies convey this message. If you are falling in love, but it is still quite playful and the tone is not too serious yet, hyacinth is an option. These bright flowers themselves are playful, with a strong, intoxicating smell. This sums up the first stages of love for many couples! If you intend to give flowers to one who is modest, violets won’t hurt anyone’s modesty. If anything, a tad of modesty may be lost in receiving such a gift of understated elegance. When we are giving flowers for romantic purposes, do not feel limited to red or pink roses. In addition to the gorgeous rose, other romantic contenders include tulips, lilacs, wildflowers, and orchids. If finally, after all the years of motherly love, you wake up one day wanting to acknowledge mum for all that she’s done, pink carnations are an especially interesting choice, as they represent a mother’s undying love. According to legend, carnations stemmed from the tears of Mary as she watched Jesus carry the cross. Thus, in giving carnations to mother, you are recognizing the years of undying love that she has given to you!
While flowers traditionally have their own language and meaning, do not feel limited to flower language when choosing a bouquet. Often far more pertinent to your life is the personality of the person receiving the bouquet. Starting with the eternally beloved drama queens (and kings) in our lives, the flowers they receive should represent their fiery personalities. Best for the dramatic one is a bouquet of bold colors in a sharp, non-traditional vase. Perhaps a metallic square vase is in line here. While pleasing an artist aesthetically may seem a mission impossible, lean towards exotic flowers. Their rarity will please the artistic eye, and if you ask the florist to recommend some flowers of uncommon shapes, this will be even better eye candy for the artist. The free-spirited and natural will love that which reminds them of being outdoors: green and flowering plants, with some spicy smells added to take the imagination away from contemporary life. A classic beauty will like a traditional arrangement of lush and various flowers, while the romantic will enjoy softness in both colors and fragrance, with ribbons decorating the bouquet.
Beyond personality, if you are looking for a more creative way to please, choose the bouquet based on other factors, such as color or home interior. Knowing her favorite color, and giving her a bouquet with that color as the focus will make any flower that much more appreciated. If you are going to an event, be it a ball or an anniversary dinner, figure out the color of her dress beforehand, and order a bouquet that will match or complement the dress. Even if it won’t go out with the two of you, it will look great in any pre-photos. Did grandma buy new curtains that she’s extremely proud of? How touched she will be when you give her a bouquet that complements her beautiful new curtains (no matter what your opinion of them!). The general style of an apartment or house can be considered. Don’t feel you have to buy a huge gushing bouquet if the apartment where the flowers are heading is minimalist and contemporary. Florists are artists, and they can make a bouquet as different as you ask for.
Of course, with all the meaning that flowers can take on, most important, and most pleasing to the recipient, will be the flowers that have personal meaning. If, on your first date strolling through St. James’ Park, you pinched a tulip to impress your girl, this may be the most romantic flower to you as your relationship progresses. Guidelines are always guidelines, but life experience should be what marks and makes our own guidelines. Do remember that whatever the flower, you can always add to its importance by choosing a color she loves. Still, knowing the traditional meanings of flowers helps you decide what message you want to convey in giving flowers. Knowing his or her personality and lifestyle will add to making a bouquet unique to that person. Thus, when choosing flowers, there is no right or wrong, but the more thought you put into the bouquet; the longer it will be cherished and remembered.
A Flower a day keeps the Doctor away
Gourmet food is expensively delicious not only for its quality
ingredients and taste, but also for its aesthetics. Aesthetics in food are
making a big comeback in today’s restaurants, and for good reason. An
experience involving one sense unwittingly involves more than one. So
while we eat, we may think that taste is all that our brain is processing,
but it’s a much richer experience than that. The smell and the sight
of the food are major points in the eating experience. One of the most
natural and most appealing ways to brighten up and beautify a dish is
the simple addition of an edible flower! There are many varieties which
are edible, and add a subtle flavor into your dish. Cooking with
flowers, though, is a cautious process, as you must be completely sure that
what you are serving is neither poisonous nor chemically treated. Once
you have chosen your flowers safely, the options available for cooking
are very wide. While I don’t recommend you start viewing bouquets as
scrumptious salads and chewing away upon receiving a gift, it is worth
realizing the value of flowers as a garnish and ingredient to complement
a slew of recipes.
The absolutely most important factor when deciding to cook with flowers
is to be sure that the variety is edible, and not poisonous. While
this article shall provide general guidelines, do confirm before the use
of any plant in your food that it is, in fact, edible. The safest bet
for edible flowers is those that will eventually grow into the
vegetables and fruits that we already know and love. Often the flowers of
vegetables, fruits, and herbs offer a reminder of the plant they come from,
in a more subtle flavor. Examples are the basil, chive, garlic, and
lemon flowers. These are good garnishes for dishes which may already use
the fruit of the above-mentioned flowers. The chamomile flower is very
gentle and pleasant also. Other flowers that come from plants we know
are the arugula flower, the mustard flower, the squash flower (which
can even be fried and eaten on its own), and the sunflower. Edible
flowers are not limited to those which later blossom into fruits and
vegetables. Some of the prettiest flowers have petals which we can eat.
Specifically, carnations, dandelions, jasmine, rose, lavender, violets, and
daisies are edible. Some of these add a beautiful aroma to the dish,
and a very romantic bite. Such flowers are perfect to add to a salad,
because they add sharp color, which always makes a salad more appealing,
along with a delicate flavor.
There are important rules that absolutely must be followed when using
flowers in cooking. The importance of certainty in the safety of the
specific flower is of utmost importance. Never use an ingredient in your
cooking that you are not sure is safe. Remember that many flowers are
poisonous, so be certain of the identity of the flowers you have chosen
to cook with. Once this step has been checked, we’re ready to move on
to the next rule of flower cooking. This rule is where you get your
flower from. Do not buy flowers for cooking from florists, unless
specifically grown for eating purposes. Most flowers for a florist are not
grown as comestibles, and thus are not treated as comestibles. The
products which these flowers are treated with are not to be consumed. Thus,
either find a florist who specializes in growing flowers for eating
purposes, or grow your own! Growing your own flowers for food entails
basically the same rules as growing flowers for aesthetic pleasure, but be
sure to avoid pesticides, and use natural methods of keeping bugs away:
plant a variety of flowers near each other, as this equilibrium may
help ward off bugs; remember that lady bugs are a good bug that eats many
pests, so know your friendly bugs; smearing some garlic and coffee
grinds into the soil often keeps pests at bay as they hate the sharpness
and bitterness of these foods. Lastly, use only the petals of flowers,
as the pollen may cause allergies, and is often bitter. Especially for
first-time flower cooks, use small amounts, as any food new to the
digestive tract should be introduced slowly and easily.
Now that we are ready to cook, let the ideas roll in! Usage of flowers
is so varied; they can accompany anything from hors d’oeuvres to
dessert. Flowers are perfect garnishes for salty and sweet dishes, and
petals add a nice flavor and look to salads. Try making a salad mix of
veggies and fruits, and throw in some flowers as well. This will add to
the beauty of such a varied salad, and will add a unique flavor to the
sensation of the combined sweetness and saltiness. Herbal butters have
never looked prettier with flower petals mixed into them, and most
batters will only be upgraded with a flower mixed into them. Imagine the
beauty of crepes with some lavender flowers spread throughout! Drinks
will look sharp with flowers frozen into ice cubes, while teas are
delicious with aromatic flowers. Adding some rose jam to your tea is also a
delicious option of sweetening your tea, so think of the jams you can
make from flowers. Once you start cooking with flowers, you can be so
much more creative in your cooking, with results that all notice and
love.
Every cook likes to heighten her experience and always looks for new
ways to improve and change. Flowers are a wonderful step to this, as
they are easy to cook with, add beauty and aroma, and help the imagination
flow to create more and more interesting recipes. Flowers have long
been used in cooking, and what luck that the fashion is coming back. Our
dishes will be tastier, more attractive, and richer in aroma. Learn
which flowers you can cook with, and, upon buying them, be sure that they
have been grown to be eaten and stick to using the petals of the
flowers. Keep in mind that many flowers used as garnishes are often only
decorative. For instance, many live flowers used to decorate wedding cakes
are not for consumption. However, when you are cooking with flowers
you know to be good for eating, let your imagination run, and you will
create a myriad of dishes that are enhanced and beautified by the flower
garden you have added into them!
By freelance writer sponsored by Serenata, an independent florist
(http://www.serenataflowers.com/ ) Serenata delivers flowers within the
UK. Flowers for exclusive, well cared for bouquets.
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