I’ve heard numerous times people use sented geraniums as an herb. I have never seen a recipie for, or met someone that actually has used it. Anybody here use them for cooking? What do you use them to season.
My parents used to get some very unusual salads when I lived at their house.
I’ve used them whole & raw as a colorful garnish to salads. Most people don’t eat them, but you can if you want to. Nice peppery flavor vaguely resembling that of radish sprouts.
People from the southern states where susposed too have used them in cooking. Does anyone have a recipie besides raw in a salad.
Thanks for the input TennHippie.
Scented geranium, or, pelargonium, have a wide range of flavor & scent; rose, apple, coconut and peppermint,to name a few.
Originally from South Africa, they came to Europe in the 1600s. They were popular in the US in colonial times.
This, from an excellent basic herbal;-Rodale’s Encyclopedia of Herbs-
"You can use the leaves of rose geraniums to flavor tea biscuits, jelly, and even sugar…“Build up alternating layers of sugar and petals in a mason jar, and place the jar where it will catch the sun for about two weeks. By that time, the leaves will have contributed their essence to the sugar and can be sifted out’
Peppermint and rose geraniums can be added to teas. A couple of rose geranium leaves will add a distinguised scent to that bland standard, apple jelly.”
My experience with this plant is that it’s wonderful to grow. Especially just to pass by and rub the leaves for their beautiful scent. I’d say the rose & nutmeg are the most intoxicating. I’ve never seen them offered in a dried form, so get a couple of plants. They’re pretty, too, well worthwhile!
I love to go to Olbric Gardens in Madison Wisconsin and visit the herb garden. They have many of the scented geraniums, and other goodies.
The whole place is great to walk through. It’s a very nicely kept free public garden, off lake Mondota. You can go into the tropical dome for $1 or free depending when you show up.
I really pissed off my sister there. I walked across the rose garden and said that has to be Mr. Lincoln, it’s so red and fragrent. She checked the tag and I was right. Later we come across a tub planted with many different plants, and she bets I don’t know what they are. I named every plant on the label. Pissed her off.
The downside is everytime I go hiking everybody expects me to name every plant they see.
The trick to hiking is to say we’re half way to getting back, when they ask how much longer. You can always turn around, so you’re never less than half way through the hike
Before eating ANYTHING plant like get a book at the your library first. dont be eating anything you don’t know. Also people spray plants with chemicals. You don’t want to eat those.
Amen, handy.
A good place to find out what’s edible and what’s not is the “Foxfire” book series. You will also find folk remedies, recipes and great lore coming from really old folks in the hills. My grandpa turned me on to these books as a kid, and I still love reading them.
handy:
That is why I am asking for people that have used it. I’m not about too use it just because someone says it can be used on some show. Currently I would use it to scent things around the house.
My friend got a book on edible mushrooms from our library. Certain ones have drug properties so she went looking for these blue ones. Found a great supply of them around our local elementary school. She wouldn’t show me where though…
Scented geraniums are nice but mostly for flavoring not so much as eating.