Flower Friday : : Squash Blossom

I never see a squash blossom that I don't think of the exquisitely fried ones I had often in Italy. I know not to even try this at home so convinced am I that instead of the delicately crunchy appetizer, I would produce a greasy, soggy dish garnished with fried ants. No matter how carefully I wash them, the blossoms still harbor more than a few insects within.

While it can't be denied that this is a flower, it definitely has an earthiness and a hairy prickliness not usually associated with the cut variety. Despite these defenses however, it is not sturdy, designed solely to nurture the growing squash at its base. Or to be fried and eaten…. 

Back in the 80's when edible flowers were the latest culinary wonder, I picked some nasturtiums from the garden and put them in a salad. They were not well received when the inevitable ants crawled out of them and began circling the salad plates. We weren't a trendy lot back in those days. 

Lately I have heard more than one story touting the ubiquity and protein richness of various grubs and insects making them eminently suitable for feeding the masses. Well, except for the fact that they are.bugs even ground up and put in cookie dough or fried and covered with chocolate 
Still not that trendy….or altruistic.