The wilderness is filled with greens, from grassy glade and mossy rock to the leaves upon the trees. But how to celebrate this verdant splendor, when one eats neither grass nor moss, neither leaf-lined branch nor bud? The salad bowl is just the place for a pageant of greenery, as one can fill it with a tender mix of lush edibles scooped from the field. We prefer a wild salad to be austerely dressed; too much accessorizing can distract from its simple beauty. A drizzle of lemon and oil and perhaps a scattering of edible blooms are all that are needed here.
If the notion of eating flowers calls to mind a pasture cow chomping on clover, it is time to revise one's thinking. A colorful blend of delicate blossoms instantly makes a salad of simple mixed greens more elegant, and depending upon the chosen blooms, will add lemony, peppery, tart, or honeyed flavor. Before dashing off to the nearest meadow, take note: not all flowers are edible. Pluck only those one is certain can be safely digested, such as violet, hyssop, borage, calendula, lilac, nasturtium, dandelion, pansy, and marigold. Remove all pistils and stamens before eating and avoid any flowers suspected to have received pesticide treatment.
