Edible Paradise

These delicate, orange yellow blossoms are a treat – they are great for stuffing with cheese, or eating raw.

Farmers pick the squash blossoms before they fruit. Bar-D Ranch and Ron Borba Farms carry a few blossoms every Saturday morning at the Aptos Farmers Market. If you are having a special occasion or just want to try cooking squash blossoms, it’s best to pre-order them directly from the farmer since they don’t last long at the farmers market. Summer squash has both male and female flowers, but it’s only the female flowers that produce fruit. There might be a very small green zucchini attached to the blossom – these are edible as well.

The squash blossom is very low in calories but very high in fiber. A good source of vitamins A and C, they are approximately 5 calories each. Includes Iron and potassium.

How to Select: It’s best if you pre-order the squash blossoms, since their shelf life is very limited. Ask the farmer to pick you some, but please make sure you come and get them. Once the blossom is picked from the plant, no squash will grow from that picked site.

How to Store: Squash blossoms are very fragile – use within a day or two. Store in the fridge until ready to use. They may look on the limp side, but this will not alter the taste.

RECIPE:  Squash Blossoms Stuffed with Ricotta, Squash Blossom Quesadillas