I'm making the Pavlova this Christmas and my Aunty was raving about a pavlova she had with edible flowers on the top. I thought I would try and recreate for Christmas.

Does anyone know where I get these things from?

Ingrid, lots of common garden flowers are edible. The only problem is, they don't really last that long once picked, so you really need to grow your own for best results. But you could ask around your neighbours and see if they have any that you might be able to pick a few a couple of hours before you need them. Here is a lovely website that shows in glorious colour the NZ flowers that are edible, together with ideas on how to use them.
[www.good.net.nz]

I am growing mine on our deck & the colours are lovely from the violas, I use all sorts in my salads too eg mustard, chives many more. If you go to your garden centre there will be an area that has these.
FARROS stock them in little Punnets in their salad area get them close to when you need them as they don’t last long.

If you are picking the flowers from your garden it's a good idea to leave them on the bench for half an hour after you wash them, this will encourage any insects to vacate them. I have occasionally been embarrassed by having an ant crawl out of a nasturtium or viola flower, and once, horrors, an earwig.

What flowers are best to use?

Lorna thanks for an interesting link. I had no idea day lillies were edible! I hope my day lillies don't know I've written this ha ha!
Regards,
Dawn.

For a pavlova you could use borage flowers, viola/heartsease, pineapple sage, rose petals, lavender (careful too much tastes like medicine or soap), honeysuckle.
Don't use chive flowers on a pavlova though, they taste like onions!

But be careful with lavender, you need the Lavendula Angustifolia type, which has less camphor than some other varieties. And be careful using any flowers and foliage - make sure they have come from a spray free environment.

I'm not sure where you live but last summer Farro Fresh in Auckland was stocking small punnets of edible flowers which were in the chilled vege area with the micro herbs and lettuce etc. I bought them several times and they kept very well in the fridge. There was a mixture in each punnet. I even bought a couple which were at the best before date and discounted and they still kept well for several days.

Thanks Danube - I'm in Auckland so I'm thinking I might be safe and take the buying the flowers route otherwise I can imagine all sorts of interesting things I might get carried away with this Christmas

[www.secretgarden.co.nz]

For anyone interested here is more info on the Farro ones and where else you can buy them.

Remember the ones we used to suck as a kid? Nasturtiums, theres are edible and FREE - just look around your garden or the neighbours.They are beautiful summer colours. Sorry this is a bit late but you will know for next year assuming you are on the pav again. ;-)

Vanessa