April showers are bringing May flowers even into the kitchen. Flowers are not only beautiful to look at and smell, they are a culinary delight. After falling out of favor for many years, cooking and garnishing with flowers is back in style.

The culinary use of flowers dates back thousands of years with the first recorded mention being in 140 B.C. Edible flowers were especially popular in the Victorian era during Queen Victoria's reign.

Today, many restaurant chefs and innovative home cooks garnish their entrees with flower blossoms for a touch of elegance. The secret to success when using edible flowers is to keep the dish simple - do not add too many other flavors that will over power the delicate taste of the flower.

Broccoli, cauliflower and artichokes are all flowers. The spice saffron is the stamen from the crocus flower. Capers are unopened flower buds to a bush that is native in the Mediterranean and Asian regions.

One very important thing that you need to remember is that not every flower is edible. In fact, sampling some flowers can make you very ill.

You should never use pesticides or other chemicals on any part of any plant that produces blossoms you plan to eat.

Identify the flower exactly and eat only edible flowers, and edible parts of those flowers.

Always remember to use flowers sparingly in your recipes due to the digestive complications that can occur with a large consumption rate. Consult a good reference book or check the Internet before you eat any flowers to make sure they are safe.

Many different cultures have incorporated flowers into their traditional foods. Oriental dishes make use of daylily buds and the Romans used mallow, rose and violets. Italian and Hispanic cultures gave us stuffed squash blossoms, and Indians use rose petals in many recipes. Chartreuse, a classic green liqueur developed in France in the 17th century, boasts carnation petals as one of its secret ingredients. Dandelions were one of the bitter herbs referred to in the Old Testament of the Bible. They are still used in salads and as greens.

Flowers look beautiful as garnishes and add some interesting flavors. Bean blossoms have a sweet, beany flavor. Nasturtiums have a wonderfully peppery flavor similar to watercress and their pickled buds can be substituted for more expensive capers. Borage tastes like cucumber, and miniature pansies or Johny-Jump-Ups have a mild wintergreen taste.

Violets, roses and lavender lend a sweet flavor to salads or desserts. Bright yellow calendulas are an economic alternative to expensive saffron, though not quite as pungent. Other flowers may have a spicy or peppermint flavor.

Edible flowers can be candied, frozen in ice cubes and added to beverages, made into jellies and jams, used to make teas or wines, minced and added to cheese spreads, herbal butters, pancakes, crepes and waffles.

Many flowers can be used to make vinegars for cooking, marinades or dressings for salad.

Herbal flowers normally have the same flavor as their leaves, with the exceptions of chamomile and lavender blossoms, where the flavor is usually more subtle.

Sprinkle edible flowers in your green salads for a splash of color and taste.

One of the most popular uses is candied or crystallized flowers.

They are used to decorate cakes and fine candies. Wedding cakes are often decorated with fresh flowers.

You'll find squash blossoms, which have a subtle squash flavor, from late spring to early fall at gourmet grocery stores, farmers' markets or Latin food markets. You can also grow your own. They perish quickly and should be kept in the refrigerator for no longer than one day.

I have included a wonderful recipe using not only the blossom but all parts of the squash. Enjoy.

This column is a collaborative effort between Auburnians chef Max Hitchcock and his mother, Susan Silverman. They can be reached at irdscapes@adelphia.net