Kitchen Table Tidbits #9: Eat a Daisy, Enjoy Fake Cheese, Munch More Walnuts

In this Tidbits we look at flowers as food, a judge’s opinion that you should know your cheese is fake, some screw-ups with the federal school lunch program, and nuts to you – walnuts, that is, and they are good for you.

1. HUNGRY? EAT A FLOWER: Yes, there are many edible flowers. It is best to eat what you’ve grown on your own in order to avoid pesticides or other contaminants like roadside exhaust. Some of those on the list are common knowledge, like arugula or basil. Or maybe you would like chrysanthemum and English daisy petals, although they are said
to be a bit bitter. Johnny Jump-Up, a sort of violet, is noted by a Treehugger writer as “adorable and delicious, the flowers have a subtle mint flavor great for salads, pastas, fruit dishes and drinks.” Personally I am drawn toward pumpkin and squash blossoms. They are used in salads, fried and souped.  Is that a word, souped? It should be. There are numerous recipes for squash blossoms stuffed with risotto, this one gives you the idea. 

To see a list of more than 40 edible “flowers,” check out this Treehugger article. 

2. JUDGE SAYS FAKE CHEESE IS OKAY: When word got around about wood pulp in the Parmesan cheese, a bunch of lawsuits were filed. It was the big companies faking the stuff -- Kraft Heinz, Walmart, worst of all was said to be Target where the “100% grated Parmesan” had no Parmesan at all in it. According to the Grubstreet site, a Chicago judge has thrown out the fifty consumer lawsuits that were consolidated under his jurisdiction. He said people should have known there was something other than Parmesan in the containers because they still pour after sitting out for ages. “Reasonable consumers are well aware that pure dairy products spoil, grow blue, green, or black fuzz, or otherwise become inedible if left unrefrigerated for an extended period of time,” the judge said. Although it is just his opinion, it is also the law, at least for now. As I understood the story, some sort of appeal is possible.

3. FEDS FUDGE FACTS ABOUT SCHOOL LUNCHES: Your department of agriculture (USDA) has spent millions on the Smarter Lunchrooms Program, aiming to get school kids to eat more fruits and vegetables. That’’s because, it is said, 93 percent of kids don’t eat enough vegetables, and 60 percent don’t eat enough fruit. The feds claim “significant” success but facts dug up by university researchers show otherwise. Overall, kids might eat one more bite of apple or the equivalent in other fruits or vegetables, according to a report in The Washington Post. 

Several researchers from prestigious universities have investigated the program and declared it “junk science” or statistically faulty. Sad. The feds tried all kinds of tricks to entice youngsters into healthier diets -- fruits in attractive baskets, for instance, or giving catchy names to vegetable dishes -- “X-Ray Vision Carrots,” “Power Punch Broccoli,” “Tiny Tasty Tree Tops” and “Silly Dilly Green Beans.” Although feds claimed an increase in popularity due to the changes, the Journal of Public Health reports that kids tossed large amounts of school lunch fruits and vegetables in the trash. Consumption actually declined.

4. HEALTH BENEFITS OF WALNUTS: A study finds that daily walnut consumption reduces serum cholesterol in seniors, that walnuts are high in an omega-3 fatty acid that improves neuron function, and that they contain anti-oxidants and phytochemicals with anti-aging effects. “We hypothesize that walnuts may have a favorable effect in delaying the well-known age-related cognitive decline among elderly people,” said Joan Sabaté, MD, DrPH, director of the Center for Nutrition, Lifestyle and Disease Prevention at the Loma Linda University School of Public Health. He has been researching walnuts for decades. The findings are based on consumption of 1 to 2 ounces of packaged walnuts per day. According to Whole Foods site of The George Mateljan Foundation, a recent study has determined that only 5.5% of all adults (ages 19-50) consume tree nuts of any kind!