Zucchini Flowers

[jp1970]

I've been craving zucchini flowers...anyone know where I can find them in the Chicagoland area?

[Chew on That]

This reminds me I want to try zucchini flowers this year! :) Thanks!

[chowholmes]

I've used Zucchini Flowers in Omelettes with great success. Not a great fan of eggs but this is one of the few ways I eat 'em.

[chicgail]

it's still a bit early, but you're making me long for them, also.

Zucchini flowers will be available at many of the Chicago area farmers markets. The first ones open next week. I have found them at the Green City Market in Lincoln Park, the Wicker Park Farmer's Market and at the Evanston Farmer's Market.

I haven't seen them at conventional grocery stores, but if anyone knows of other resources for them, I would be thrilled to find them.

I like to stuff them with cheese, lightly bread or batter them and deep fry them. I love to hear other people's uses of zucchini flowers.

[Eaterlover]

The only way I've had them was in a quesadilla in Mexico. Perfection. I've found them at the Wicker Park market, but they're usually outrageously expensive: $6 for half a dozen? That's barely enough for a taco!

[chicgail]

$1 each is expensive. I don't buy the zucchini flowers separately, but get them attached to the baby zucchinis when they first come out in June. Then I get a two-fer. There are several purveyors that have them. It seems to me that Nichols -- who is at almost every farmers market I've ever been to -- has them pretty reasonably..

I love the idea of including them in a quesadilla.

[Fry]

My family does a similar preparation. We mince shrimp and water chestnuts and season them like a dumpling filling, stuff it into the blossom and use a light batter on them. We deep fry them and serve them with a chili tamarind sauce.

They're nice for brunch with a tom yum and crab fried rice. Pictures attached.

[chicgail]

Gorgeous. I'm inspired. Can't wait for the season.