I remember the first time I was served a salad garnished with flowers - peppery red and yellow nasturtiums.

Fresh out of college, I thought I was such a sophisticate but eating flowers seemed a little weird. I sampled one and nudged the rest off the salad. Now I've become familiar with other edibles, such as bachelor's buttons, johnny jump-ups, pansies, violets, bee balm, chives, roses, lavender, some varieties of calendulas and marigolds, and others, and have even tried a few.

There is renewed interest in edible flowers, particularly as Americans are becoming more adventurous in sampling cuisines from Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Asian cultures. For centuries, certain flowers and buds have been incorporated into foods. Capers, for example, are buds of a bush found in Asia, while the most expensive seasoning in the world is saffron. It is the hand-picked red stamens of autumn-blooming saffron crocus (crocus sativas), and it takes about 5,000 crocus to make one ounce of saffron. No wonder it's worth a king's ransom.

Herbs and herb flowers are commonplace in cooking, including thyme, borage, parsley, rosemary, basil, sage, lemon balm and mint. When I first began growing herbs, I made a delicious tea bread made with rose-scented geranium leaves and blossoms. It was a basic dessert bread, but the pan was lined with scented geranium leaves and flowers, which were also finely chopped and added to the batter. The glaze was made using confectioners' sugar infused with the same flavor. I also adapted it to lemon balm and lemon verbena.

Candied violets were favorite garnishes for wedding cakes in decades past, and mint leaves frozen into ice cubes makes iced tea taste even more refreshing. Squash blossoms can be stuffed or battered and fried, and flowers and herbs can be used to make flavored vinegars, jellies, jams, butters, teas, wines, desserts and fragrant sugars. Garnish cakes or ice cream with fresh flowers.

Some flowers are edible but unpalatable, while others aren't safe for human consumption. Don't graze through your garden unless you know for certain a flower or bud is edible. Experienced growers also point out it's important to know the botanical names of flowers (even if you can't pronounce them) to avoid confusing common names.

With most edible flowers, experts advise using just the petals. Other parts of the flower may taste bitter. If you can't find fresh blooms, dried mixtures are sold for cooking and garnishing. And don't assume because a flower adorns a plate that it is edible.

Identify flower varieties before eating or using in dishes. Edible flowers are best used fresh and in small quantities to prevent digestion problems. If you suffer from hay fever, allergies or asthma, it's best to avoid eating flowers.

Make sure flowers are not tainted by pesticides and other chemicals. For example, if you treat your roses to prevent black spot or insect damage, you won't want to eat the petals. Steer clear of edible flowers grown in contaminated locations, such as near roadways or in ditches.

To grow your own edible flowers, select seeds from reputable companies that are clearly labeled "edible." Plant in well-drained soil in a sunny location that is a distance away from other flower beds or vegetable gardens where pesticides and other chemicals are used to avoid drift or contamination. Provide about 1 inch of water each week with a soaker hose. Mulch plants to reduce weeds. A three-inch layer of mulch will also keep soil from splashing onto the plant. Remove bad bugs by hand.

Harvest in the early morning and use that day. Remove stamens and pistils before using.

Infused sugar: Mix 1/3 cup rose-scented geranium leaves (or substitute lavender flowers or lemon balm leaves) with 1 cup white sugar. Mix together leaves and sugar in a glass jar or canister. Store in a cool, dark place and begin using after several days.

Resources: "The Book of Food: A Cook's Guide to Over 1,000 Exotic and Everyday Ingredients," Frances Bissell; " Edible Flowers: Desserts & Drinks," Cathy Wilkinson Barash; "The Gourmet's Garden: Cooking With Edible Flowers, Herbs and Berries," Anne Gardon; "Edible Flowers: A Kitchen Companion With Recipes," Kitty Morse.