It’s Pollinator Week, and we’re sharing pics of bees and one of their favorite early summer treats in our yard. Coincidence? Possibly.
Chive fritters, because it’s fair season, and just like pickles, cheese, and ice cream, even flowers can be fried. Classy? No. Maybe. Delicious? Definitely.
Our house came with large patches of chives that produce an overabundance of beautiful edible blossoms every spring. I love the chives, but they also drive me slightly crazy because I feel bad when I’m not making use of the bunch. One of the easiest things to do is sending Alex out to pick chive and dandelion blossoms for our salads. He loves the independence that comes with being sent to do a job like this. I’ve also experimented with chive-infused vinegar. Remember the dressing in our pollinator salad? These fritters are yet another good use for the blossoms. 
But as it often happens happens, when I’m outside picking the blossoms, the bees are buzzing. They’re gently collecting pollen as they move from one flower to the next, and it’s then that I’m reminded that it’s perfectly fine to take a handful or two and just let the rest be. {Look at that bee bum!}
Harvesting flowers of any sort is a fun activity for a scissor-wielding preschooler. With a pair of safety scissors in hand, Alex does a great job cutting blossom stems an inch or two below the flowers. *Yes, he’s definitely picking flowers in the his birthday suit. Mountain boys will be mountain boys.
Including that bit of stem provides a useful handle for dipping the blossoms into the batter and then transferring them to the pot of hot oil. 
Ingredients
- about 2 cups blossoms (can use chive and/or dandelion)
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 egg
- dash of salt
- spices*
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, milk, egg, and salt. Let sit for up to an hour before using (I like to make the batter before going out to pick the flowers).
- Heat 1/2 to 1 inch of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. I like to do the simple water crackle test to see if the oil is ready - flick a few drops of water into the oil, and if it crackles, it's ready.
- Dip the blossoms in the batter and then place in the hot oil. The stems contain extra water that can cause the oil to sputter as they fry. For this reason, some people like to cut the stems off before putting them in the oil. I like to take my chances.
- Fry the blossoms for a few minutes, turning periodically, until nicely browned.
- Remove from the oil and let cool on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Sprinkle on a touch more salt and enjoy!
*I often keep these fritters simple, but they are easily enhanced with the addition of herbs and spices. Thyme and garlic are awesome choices, but really, the sky’s the limit. A quick google search will even bring up sweetened versions.
**If you use dandelion blossoms, pick off the bracts on the underside of the flowers because they add a noticeably bitter flavor.
And that, my friends, is how you make a deliciously fried appetizer for your next summer picnic!
these look SO GOOD!!! and that patch of flowers outside is magical <3 <3
Thank you! And yes, there are so many magical patches around this house. It’s too bad you can’t visit year-round! ;-)…. and even though you don’t have a patch a chives, I know there are plenty of dandelions growing at the farm – these are just as delicious with the dandelion blossoms! Just remember to pull off the bitter bracts! xoxox