11. Bloom!
“The zucchini flowers are somewhat unfortunate, because contrary to what happens to their brethren that adorn the gardens, no one wants to take the flowers seriously."
Writes Ada, "It’s an injustice of humanity, and hurts my conscience. These modest blossoms, so often teased, take their revenge by offering excellent food. Mostly they are fried, and sometimes filled. It is necessary that they be fresh and not very open. Cleaning is simple: wash gently, then dry in a cloth, and they are ready.”
In Il Talismano, recipes for zucchine are collected under the heading Erbaggi which has as its root erbe or herbs. It was used many years ago as the collective for greens or vegetables. No longer. Today one says verdura.
Zucchini. A vegetable? Nope. A fruit. It's actually the swollen ovary of the zucchini flower. A bit of Google research revealed much I didn’t know. For example, there are both male and female flowers on a plant. The male blossoms exist alone on a long, thin stem; female blossoms are connected to the fruit. To produce fruit (zucchini), pollination must occur; specifically, an insect needs to carry pollen from the male flowers to the females. The female flower must remain on the plant until the zucchini begins to grow. If the female flower is not pollinated, it will fall off the plant and... no zucchini.
These blossoms from my garden are not only beautiful, they have personality.
