Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's Edible Flowers guide to Gorse along with all the Gorse containing recipes presented on this site, with 4 recipes in total.

This is a continuation of an entire series of pages that will, I hope, allow my visitors to better navigate this site. As well as displaying recipes by name, country and region of origin I am now planning a whole series of pages where recipes can be located by meal type and main ingredient. This page gives a listing of all the Cornish recipes added to this site.

These recipes, all contain Gorse as a major edible flower.

Gorse, Ulex europaeus (also known as Furze, Whin and Furse) is a member of the Fabaceae (pea) family. It is closely related to the brooms but has leaves that are modified into 3cm long spines. Common gorse is the only one native to Western Europe and is also the largest member of the gorse family which gan grow to 3m high and 5m in diameter. Though it flowers most strongly in spring gorse is actually in flower most of the year round and it bears yellow flowers that have a distinctive coconut-like scent.

This thorny plant makes a beautiful backdrop to the moors and uplands of Britain as it burst into intense yellow bloom every spring. the plant is sometimes called the 'Farmer's Friend' as it's bushy habit and thorns make it very difficult for any animal to penetrate a gorse thicket. Its branches are also used as temporary fixes for holes in fencing or hedges.

You might think that the plant doesn't offer very much for the forager after wild foods. However, the plant's flowers are intensely flavoured and make a colourful (and tasty) accompaniment to any spring-time salad. Just be careful how you pick them!