The word “lily” has many meanings based on its type.  The common daylily referred to as “tiger lily” or “ditch lily” means wealth and confidence.  These elegant orange petals painted with delicate black spots show off their beauty in late spring and mid-summer.  They can be easily found in ditches, fence lines and backyard perennial gardens.

I always admire their beauty as they begin to grace the landscape, but this year was different.  This year I was going to taste their delicate trumpet-shaped flowers and budding pods.

Recently while talking to my massage therapist, he informed me of all the benefits of the “lily”.  Knowing my interest in trying new things and eating what God has provided he is continually sharing his knowledge.  The lily’s sweet and pungent flowers provide beta carotene, vitamin c and iron along with helping with detoxification.

As the lilies in my yard began to grow, I waited in anticipation for the “buds” to become large enough to cut and eat.  I LITERALLY checked them every day until they were ready.

FINALLY, the lily buds were ready to be sniped.  Carefully cutting each bud from its outstretched lifeline I placed them in a bowl and then rinsed to remove any dirt or bugs.

Wanting to get an accurate taste of the lily I decided to cook the buds using only butter, salt and pepper.  Heating a couple of tablespoons of butter in a cast iron skillet I added the buds and cooked for 1-2 minutes until they just began to open.  I wanted the texture to be firm and crisp.

My husband and I felt like we were “judges” at a food contest as we sat down to try our first bite.  Biting into the delicate buds, we let the flavors explode onto our tongues.  The individual layered flower petals previously snug in their cocoon began to separate allowing the distinct flavors to permeate.

The light sweet taste with a hint of earthy undertones and crisp texture made it hard to stop eating.

Needless to say, at our next Sunday dinner with family and friends, a batch was cooked for everyone to sample.  The vote was unanimous – they were a WINNER!

Such a blessed discovery!

A couple of things to note – it is important to start eating a small amount and slowly eat larger portions as some people are allergic and react to them with vomiting and diarrhea.  Also, make sure to correctly identify the plant before eating.  The daylily does not have a bulb like the daffodil and tulip, but rather a tubular root.  Please use the following resource to help you with correctly identifying the plant https://oakmossed.wordpress.com/2013/05/28/the-six-knows-wild-plants/

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)