Fried Squash Blossoms

 Fried squash blossoms are one of those quintessentially southern summer foods. And it doesn't have to be squash, it can be pumpkin, gourd, zucchini, etc. And really what better way to keep the zuchs from over-running the world than by eating their delicious little flowers?;)

 Making a batter for these little babies is super simple, which means that everyone does it a little differently! I show one way below- in one bowl is just an egg beaten with a little milk to loosen it up. The other has flour seasoned with salt and pepper.

 Dip the flowers in the egg wash, and then roll in the flour to coat.My blossom below was already making a tiny squash. So it was extra tasty fried up !

 When I made my last batch, I was wanting less mess on the counter, because I was also making a big meal to go along with them (you can see the lusciousness at the end of the post). So I just whipped an egg till frothy, whisked in a 1/2 cup of milk, then beat in a 1/2 cup of flour and added salt and pepper. I only had one dirty bowl! If you change the ingredients to just the white of an egg, and the 1/2 cup milk to ice water, you'd have Tempura batter. So you can see how simple it is to find a way to dredge these beauties!

 I had some herb and garlic cream cheese in the fridge and decided to try it inside two of them. (super blurry photo, but I was cooking up a storm and had every burner going) It was so yummy that I will do all of them that way next time!! I just put a heaping spoonful inside one petal, and then twisted the flower end to close it, before rolling in batter.

 Fry in about 1/2 inch of oil over high heat.

 Turn as they become golden brown.

 Drain on a napkin and serve IMMEDIATELY. Seriously, folks. Don't even drop them in the oil till everyone is at the table. They are one of those ephemeral delicacies. They are only available in summer months, and they lose their deliciousness if they sit even a little while. Some folks dip these in ketchup or ranch. I think they are perfect with a little crusty pinch of coarse sea salt as they come out of the pan. Again I will say, the cream cheese stuffed ones were amazing!

 And here was supper. Farm to Table all the way, Dear Reader! Fried ham from our hogs, new taters with green beans and white sauce, salad greens with nasturtium leaves and pea flowers, homemade buttermilk biscuits with honey, and fried squash blossoms. And we had a perfect watermelon for dessert that my hubby brought home from his route down south. That's a meal to make me feel all warm and fuzzy before it even hits my mouth!

This is the first year for me not to plant squash or zuchs, and the hubby managed to till up my gourds, grrrr. So no blossoms here! But my good ole Pop brought me a bait of blossoms and then traded new taters for my green beans. Isn't that the greatest? My beans are going crazy already. Oh, and a funny thing. Growing up we always had "white sauce" on our boiled taters. It wasn't till I grew up that I realized our white sauce is actually a Bechamel sauce! I had been eating an authentic French sauce all those years and never knew it. Now I'll have to raise a pinkie when I eat my fancy southern meals- he he! What about you, sugar? Have you ever eaten fried blossoms? What is a summertime-only food that you can't wait to eat?