How to Make the Flowers and Vase:

Wash your veggies.

Radish Roses: Trim radish roots and leaves off, and cut a flat 1/4″ slice off each one at the stem end.  Gently cut a crosshatch pattern (like a tic-tac-toe grid) deep into each radish where you have trimmed off the flat slice.  This creates the “petals.”  Don’t cut all the way down – just 3/4 of the length of the radish. Put the cut radishes into the ice water – when they are chilled, they “bloom” and the petals fan out a bit.

Green Onion Flowers: Trim the roots and the green parts off the green onions – you want a section about 3″ long. (Save the trimmings for something else like an omelet.)  Holding the root end, make a lengthwise cut  through the white onion  layers, making the  ends splay out like a paintbrush.  Turn the onion a quarter turn and make another lengthwise cut.  Turn and cut again if possible. Try not to cut out any chunks, you are aiming for a brush shape.  Put into ice water.

Leek Flowers: The leeks, like bigger versions of the green onions, also should be trimmed on both ends, yielding a 3-5″ long cylinder.  With the sharp knife, slice from the root end, lengthwise, through all the layers. Roll slightly and make another lengthwise cut, and continue until there are many slices fanned out. Put into the ice water.

Pepper Tulips:  Holding the stem end of the mini peppers, make a cut  all the way through to the tip.  Turn the pepper 1/4 turn, and slice again. This yields 4 petals.  They go into the water as well.

Button mushrooms: These can simply be left whole, or you can make little “v” shaped cuts in the sides to make them look more flowery. Experiment with carving!

Put the veggie flowers in their bowls of ice water into the fridge while you carve the eggplant vase.  Wash the eggplant, and slice about 1/2″ off the bottom, so it will sit flat.  Cut about 1″ off the top (stem) end.  Take the sharp knife and carve out a deep hole from the top, making the vase opening, and being careful not to go through the sides.  You can make little slices through the center core of the eggplant to help remove the “meat” and save for cooking or discard.

Put the “vase” on a plate or in a low bowl. Retrieve veggies from the fridge.  Carefully push the sharp ends of the skewers into the stem ends of the flowers.  Arrange these “stems” in the vase.  Add greenery from the celery, fennel fronds, or herbs around the flowers if desired. (NOTE: use only edible plants!)