It is simple, Sunflower Seeds provide a lot without us really noticing it on a day to day basis. With the Ukrainian war going on (2022), we realised more how the impact of that humble Seed has in our lives. The Russians bombing fields of Sunflowers and many more other fields did have an impact worldwilde into our consumption of those Seeds but not only us, not only us.

 Ruby Chocolate Sunflower from my Garden.

Loving gardening and Sunflowers, in the past and still nowadays I love going for interesting colours for Sunflowers, however I shifted to grow Sunflowers not only for me but also for 'My Mobsters'. Let me tell you the story so it can make sense.

My Mobsters: The Starlings, in that pic, youngs and adults one.

I call my Mobsters, the Starlings that come into my Garden every Winter, breed and raise their youngs here during the Spring before flying away with most of the youngs in the early Summer, migrating to fields of Sunflowers in Russia and Ukraine. However they usually had a last brood around May-June, about a dozen of them which couldn't join the yearly migration and stay behind with us in our Garden. The later batch is always well fed by us is mainly non-migratory. It feels a bit like we are for a Summer and Autumn their surrogate Parents until the others are comming back.

A very busy Mummy Starling with her Brood on our feeding table. This is what you can/could expect 4 to 3 years ago at this time of the year (around May).

Now last year, most migrated with their oldest youngsters as usual, leaving their fluffy babies behind with us. Some older June Babies from years back do not migrate either although being adults now. I do kind of guess that because they are fed here they do not need the urge to travel.

 One of the fledgling left behind last year. They are not fit for a long migration, without their parents they are almost doomed, however we care for them providing them Seeds, Water and espacially Sunflower Seeds which are nutritious.

I will certainly say that the last brood is not domesticated whatsoever but they just do not migrate like the others. They stay put and spend the Summer with us and grow up within this Garden. No long migration for them, nor harsh weather, they always have their Water baths ready all year round.

One hot Summer despite our 2 Bird Baths, we used the lid of the recycle paper bin to give the young Mobsters another emergency bath. It was used alright as much as the other two bird bath. This picture is telling as well that in the middle of Summer or there about the young fledglings left behind are still growing well without their parents. But also they are social, remain social birds and group together. This is the 'Home Mobsters Bunch'.

Now last year (2021), the Adults left to migrate with their early Spring Brood. The Home Mobsters Bunch staid put as much as the new late youngsters. But the others didn't come back from their migration to overwinter and breed in the Spring here like they did every year since a decade. Their migration is mainly due to eat Sunflower Seeds elsewhere where it is plentyful, like the fields of Ukraine. But it is not so any longer. On our Supermarket Shelves there was a rush to buy Sunflower Oil when we learnt that those fields have been devastated. But I will tell you this, I am saddened for of my Mobsters who went there in their annual crusade of a migration without knowing what will happen to them. They are not back, however we do have the 'Home Mobsters' the ones they always left to our care. We have about two dozen of them, give or take, which do not migrate because they do not have the skill to do so. But also two pairs of them have nests in our trees. To the next generation...

 Baby Starling being fed in our trees.

To return to Sunflower Seeds as food yes it is important but as I tried to convey: important but not only for humans. We always regarded most of the time as the Oil coming from Sunflower as one of the cheepest. The one to fry Food with and discard willy Nilly by most was the good old Sunflower Oil which a lot took for granted. It is no longer so. We can turn to other Oils of course but what about the Seeds of Sunflowers. They are unique in themselves and can not be replaced easily.

Sunflower Seeds are often there for Wild Bird Food. Or used to be. 

Some times to times, we have the stray Sunflowers growing in unexpected places. They just appear out of nowwhere. However the reality is that the Birds flick them everywhere. To be honest even if that particurlar Sunflower doesn't fit the colour plan or the area it will be growing in. One day three Sunflowers were amongst our Chilli Plants. We left them there for plenty of reasons. The Sunflowers are attractive as a Flower but also attractive to Pollinators. This meant that our Chilli Flowers would have more chances to be pollinated as well hence giving us a bumper crop of Chillies. The other consideration was thatif will let the Sunflowers do their entire course, we do end up with their Seeds to give to the Birds the Fruits of their sowing. So everyone is happy.

Some of our Stray Sunflowers. This one happenned to be of a multi headed variety. So if we think about it, as its seeds come from a grain pack for Birds, it makes sense for Seeds maker, to develop Flowers with Multiple heads, hence one Plant delivers more in terms of Seeds. It is cost effective.

Sunflower Seeds are also nutritious. You can find them sold as healthy Snacks to have like that. Back in the eighties they were cheap treats to give to Children when they were picked up from School. while nowadays, the three decades afterwards, it turned to the packet of Crisps after school. Strangely enough most of Crisps are cooked in Sunflower Oil. In the 2020's although only starting and the late 2010's, an healthier trend is developping strongly where Sunflower Seeds are back into favour for being packed full of Vitamin E.

Sunflower Seeds packet from Sainsbury's.

If we think of the multiple ways you can use Sunflower Seeds the list is very long since that Seed is very versatile. Let us start with some ideas:

Breakfast: A Summer Fruits Muesli, with Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, RedCurrants, dried Cranberries, dried Goji Berries, rolled Oats, Sunflowers Seeds and Pumpkin Seeds then pour Milk (we love Jersey Cows Milk) to cover the Ingredients. Enjoy this morning healthy boost.

Brunch: On a thick toasted Slice of Wholemeal Sunflower Seeded Bread, spread a crushed Avocado add more Sunflower Seeds and top up either with a seasoned Poach Egg or a seasoned Fried one. This will keep the energy up.

Lunch: To keep it healthy what about a lunch box of Sushi Rice ( or Glutinous Rice), with Sunfower Seeds, Black Sesame Seeds, shredded Nori Sheet, Crispy Dulse Seaweed, Enoki Mushrooms, thinly sliced red Radishes, and sliced Spring Onions and decorate with chopped Coriander.

Tea Time: What about interpreting Mrs Beetons Victorian Seed Cake? A British Classic, I dare say. Now imagine a Carrot Sponge Cake, flavoured with Caraway Seeds, Sunflower Seeds and Cumin Seeds. Add a little Elderflower Liqueur (St Germain is excellent in quality) within. And 'Et Voilà', you have a grown up and fragrant Cake to enjoy. It has to be a pleasure served with Friends around Tea. For a little extravagance, you can drizzle a little Honey (Orange Blossoms Honey) on the top of the Seed Cake to decorate it then add some Sunflower Seeds, Caraway Seeds and Cumin Seeds.

Canapés: Those are not that simple to do however they are crowd pleasers. You aim at doing 12 of each 3 flavours. ( a total of 36). Those Canapés are Cheese Balls on small wooden Skewers. To hold the ball of Cheese together, you need to use a Crumbs texture which will stick to the outer of the Cheese Balls. This coating is made with crushed Sunflower Seeds, Black Sesame Seeds not crushed, and crushed toasted Hazelnuts. Mix the coating together well then roll your different balls of Cheeses within it, making sure you do put the different Cheeses sticks for different flavours on different serving dishes. A Melon Baller Scoop makes it easier to form the Cheese Balls. The 3 types of skewers are made to inspire with the taste of Italy, France and Greece. First 12 Canapés, it is a Boursin Cheese Ball, tucked between 2 Basil Leaves and 2 Sundried Tomatoes ( Boursin is soft and easy to turn into a Ball, it is also fragant with Garlic and Herbs). This type also embraces the colours of the Italian flag. The second 12 Canapés are made with the Roquefort Cheese Ball in the middle tucked in by a rolled Rocket Leave on each side and sliced of Truffle in one end and the other. The third Skewer type is made of Goat Cheese also coated,  sandwiched between the aromatic Greek Basil Leaves and Kalamata Olives.

Cocktail: This Cocktail which involves Sunflower Seeds is actually a Party Punch which is mainly Fruity and Zingy. Make a Sunflower Seeds Juice. Add to it in a bowl, Orange and Lime Juice. Prepare Sunflower Seeds and Elderflower Cordial and Water Ice Cubes. It is easier than you think it is. But it will take time to Freeze so prepare the Ice Cubes in advance, a day at least. Depending on the Party prepare Ice Cubes by the dozen and multiply. ( 3 Ice Cubes for 1 Guest's glass give or take and make the math for how large will be the Party). Add our good old Friend the Elderflower Liqueur to the Juice mix. Then a Blanc de Blancs Champagne from Ruinart or Perrier-Jouët will give the fizz. (You can also add the bubbles with a Crémant de Bourgogne instead). As for the Fruits go for Blood Orange Segments, Mandarin ones, Pink or Red Grapefruit ones, add White and Red Grapes then Pomegranate Seeds. The Decoration is composed of Sunflower Seeds, Lime Zest, and then Orange Slices edged onto the side of the Punch Bowl. 

Supper: There is a Soup, a cold Soup (like Gazpacho), but made with yellow Tomatoes ( like the Buffalosun Variety or the Sungold one), Yellow Courgettes  (also called Zucchini), and Yellow Bell Sweet Peppers. This Soup is sweet mainly, but you can add acidity to it, earthiness and also creaminess. In a blender, mix together the juice of a couple of Calamondin Limes, a handful of Sunflower Seeds, and a good dollop or two or even three of double Cream. Add to the already mixed Yellow Veg Soup and combine together by gently stirring. To finish the Soup, drizzle it with Virgin Olive Oil, add a pinch of Smoked Paprika, some chopped Chives and Chervil then add some Sunflower Seeds for taste and decoration. For more punch you can add a Peruvian Lemon Drop Chilli chopped to tiny pieces to the mix but on a hot day, sweating more is not recommended. 

Starter: This is a little Autumnal Salad of Radicchio and Lollo Rosso Leaves served with the soft juiciness of Conference Pears quarters, the sharp tang of pieces of Gorgonzola Cheese, the pepperiness of sliced Radishes, the soft gentle nut flavour of Sunflower Seeds, Salt and Pepper Croutons for texture, finally finished with an Wholegrain Mustard Dressing.

Fish Course: A crust can easily be made with Sunflower Seeds. A deboned and skinless Trout Fillet  is perfect for the gentle Nut flavour touch of Sunflower Seeds. Use the Pané method which consist of some Flour put on a plate, add a pinch of Garlic salt within the Flour. Coat the Trout with Flour. Then in a bowl, crack an Egg open and gently whisk the Egg together and season with a little Salt and Pepper. Bath your Trout to be thoroughly coated with the Eggs m.ixture. The last plate contains the Sunflower Seeds mixed with Home made Breadcrumbs flavoured with Lemon Zest. Pat well your Trout to cover it fully with the crusted Coating then fry gently in a frying pan. The Side to this Fish Course can simply be Garlic buttered, sautéed Leeks and Broad Beans. Decorate the plate with chopped Chervil or Parsley and wedges of Lemon. If it is a little messy to do, however it is easy to do, and the plates are elegant at the end of it all. The Sunflower Seeds are also a talking point over the Dinner for them being used as a crust.

Main Course: It could be as simple and as delicious as a Tagine. The main Ingredients are Mediterranean: Diced Aubergine (Eggplant), sliced Courgettes (Zucchini) yellow and green, Sundried Tomatoes, Preserved Sicilian Lemons, Green, Yellow and Red Sweet Bell Peppers, Borlotti Beans, Couscous, dried golden Raisins and dried Apricots for fruitiness, as for texture go for Sunflower Seeds, and Pistachios. For the Spices it can only be Ras el Hanout. Speaking for Herbs, chopped Coriander and Mint add to the flavours of the Dish. 

Dessert: This is a rather flashy and decadent Dessert, which do not turn out alright most of the time... (work in progress). Visually you do serve a Sunflower on a plate. It needs to be delicate and refined but at my stage it isn't. The centre of the Sunflower is a Dark Chocolate Ice Cream  studded with Sunflower Seeds within. It can be spiked by Dark Chocolate Liqueur ( Like the Godiva one) for a more grown up Dessert. Then the tricky but may be easiest part, depending on how fast you are, is to make Tuiles, ressembling like petals studded with Sunflower Seeds and flavoured with a little Vanilla to go around the Chocolate Ice Cream. The fun is to Dip the tuiles in the Chocolate Ice Cream and enjoy the Dessert.

Midnight Snack: A Flapjack: A simple Flapjack made with Sunflower Seeds, fruity with Blueberries, and the sweetness with Golden Syrup and of course porridge Oats: A pure late night Treat.