Sunflowers.. decorative and edible

Sunflowers are my brother's and one of my closest friend's favourite flowers; they've been immortalized in paint by Van Gogh; and are nifty in the way they turn to follow the sun.

They are not my favourite flower but I've always liked them. I'd also never thought of them as being a gift beyond a floral arrangement.

While I was away in Poland recently we spent a day in the countryside. One of the other guests brought as a gift to the hosts the biggest sunflower bloom (would you say bloom?) I have ever seen.

It took me a while to catch on but I eventually understood that the flower wasn't for floral decoration but to be eaten. During the course of the day everyone picked at the sunflower's core, extracting and eating the sunflower seeds within it.

I thought this was the most amazing thing since slice bread. Now, I want to take sunflowers to everyone I know as a gift. Eureka!