Fried stuffed squash blossoms

Squash blossoms are the edible flowers grown from a squash plant, sometimes called zucchini flowers. You can typically find them from late spring through the early fall, and they can be used for plenty of culinary adventures. This recipe, adapted from my cookbook "Let's Eat" (Union Square & Co., 2023), stuffs the blossoms with a mix of ricotta, Parmesan cheese and fresh mint before battering them and frying until they are melty on the inside and crispy on the outside. Feel free to swap in different cheeses and herbs in the filling, just don't skip the bubbly seltzer water in the batter as it ensures the blossoms are extra crispy when fried.