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There are many amazingly flavourful foods that can be unappealing to the eye - they laze on the plate without grace, yet when they hit your taste buds they instantly arouse excitement.

There are many amazingly flavourful foods that can be unappealing to the eye - they laze on the plate without grace, yet when they hit your taste buds they instantly arouse excitement. You’d be forgiven for thinking that ‘edible flowers’ may present the opposite problem – that those pretty petals couldn’t possibly deliver anything other than a picture-perfect dash of colour - yet many varieties of fabulous flora have their own distinctive or delicate flavours to bring to the dishes they adorn.

Edible flowers have long been a signature part of Asian cuisine and in years past, flower garnishes have occasionally popped up on plates here in Britain. But as we point out in our history of food presentation trends infographic, food arrangement trends can come and go – the edible flowers trend is back once again, and this time it’s more prominent than ever, no doubt thanks to the Instagram foodie crowd who love to get snap-happy with their flower-festooned dishes and drinks.

Why edible flowers aren’t just ‘blooming lovely’ to look at

Blooms that are safe for human consumption are making their way onto diner’s plates again for a number of reasons. Firstly, there are the obvious reasons that edible flowers add bold colour, interesting shapes and texture to dishes, and appear to be taking the place of the traditional (and sometimes charmingly retro) garnishes of parsley sprigs or sprinkles of chives.

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Secondly, edible flowers aren’t just for decoration. Incorporating flowers into plates goes some way to ensuring a meal is a feast for all of the senses. From battered vegetable flowers for appetisers through to decorative petals topping dessert panna cotta or baked into cakes, chefs are experimenting with the sweet or savoury flavours of pretty posies in a number of ways.

The Royal Horticultural Society has a very useful list of edible flowers and their flavours, as well as the foods that they complement, and tips on how to ensure that flowers offer the optimum flavour as well as being safe for humans to eat. Some highlights from their edible flowers list include:

• Basil – the sweet, clover-like flavour of basil complements tomato-based dishes
• Bergamot – its strong, spicy scent makes a good tea and also pairs well with bacon, poultry, rice and pasta
• Courgette or marrow flowers – the flowers can be eaten hot in a tomato sauce, or enjoyed cold when stuffed with cooked rice, cheese, nuts or meat
• Elderflower – already a favourite flavour cordial for drinks and cocktails, its petals can be infused into tarts and jellies, as well as dipped into batter and deep-fried
• Garden pea – pea flowers and young shoots can be mixed into a salad for a fresh pea flavour
• Nasturtium – these brightly coloured flowers have a peppery flavour that works well in salads and pasta dishes
• Sunflower – whole buds of sunflowers can be blanched and served with garlic butter, and the petals can be used in stir-fries and salads

This increase in demand for edible flowers has been felt by professional growers too: in early 2017, Netherlands-based nursery owner Peter van Wijgerden told Greenhouse Management magazine that orders of edible flowers were up 300% from 2016.

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These flavourful flora can have nutritional value to contribute in the form of vitamins and minerals. Many types of edible flowers provide vitamin A, C, D or E, as well as potassium, iron, or calcium. The vivid colours of flowers also tells us that they are rich in phytonutrients, flavonoids and antioxidants, all of which are known to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and other health problems, so if you’re looking for ways to make your restaurant menu more healthful then the flower beds and vegetable patches may offer even more potential than you thought.

Is it ok to eat your bouquet?

Of course, not all flowers can or should be eaten. In some cases, particular groups or breeds of flowers are safe to eat, and in others it’s a case of using more of the plants we are already familiar with, such as courgette flowers.

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To make their way onto plates, flowers should be as pesticide-free as possible, so if you cannot grow your own you should source flowers that have been specially grown for consumption. Farm-to-table venues that grow their own produce, including edible flowers, are frequently leading the way with this trend because transporting and storing edible flowers is also an important consideration. Flowers need to be carefully cleaned and prepared, and then stored at an optimum temperature to retain colour and appearance.

Ways to use edible flowers in your restaurant

If you’re feeling inspired to experiment with edible flowers at your bar or restaurant, the good news is there are many ways to incorporate them.

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We’ve already touched on ways to enjoy some of the most common types of edible flowers, but here are some of our other favourite ways to serve edible blooms:

• Salads – ‘Eating a rainbow’ is easy when you add brightly coloured blossoms into your salads
• Drinks – Make floral infusions for use in teas and cocktails from flowers such as hibiscus or rose, or freeze borage petals in ice for drinks
• Desserts – Candied flower petals can be used decoratively in classic desserts, baked into cakes, shortbread and biscuits, or added onto sweet bowl foods
• Stir fried/deep fried/stuffed – Vegetable flowers such as courgette or pumpkin flowers can be battered and fried, stuffed or added to stir fries
• Bouillon – The delicate flavour of flowers can be used as a base for a vegetable bouillon

To help you create the perfect flower-decorated dishes, use professional precision tongs to place the blooms where you like them without damaging the petals themselves or handling them excessively. We have a range of precision tong sizes to choose from, as well as full plating kits from Mercer Culinary to help you pay close attention to your food plating and presentation. Read our recent blog post on how to plate food to make it look more appealing for even more inspiration.

Are you well-practised with petals? If you already use edible flowers in your restaurant, we would love to see some of your floral creations, so do get in touch on Twitter at @BunzlLockhart if you have a flair for cooking or decorating with flowers.


Comments

Lockhart Catering on 24 March 2017 3:47 AM

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