Friday, July 3, 2009

Add a flourish with flowers

















I finally got to the farmer's market early enough to buy some
eatable flowers for my younger brother who was incredibly eager
to try them.

Flowers, which have been eaten for centuries, are now making a
culinary come-back. Indeed, they are being seen more and more in
haute cuisine. Flowers add not only a beautiful appeal, but possess a
wide variety of delicate flavours. One must be careful to not overpower
them with other items in the dish, especially strong dressings.
Imagine a little spicy bite or sweet tang completely destroyed by a
powerful balsamic vinaigrette.

If using as a garnish in a salad it is important to keep the dressing very
light and mild. I personally feel they are best to just trim dishes.

I of course will being using them more as we get into the summer
months. Perhaps I will be getting up early enough from now on to get
them regularly or heaven forbid- Grow them myself! Although, I kill
just about every plant I get near. RIP herb garden. A local organic-vegan
farmer produces them here in Hawaii and also supplies them to our
local natural health food store.

The most commonly seen eatable flowers are daisies, pansies, roses,
violets, and of course lavender. But there are so many others to utilize,
as long as you are positive as to what you are picking and they are not
treated with any sort of pesticide, &c. You should absolutely check out
more on the subject.

A great quick source is Please Eat the Daisies by David Heeran.
More soon to follow... and in the meantime, be sure to stop and to
eat the roses!








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