Flower Power Lunch
by Judi Sandall
judi.sandall@chefschoolreview.com
Chef School Review Columnist
The next time you head out for that power lunch at your favorite upscale restaurant, there might be roses in the vase but there are probably nasturtiums in your salad.
Edible flowers are making a comeback in the culinary arts. Flowers were popular in ancient Roman, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Chinese culinary cultures. The Victorians were also particularly fond of adding edible flowers to their cuisine. Recently, these colorful petaled delights have been popping up in all of the finest entrées and desserts, adding color and texture as well as flavor.
Think Outside the [Flower] Box
Although edible flowers are often used for culinary decorations on cakes and ice creams, they are also beginning to appear more frequently in breads and pestos. Roses are used more frequently to infuse oils and to flavor vinaigrettes. They can even be sliced and diced to add flavor to butter, honey, and syrup. You can also use violets to prepare flavored sugar or use fine sugar and egg whites to make candied violets. To impress your friends with your culinary arts flair, whip up a batch of lavender fudge brownies or serve up a tasty lavender shortbread for breakfast. Check out the punch bowl at the next formal soiree you attend and you may find a delicate floral arrangement frozen in the ice ring.
To Eat or Not to Eat
There are some important things to be aware of when you include flowers in your culinary arts repertoire:
- Make sure the flowers are edible and not poisonous
- Unless the flowers are designated ‘for consumption’, they may have been sprayed with pesticides
- Don’t use edible and non-edible flowers on the same plate
- Make sure you serve only the edible parts of the flower
- Flower pollen may adversely affect people with certain allergies
Start with ‘flowers lite’—it’s alwayas easier to add more floral flavor than it is to reduce the flower power. When you add the flavor, color, and texture of flowers to your culinary creations, it’s no wonder they refer to the result as the culinary arts.
Sources
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About the Author
Judi Sandall is a technical writer and a regular Chef School Review columnist. She is a graduate of the State University of New York, with a BA in English Literature.
Posted on November 4, 2006 at 12:03 PM
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The Rise to Top Chef: Tom Colicchio's Culinary Career
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