Ameer Kotecha

The art of edible flowers

  • From Spectator Life

There are many slightly pretentious ways to make an ordinary plate of food look beautiful. Powders, foams, and gels are all much favoured by Michelin chefs – though they generally don’t improve anything and make it look as if someone has spilt something on your dinner. But edible flowers are one cheffy trick that I do employ when I want to make something look special. Choose carefully and they provide not just a feast for the eyes but flavour and texture too. In the spring and summer months they bring a welcome floral elegance. And if you’re hosting a dinner party and don’t want to rely purely on the silkiness of your homemade pasta or the rise of your soufflé to wow your guests, a few edible flowers will leave them suitably impressed.

You can tell a story on the plate through the flowers you choose – their names, shapes and colours. How about decorating Chinese dim sum with peonies, given their prized symbolism in China where they are known as the ‘king of flowers’? Or celebrating academic success with a cake decorated with carnations, traditionally given for university examinations or graduations? Or even, at the next stag do, serving up martinis made with a syrup of cornflowers (aka ‘bachelor’s buttons’)… The possibilities are endless. So here is a guide to using edible flowers to grace your plate.

If picking your own flowers, ideally do so on a dry morning. Picking them before the sun is strong keeps the colours and flavours more intense. Use the flowers on the day you pick them or put them in the fridge in a plastic bag – for a few days at most. Wash the flowers gently before use. You can use a pastry brush to wipe off any clinging bits.

    Beyond their use for general plate garnishing, you can use edible flowers in the following dishes:

    Salads

    iStock-1254947415.jpg

      All edible flowers can be used in a salad.

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