• Edible flowers add a delicate and elegant touch to any dish or dessert.
If in the past flowers were mainly used to decorate tables at social events, or to create spectacular arrangements designed to compliment special menus, in recent years they have become more and more popular in the gastronomic field. Thus, they passed into the category the ingredients culinary, being used not only for decoration, but also to add extra flavor and delicate aroma to dishes.
Using edible flowers in gastronomy is a creative way to add texture, color and unique taste preparations. It is important, however, to choose carefully FLORA used in cooking, as not all of them are safe for consumption. It is also important to know their origin, to know if they have been treated with pesticides or other chemicals, harmful for consumption.
However, if chosen carefully and used properly, edible flowers can transform an ordinary dish or dessert into a particularly elegant creation. They are a way to provide a special visual impact, create colorful decorations and add flavor, while also bringing health benefits. For example, chamomile flowers have calming properties and can be used to treat insomnia, headaches and stress. Lavender flowers also have calming properties and are often used to help reduce stress and anxiety.
Elegant creations
There is a wide variety of edible flowers, each with a specific taste and aroma. The flowers of hibiscus they are large, colorful and are a spectacular addition to culinary preparations such as salads, jams, creams, mousse, ice cream. With a positive impact on cholesterol and blood pressure, hibiscus flowers can be eaten as they are, having a cranberry-like taste with slight citrus nuances, or used to make bright red tea with a sour and slightly acidic flavor.
The dandelion, the stubborn plant in our gardens, is a highly nutritious edible flower with powerful antioxidant properties. The most interesting aspect is that the flowers are not the only part of the dandelion that can be consumed safely. In fact, every part of this plant can be enjoyed: the root, the stem and the leaves! Dandelion flowers are eaten both raw and fried or breaded, or used to make jellies and jam.
Color and flavor
Lavender is a woody plant with small purple flowers and a distinct fragrance. Originally cultivated in parts of northern Africa and the Mediterranean, lavender's combination of color and flavor make it suitable for a variety of pastries, syrups, liqueurs, ice creams, sorbets.
Its aroma combines well with both sweet and savory ingredients, but also citrus fruits, berries, rosemary, sage, thyme and, last but not least, chocolate. Lavender flowers are used in various cakes, but can also be added to a glass of sparkling wine. Be careful though! When you decide to use lavender flowers in your dishes, it is good to add them gradually until you get the desired flavor, as their fragrance can quickly become overpowering.
Rose has a sweet and delicate fragrance that goes well with desserts and puddings. There are over 150 species of roses and the good news is that absolutely all of them are edible. However, not all roses taste the same. The criterion for choosing the rose with the right aroma is its smell: the most pleasant scent will determine the best taste. Petals of roses are used in a wide range of dishes, from salads to jellies, jams, ice creams or granola, the mixture of cereals and flakes oat, ideal for breakfast.
Freshness and health benefits
And how could we not mention pansies? Beautiful and delicate, the colorful flowers are also extremely pleasant to the taste, with a light and fresh aroma. Thanks to the multiple color variations, pansies are used as an excellent decorative addition to desserts, such as pastries, cakes, tarts, mousses. For added drama, they can be glazed with sugar before being added to the dessert. And to all of this there are also health benefits, pansies being a rich source of compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Edible flowers can also be used in their version lyophilized. Freeze-drying is a method that involves rapidly freezing the flowers and removing the water through sublimation (going from a solid state to a gaseous state without passing through the liquid state). This process allows the shape and color of the flowers to be preserved for a longer period of time without affecting their quality, which makes them ideal for use in gastronomy.
An elegant and delicate choice for decorating or enhancing the flavor of any dish or dessert, edible flowers are increasingly found in gastronomic creations around the world. In addition to the previously presented edible flowers, there are also marigolds, snapdragons, bluebells, certain species of geranium, lady's-ear, garden carnation, and certain varieties of orchids.
However, we must not forget that, before we decide to use the delicate colored petals in our preparations, we must check that they are species of flower safe for consumption and do not come from crops treated with pesticides or other chemicals. Thus, we can enjoy all the benefits without worrying about the possible risks.
Article written by Gabriela Dan, Editor of Arta Albă
Read on White Art and: The holiday bread
