LCBO Food & Drink Early Summer 2019

ENTERTAINING FLOWER POWER

Keep cleaned whole edible flowers in a sealed container on a damp paper towel in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also find small containers of edible flowers in the produce section of gourmet grocery stores.

violas

The viola family contains pansies, violets and johnny-jump-ups. Pansies are one of the first plants to appear in stores in the spring, and one of the last in the fall because they are happiest in cool sunny weather. One of the prettiest options in terms of edible flower ganishes, violas taste fresh and mildly floral with a hint of wintergreen and should be eaten whole for the best flavour. The range of available co- lours and sizes makes for beautiful garnishes on cakes and sweets. Traditionally sugared and crystal- lized, they are also used to make Crème de Violette, a 19th-century liqueur that has recently had a resurgence in popularity.

lemon & wildflower honey tarts recipe on page 132

NASTURTIUM

LAVENDER

If you’ve only eaten one kind of fresh flower before, chances are it was a nasturtium. Related to the brassica family (cabbage and cauliflower), nasturtium blooms and leaves are tasty and slightly peppery with the darkest blooms con- taining the most flavour. The vibrant petals are at their best in salads or as a foil for eggs or cheese. The buds can be pickled and used in place of capers. When using the whole flowers you should pull off the back spur as these sometimes house small insects.

Lavender, whilst best known for its strong floral scent, is sweet-tasting with a hint of citrus. Most often used in Mediterranean cooking, it forms part of the classic dried mixture of herbes de Provence and is sometimes used to flavour vinegar and savoury applications in place of rosemary. Lavender is equally at home with buttery baked goods and makes a beautiful foil for dark chocolate. Try pulling apart a cluster of fresh lavender flowers and sprinkling them over ice cream or custards along with fragrant fruit.

FOOD & DRI NK EARLY SUMMER