“Flowers have to be considered as an ingredient,” says Iolanda Bustos, popularly known in the gastronomic environment as “the flower chef.” And chefs never tire of repeating that everything that is put on the plate has to be edible, so flowers should not only have decorative functions. Each one has its own flavor, smell, texture and gastronomic applications that are worth taking advantage of.
‘Floriphagia’ is the term used to refer to the consumption of flowers, raw or cooked. This ancestral tradition comes from both Mexico and the East and has been gaining popularity in Spain thanks to great chefs like Andoni Luis Aduriz, with whom flowers “have gone from being a humble ingredient to having value,” explains Bustos.
For the chef, another chef who has had a great influence on this popularization has been Rodrigo de la Calle, inventor of gastrobotany. As a last essential factor, Bustos mentions social networks and cultural exchange in kitchens throughout the country, which have also made more and more flowers known and more ways to consume them.
In the kitchen, the most popular flowers are usually rose, chamomile, calendula and carnations, as well as aromatic plants such as sage, basil and mint. This is because they are the ones that last the longest in good condition for use in restaurants and the ones that offer the most possibilities. Pansy, from the Viola species, is also one of the most sought after, due to its bittersweet flavor and very striking aesthetics.
Likewise, another advantage of these flowers is that they are able to grow without too much water, which is ideal in the current drought conditions. The lack of water causes, at the same time, the flowering time to become increasingly shorter, normally one month, a very short duration compared to the long season of most fruits and vegetables. For this reason, you have to pay attention to the optimal moment for each flower.
The flowering of the elderberry, for example, occurs in June, which will be a perfect time to make xampanyet de saüc, a foamy drink that is prepared with water, sugar, lemon, vinegar and these flowers. Roses bloom for a longer period of time (from early spring to late summer) and this is one of the reasons why they are present in a wide variety of recipes such as pickles, pestos, dipping sauces, seasoned salts and dehydrated petals, among other.
The general population is unaware that the so-called “weeds” and wild flowers are not only rich in vitamins, antioxidants and micronutrients like the rest of the flowers, but also that some, such as tomato purslane, are especially abundant in omega 3. However, , since there is little knowledge about collecting flowers – as is the case with mushrooms – most people discard them in the kitchen.
For this reason, many organizations such as the Associació Flora Catalana are in charge of organizing botanical outings and activities to publicize the world of flowers.
For the planet, flowers are also essential, since bees need them to pollinate them and they are their source of food. This connection between fauna and flora is very special, says Bustos, but in the human species it is being lost. Even so, he believes that “the vital energy of flowers influences our body,” since by eating fresh, live flowers, just picked, “you undergo a transformation and connect with your memories.” Likewise, he points out that they have a homeopathic function, since they create greater resistance to allergies.
Edible flowers can be purchased in online stores such as Pàmies Vitae, in specialized greengrocers and herbalists, from small collectors, and even in markets such as La Boqueria. For her, the ideal is to have her own garden from which they can be harvested day by day according to needs, so that they maintain all their vitality, light, color, flavor and energy. However, if purchased, it is recommended to preserve them by storing them in an airtight container with absorbent paper.
In the spring is the ideal time to try elaborations with flowers, as it is when Flower Time is celebrated in Girona. With the initiative
Below are some of the edible uses of flowers, and the flavors and aromas that each one of them gives off:
