Flowers are usually not thought of as something to be eaten. They are more often seen as decorative items whether it is on homes or personal accessories. There was actually a time in Denmark when the consumption of edible flowers was believed to have been almost stopped during the 18th century. Judging however on the more aggressive use of such ingredients especially in popular fine dining establishments and tourist destinations, it is quite clear that consuming edible flowers will remain in Denmark.
Soil-to-plate dining is something that is actively advocated by the likes of Noma Restaurant and Dragsholm Castle Restaurant, both popular must-stops when visiting Denmark. This is what most chefs refer to as using harvested ingredients within 12 hours to be served in a meal. Edible flowers are very much part of this cooking adventure.
Eating edible flowers may sound outlandish to many especially to those who are not aware that they are actually consuming some already. Probably the concern is focused on flowers that are not generally associated with food. Caution is well-placed though since there are flowers that can be risky to take in. Some edible flowers have parts that are not agreeable to the sense of taste.
Noma Restaurant has edible flowers in its menu. Being served a dish with rose petals is an altogether different experience. At Dragsholm Castle, lucky guests are even treated to an educational walk in its farmland where most of its fresh produce served on the restaurant comes from. Guests should not be surprised to find wild violet flowers on their food. The use of edible flowers in Danish cuisine continue to evolve as chefs find newer and better ways to incorporate them in their food offering.
Be the first to comment