QUALITALY

APR. MAY. 2017

“ Chef Bartolo continues: “For example,

they should never be laid on a hot

course such as meat or fish, as the high

cooking temperature would ruin not

only the colour of the flowers but also

the taste. It would be a bit like putting

a bunch of roses near a heat source...

after a short time they would lose their

beauty. The same principle applies in

the kitchen. It’s advised then to ‘isolate’

the hot ingredient and use a cold base

for the flowers. “

The balance of the dish still remains

fundamental, the important thing is

not to get ‘carried away’ and carefully

evaluate what you use as cooking is,

first of all, a well-balanced matter of

taste and flavours.

NEW TYPES OF FLOWERS ARE ON

THE HORIZON

Dr. Barbara Ruffino researcher of the

recently conceived Anthea Project,

works instead with other aims. “We

are working, through financing from

the European Community, on the

Italian-French area, already renowned

for the cultivation of flowers, turning

them, in this case, from having

an ornamental purpose to that of

consumption, studying flowers as real

ingredients”.

This project lays down a summary of

the development of over 50 species

already known and marketed. We

take into consideration new types,

new biological cultivation systems,

the evaluation of the nutritional

properties of the individual flowers,

any potential allergies for the

consumer and also toxicity, given that

some species, if used in wrong doses

and quantities, could be potentially

harmful. Another important element

not to be overlooked is the packaging

and traceability of edible flowers.

To this end, the Anthea Project will

accompany a series of activities aimed

at informing and training chefs.

“Among the studies started, there is

a very interesting one that concerns

a kind of sage that comes from

different parts of the world, each with

different flavors, such as pineapple,

blackberry, sweeter tastes, some more

spicy.” Dr. Ruffoni continues. “There

are also many alliaceous plants that

we are now analyzing with a unique

peculiarity: the ability to flavour

dishes without having the principle

that is often left uneaten.” Among the

many studies, there is also a more

thorough analysis on saffron, not

only of the part already known for

food use but on the petals which,

apparently, have an original flavour.

“In addition to the research we want

to create a chain of seedlings to buy

and eventually to cultivate at home.

But precaution should be taken:

you have to treat these flowers as ‘

vegetables ‘, like a salad for example,

with the view that they will end up

in the dish and not in a vase! They

are therefore untreated, a procedure

similar to biological, far from

contamination of any kind”.

Edible flowers, in addition to the

evident aesthetic impact, contain

mineral salts and anthocyanins, two

elements that combine perfectly

with cooking, also for the creation

of sauces, infusions and condiments

suitable for meat. In short, they are

becoming valid allies of the table...

only some attention for those who

suffer from pollen-related allergies

but, once those types have been

identified to avoid, you can afford a

menu which is, to say the least, floral.

AT PAGE 54

Qi Wellness At The Table

A ‘crown jewel’ in the

kitchen

A light choice that rewards the

palate and the eye

By Barbara Panterna*

Adding edible flowers to our dishes

can be a trick to make a lunch

or dinner more imaginative and

rewarding to the eye, as well as

making it light. They are used as

hints of colour in salads, cocktails or

as a garnish with sweets and other

foods to make the mise en place look

its best, but many edible flowers

(such as Chamomile with soothing

and calming properties, Jasmine with

antiseptic and soothing properties,

Anise whose flowers have a balsamic,

expectorant, antiemetic and soothing

power against intestinal wind , the

Calendula, with its golden colour

and a spicy taste, with antispasmodic

properties) were used in antiquity for

therapeutic purposes.

In nature there are about 50 varieties

of edible flowers, some very well

known such as pumpkin flowers and

many others unknown to most, and to

name but a few: Borage, characterized

by a brilliant shade of blue and a taste

of cucumber; Monarda with its red

colour and a taste of mint; fragrant

Verbena, white with a delicate lemon

scent. Beautiful to see and tasty for

the palate but we see them in their

medical/scientific aspect.

From the food point of view, the

flowers fall into the group of vegetables

- although some of them are classified

as spices (eg. Saffron) -, which, from

the nutritional point of view, belong

to the VI Group (fruits and vegetables

as a source of vitamin A) and VII

group (fruits and vegetables as a

source of vitamin C) of foods, as they

are characterized by a high content

of vitamin A and C. But the flowers

contain other important nutrients

such as glucose, so they provide a

carbohydrate intake, fibre, mineral salts

such as potassium, essential oils, water

and antioxidants such as polyphenols,

flavonoids and carotenoids while

having few calories, therefore can be

used for the preparation of lively light

dishes! Although containing various

nutritional properties, they should

not be abused because they may

trigger allergic reactions in susceptible

persons. Therefore, they are strongly

discouraged during pregnancy and

for asthmatic and allergic subjects in

general.

It is important also to remember

that not all flowers, beautiful as they

may seem, are edible. Some varieties

are in fact toxic to man, such as

the flowers of the potato, eggplant,

asparagus, tomato and pepper.

In order to be considered edible they

must be cultivated in greenhouses,

so that they are protected from

the weather and, of course, grown

without the use of pesticides or