By Roxy Greeff
1. TULIPS
Taste: Watermelon and dust combined
Cook with it: It pairs well with watercress and Chevin
Try it in our: Strawberry salad with goat’s cheese croutons
2. MARIGOLDS
Taste: Peppery with a subtle hint of honey
Cook with it: The pepperiness complements Malay-style curries and beef tartar.
Try it in our: Butter chicken and prawn curry
3. HIBISCUS
Taste: Musk and red currant
Cook with it: Infuse it in boiling water to make a tea or make them into tempura hibiscus petals.
Try it in our: Hibiscus iced tea flirtini cocktails
4. LAVENDER
Taste: Sweet and earthy with tannins on the palate
Cook with it: Since it is so pungent, when you are using it to infuse creams or jellies, only use the leaves and young stems. It is also lovely in dark hot chocolate.
Try it in our: Salted caramel hot chocolate
5. ROSES
Taste: Any sweetness actually comes from the aroma of the flower. A fresh petal is quite bitter.
Cook with it: Use the petals in a fresh summery salad or dessert and remember to remove the white bit at the bottom of each petal to get rid of most of the bitterness.
Try it in our: Banana, berry and lemon curd pavlovas
6. WISTERIA
Taste: Sweet nectar and grapes
Cook with it: It is great with Brie, asparagus, as a jam or served with scones and whipped cream.
Try it in our: Beetroot pizza with asparagus and Emmental
7. SWEET WILLIAMS
Taste: Musk and pepper
Cook with it: Perfect with sashimi, ginger, watermelon and feta.
Try it in our: Watermelon mojitos
8. NASTURTIUMS
Taste: Pungent and numbing
Cook with it: It goes well with white meat, fish and seafood.
Try it in our: Seafood and sparkling wine risotto
9. BORAGE
Taste: Gentle cucumber
Cook with it: It is too delicate to endure any heat, so use it fresh with panna cotta, chicken or duck.
Try it in our: Green tea panna cotta with black sesame praline
