In this article:
Know your edible flowersFrom the flower gardenFrom the kitchen gardenEdible flower themed menusAfternoon teaBrunchDinnerFood that looks like flowersSwap flowers for food and build an edible tablescapeIf you're curious to find out more about hosting an event with Social Pantry, talk to our team today! For more menu and styling inspiration, sign up to our newsletter The Gathering.Edible Flowers: This Summer’s Prettiest Menu Trend
Chelsea Flower Show has been held in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, just a stone’s throw from Social Pantry HQ and sites, every year since 1913. The event showcases cutting-edge garden design, fabulous floral displays and educational exhibits highlighting horticultural science and the role plants play in combatting climate change and improving our wellbeing. To mark Chelsea Flower Show 2023, we are sharing some of our favourite ways to celebrate the dynamic relationship between food and flowers through edible flowers. All while maximising the aesthetic, culinary, and sustainability merits of your event along the way.
Know your edible flowers
Edible flowers lend eye-catching colour, visual intrigue, enchanting scents and nuanced flavour to all manner of recipes. What’s more, edible flowers are everywhere. Not just on almost-too-pretty-to-eat brunch dishes, restaurant menus, crystallised on cakes or offered in tiny plastic trays at extortionate prices in gourmet food stores. The secret lies in knowing the different varieties and how to use them.
From the flower garden
Common edible garden favourites include Daisy, Nasturtium, Rose, Violet, Pansy, Sunflowers and Geraniums.
Nasturtium flowers are fabulous strewn through spring and summer mixed leaf salads. You can also try them deep-fried in tempura; or in nasturtium flower butter. Make this by mixing shredded petals and a little lemon zest into a pack of softened butter. Serve with new potatoes or fish.
Geraniums – especially rose geraniums – impart a sweet, floral Turkish Delight scent and flavour. Make a syrup by dissolving an equal weight of sugar in water and adding a handful of leaves to it as you take it off the heat. Remove the leaves when it’s the strength you fancy. Drizzle over cakes and ice cream, or mix with six parts Prosecco or sparkling water for a wonderful spring-into-summer drink.
From the kitchen garden
Many of the ingredients we are familiar with from the vegetable patch and herb garden also produce edible flowers. Herbs such as borage, basil, dill, chives, mint and rosemary have edible flowers as well as leaves. Their flowers typically impart a more subtle flavour to food. Therefore they can be used generously to maximise visual impact and amplify existing flavours without disrupting the overall balance.
Fennel is popular for its delicate aniseed flavour. Plus the bulbous white body stands up well to a variety of cooking methods. However all parts are edible! The soft feathery leaves and tall stems topped with flat clusters of tiny yellow flowers (often referred to as fennel pollen) can be used in the same way as other fresh, soft herbs. Try adding to pestos, vinaigrettes, pâtés, breadcrumbs, salads and even baked goods.
Chive blossoms are pretty pink-purple pompom flowerheads. They have a sweet onion flavour and can be scattered as a fresh garnish (we love that eye-popping contrast with bright yellow eggs), pickled in vinegar, fried in tempura batter, or folded through butter, dips or dough. Think chive blossom butter or aioli, or cheese and chive scones or shortbread.
Edible flower themed menus
Considering hosting your own Chelsea Flower Show inspired party to mark the iconic event, or celebrating a birthday, hen party, or any other special occasion with an elegant and timeless flower theme? Edible flowers can provide a unique and unifying theme for your event and menu. We have come up with three almost-too-pretty-to-eat menus to make your mouth water. Check out these recipes for the ultimate flower themed afternoon tea, brunch or dinner party.
Afternoon tea
For a glorious floral afternoon tea, begin with a choice of quintessential and refreshing Elderflower Cordial or a soothing cup of Fresh Flower Chamomile Tea. Make a double batch of the cordial to use in Elderflower Buns later on too.
As a savoury course, offer a platter of Edible Flower Crostini. Fold the stems of fresh herbs into the soft cheese spread and garnish with the flowerheads and petals for a zero-waste approach. Impress guests with delicately arranged Smoked Salmon ‘Roses’ on Rye Toast. Decorate with chive blossoms or fennel pollen for flavour, and colourful petals of your choosing for added vibrancy.
For something sweet, this Citrus and Rose Battenburg Cake emphasises pretty pastel hues and bright floral flavours. We love the check pattern consisting of a thick layer of floral infused marzipan, alternating layers of pastel rose-hued almond sponge, double citrus sponge, and raspberry preserves. Strawberries with Lavender Biscuits (the American kind, akin to british scones) offer a unique and uplifting take on a traditional cream tea. Add lavender flowers into the biscuit dough, then reserve some to garnish.
Lastly, Nicola Lamb’s recipe for Elderflower Iced Buns provides an elegant take on the childhood tea time treat. It uses the elderflower cordial you’ll serve as a drink to infuse the dough, icing and optional elderflower whipped cream with a beautifully summery and citrusy flavour.
Brunch
Brunch should be consider a party host’s dream. More relaxed than a dinner party with the option to dress up or down accordingly. There is the option to drink, without the expectations that come at night. Plus brunch is more flexible in terms of what food you serve and when you serve it. 10am, 12pm, 2pm are all good times for brunch. Granola and yoghurt; huevos rancheros; breakfast udon; cinnamon rolls, are all good brunch options. Best of all, you don’t have to worry about guests getting in the way of your preference for an early night. Edible flowers offer a unique and uplifting twist on an occasionally clicheed meal, introducing fresh flavours and creative variations to brunch classics.
Start with Non Alcholic Hibiscus Garibaldis and Lavender Iced lattes. These will compliment a light inviting spread of Rose Petal, Pecan and Cacao Nib Granola, served with milk or yoghurt of your choice, and ultra-tempting Rhubarb Lavender Streusel Muffins.
For the main event, this Wild garlic, Nettle, Dandelion and Goose Egg Tart is equal parts impressive and easy to prepare in advance! It’s a true celebration of British foraging. Plus the use of goose eggs provide an invitation to seek out a local farm or farm shop. You can also order goose eggs online from Church Farm, Oxford. Alternatively you can replace one good egg with 3 chicken or 2 duck eggs (or 350g total weight). Cut through the richness with this fresh and zesty Spring Fennel and Dandelion Slaw.
Dinner
An edible flower themed dinner party can add colour, lightness and vitality to an evening gathering. Offer guests a welcome drink in the form of a Garden Martini that blends gin with elderflower, lavender and rose.
Courgette Flatbreads with Roasted Garlic Pesto are an irresistible crowdpleasing sharing snack. Top with the dainty wild garlic flowerheads for an effortless and flavour-enhancing finishing touch. Fried Courgette Flowers are a spectacular way to showcase every part of the courgette across your menu. Paired with honey and vinegar, they are simultaneously sweet and sharp – and very moreish!
For the main course, this Salmon with Sorrel Sauce whips up in less than 10 minutes and never fails to impress. Sorrel is one of the easiest herbs to grow at home if you want to be able to serve produce from your very own kitchen garden. Serve by itself, or with baby new potatoes or great bread for mopping up the sauce. Layer flavours and textures with this Fresh Raw Pea, Asparagus and Fava Bean Salad with Pecorino and Herbs such as mint, parsley, sorrel, pea shoots, tarragon, chives, lovage. Make sure to include the herb flowers too.
To finish, this Apple Galette with Tahini Frangipane and Honey-Hibiscus Glaze is a delicious and elegant dessert that can be made ahead of time. The glaze makes use of reserved apple peels and dried hibiscus for a zero-waste twist. And trust us, you won’t have any leftovers of this galette once your guests take their first bite!
Food that looks like flowers
Another creative way to incorporate a flower theme in your menu comes from presenting food to look like flowers. Beautiful floral patterns can look complicated but are actually easier to recreate than you might imagine. Learn how to make apple roses from California-based pastry chef, chocolatier, and cookbook author Alice Medrich and you’ll have a technique to return to time and time again.
Alternatively, this Triple Berry “Rose” Pie uses pastry dough petals to create the floral design as part of a double-crusted pie. This guide to fancy pie crusts also demonstrates how to make a Black Bottom Cherry “Sunflower” Pie, using long pie dough petals and recreating the seed head with chocolate chips, and a Peach Butter Slab “Hydrangea” Pie. This is the easiest way to make a floral effect on a pie, and can be used to make a whole host of floral effects, The flowers are baked separately, which makes it especially easy. Bake your pie, bake the flowers, then once they are cool, arrange the flowers on top of the baked pie.
What’s more, these techniques aren’t limited to sweet bakes. This stunning Vegetable & Pesto Rose Tart is a magnificent vegetarian bake that can be easily adapted with whatever vegetables are available to you, and different types of pesto. (Check out Social Pantry’s recipe for zero-waste pesto here!).
Another genius idea is to invest in a flower-shaped ravioli stamp to make fresh pasta in the shape of flowers. Take inspiration from this Pea & Pecorino flower ravioli. Unusual shaped ravioli stamps are a collector’s item but are bound to become your favourite kitchen tool.
Swap flowers for food and build an edible tablescape
Swap flowers for food or incorporate edible elements in your table centrepiece for a boundary-blurring edible tablescape! Besides being aesthetically pleasing, an edible tablescape encourages guests to graze leisurely until the meal is ready. This takes pressure off timings and fosters a relaxing atmosphere. It’s also naturally zero-waste. To maximise the longevity of your tablescape, lean towards including whole fruits. Cherries, grapes, peaches and plums are ideal. Offer cut fruits such as citrus or melon segments in smaller quantities, replenishing as needed.
Social Pantry recently created an edible tablescape for a Weddings Showcase Event at Dulwich Picture Gallery which blurred the lines between food and art. It also offered a unique and sustainable play of traditional wedding favours. The table was adorned with speciality varieties of seasonal citrus fruits, and named jam jars served as place cards. Inside each menu booklet was a recipe for a seasonal and delicious marmalade that could be made with fruits taken home from the display at the end of the night.
