This piece was originally posted on Healthy Living Market & Cafe's blog. If you are entertaining and want to make a beautiful (and delicious) centerpiece, look no further than this great suggestion from Healthy Living. Check out other VT cheeses that might enjoy playing with some flowers! If you love good cheese, don't miss the Vermont Cheesemakers Festival coming up in July.
Love chèvre and looking for a new way to serve it? We have an idea for you: think edible flowers!
Last month at the Demo Counter, we sampled out a local chèvre rolled in edible flowers and herbs and topped with local honey. Sounds easy, right? It is! It’s extremely easy to create and makes a beautiful presentation; it’s so lovely, in fact, that it looks like more work than it actually is (making it perfect for parties, showers, celebrations, and gatherings of any kind!) We didn’t print up a recipe for the demonstration so for those looking for step-by-step instructions, we’re providing them now!
First, prepare your flowers and herbs. Coarsely chop about 2 Tbsp of dried rosemary, remove the petals from about 2 Tbsp of dried calendula flowers, coarsely chop about 2 Tbsp of dried rose petals, and crush about 1 Tbsp pink peppercorns using a mortar & pestle or even just a rolling pin (note: all of these ingredients are available in our extensive Bulk Department!). Mix all these together on a flat surface such as a cutting board. Next, take a 10-oz chèvre log (we used one from Vermont Creamery) and roll it in the floral mix, pressing gently to make sure the flowers stick. You may need to do this a couple times to coat the chèvre completely. Then, to serve, spread a little bit of the floral chèvre on crackers, topping each with a touch of honey. Tada!
And here’s a friendly warning for you: putting it together is fun! It reminded us of being children, for some reason. Perhaps because it felt like playing; picking petals off flowers, crunching pepper, mixing everything all together, and watching distinct piles of pink, green, and yellow become a beautiful mess, rolling the chèvre log in the floral mix… even dolloping the honey onto each cracker felt a little playful. But trust us, this isn’t a child’s treat. It’s very sophisticated and makes an elegant presentation, and the flavors take time to develop in your mouth. It’s a delicate and surprising snack that requires you to take your time and really taste what you’re eating, much like a high-quality chocolate or artisanal cheese.
Feel free to follow these instructions specifically or use them as inspiration: there are lots of edible flowers available, some fresh, some dried, some possibly even growing in your garden, and all with their own unique and under-utilized flavors, so do some research and go wild!
