Specialty food producers Flowerdale Farm have launched new summer varieties of edible flowers in Australia.
Flowerdale Farm is an Australian-owned family business with a focus on providing specialty produce. It currently supplies over 150 different varieties of Shoots, Microgreens, Sprouts, Petite Vegetables, Edible Flowers, Salad Greens and Herbs to chefs, independent green grocers and specialty grocers. Its products are available in Coles supermarkets, IGA supermarkets, David Jones’ Foodhall, and Foodworks supermarkets.
The two new varieties of edible flowers are Fennel Flower and Nasturtium buds.
Fennel Flower – Flowerdale Farm said the small golden-coloured flowers of this highly aromatic bloom “are the most potent form of fennel available, with a strong anise flavour”. Produced on a number of short umbrella-like flower stalks, each fennel flower section has 20–50 tiny yellow flowers on short stems. Flowerdale Farm said just a small amount of fennel flower can “add a surprisingly sweet layer of licorice flavour to salads, sauces, soups and meat rubs”. As one of the primary ingredients of absinthe, Flowerdale Farm said fennel flower was also popular for cocktail and dessert applications.
Nasturtium Buds – Flowerdale Farm said the compact, unopened nasturtium blooms have a “crunchy nut-like texture and a fiery wasabi-style flavour”. The Company said Nasturtium Buds offer a longer shelf life than the open bloom, and “are the ideal accompaniment to red meat and egg dishes”. The buds can also be pickled in vinegar, similar to radishes, which Flowerdale Farm said would “reduce the heat of the bloom and create a unique condiment for serving with hot and cold savoury meals”.
In addition to the new varieties, Flowerdale Farm said it had a good supply of other popular summer season edible flower lines, including: Confetti Mix, Assorted Mix, Pansy, Rose Petals, Marigolds, Calendula, Geranium, Dianthus and Carnation flowers.
To market its specialty products, Flowerdale Farm supplies consumers with recipes for the products, both on its website and in a downloadable publication. Australian Food News reported in April 2014 that Flowerdale Farm had launched a recipe eBook to promote its products.
Flowerdale Farm also has a range of ‘microgreens’ available in Coles supermarkets. Australian Food News reported the launch of this range in October 2013.
