Flowers and food

Author: Xiong Fansen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: Flowers are important plant resources. Growing flowers can not only purify and beautify the environment but also regulate people's emotions, alleviate fatigue, promote health, and improve the quality of life. Many flowers can be used for both ornamental purposes and as ingredients in delicious dishes. Using flowers in cooking can reduce fat, enhance flavor, add aroma, and enrich color. When people consume flowers, they pay attention not only to their color, fragrance, taste, and nutritional value but also to their health benefits. In China, people have a long history of consuming flowers. Ancient people picked fresh flowers throughout the seasons for cooking, and some of their methods have been included in the recipes of major culinary schools. For example, in Lingnan cuisine, there are dishes like braised night-blooming jasmine, bougainvillea soup, lotus meat, and egg flower vegetables; in Shanghai cuisine, there are dishes like stir-fried magnolia chicken slices and osmanthus chestnuts; in Huaiyang cuisine, there are dishes like fresh jasmine chicken slices and chrysanthemum pot; and in Beijing cuisine, there are dishes like stir-fried osmanthus scallops, jasmine chicken breast, fried wisteria cakes, and fresh flower wisteria noodles. In folk culture, people also use flowers in cooking to create dishes like fried magnolia slices, lotus flower tofu, stir-fried elm flower meat, fried fresh locust flower shrimp, and olive flower scrambled eggs. Flowers can not only be used as ingredients for dishes but also as raw materials or seasonings for processed foods, such as osmanthus and rose being important ingredients or seasonings for candies and pastries. Flower extracts made from chrysanthemums, roses, jasmine, and other flowers can be used as alternatives to tea. Silver flower extract is a refreshing summer beverage. Flowers can also be used to make wine, such as plum wine, chrysanthemum wine, osmanthus wine, and rose wine, which have been loved by people since ancient times. This book not only focuses on introducing methods for consuming edible flowers but also provides practical knowledge about the medicinal uses of flowers and plants, environmental benefits of flower cultivation, and other related aspects for reference by flower growers. During the compilation process, we referred to relevant materials and extend our gratitude to the authors of those materials. Due to limited expertise, despite our best efforts, there may still be inaccuracies, and we sincerely invite readers to point them out.