Blossoming food trend this week

Friday 05 March 2010 20:00 EST

(Verbenko)

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The web is flooded with recipes from step-by-step videos to those of celebrity chefs and bloggers, full of modern twists or traditional preparations. This week the growing trend is zucchini flowers or squash blossoms.

Maybe it's a desire for a long-awaited spring in the northern hemisphere or staying true to whole sustainable food options. Whatever the case, international food, wine and travel magazine Saveur has an innovative Squash Blossom pizza which deconstructs the classic fried zucchini flower appetizer, while Slashfood, a food news blog, offers a twist on the traditional ricotta stuffed flowers with the combination of escarole and mozzarella served on a bed of pasta.

The main season for zucchini flowers is May through November although it depends on the climate in your region (grown best in warm, frost-free climates). If squash blossoms are something new, handle with care, they are delicate and best to fill with soft cheeses.

Slashfood offers this sustainable tip: select "male blossoms (with the long, straight stamens), which serve only to pollinate the female blossoms (which bear the actual vegetables). That way you'll preserve the pleasure of eating both the flowers and full-grown squash." After getting your hands on some blossoms try these recipes:

Saveur's Squash Blossom Pizza: http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Squash-Blossom-Pizza?cmpid=enews030410

Slashfood's Stuffed Zucchini Flowers over Spaghetti: http://www.slashfood.com/2010/03/03/stuffed-zucchini-flowers-over-spaghetti-feast-your-eyes/

Gourmet magazine's Fried Zucchini Blossoms: http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/diaryofafoodie/2007/01/fried_zucchini_blossoms

Cooks.com's Zucchini Flower Pancakes: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1850,141182-227205,00.html