Cooking with Edible Flowers: Recipes from Philadelphia Chefs

Incorporating flowers into culinary creations is a practice that dates back generations. Traditionally, chefs have garnished dishes with blossoms to enhance their visual appeal. However, these edible flowers offer more than decoration. With over 200 varieties available, flowers like the sdao used in Cambodian dishes or the Eastern redbuds from Brooklyn each spring present unique flavors that can transform meals when handled creatively.

Featured Chefs and Recipes

Philadelphia hosts a talented trio of chefs who exemplify this creative use of edible flowers. One of them, Randy Rucker, notes, “The fresh flower is what most people think of,” but when dried, fermented, or blended with lime, their flavors dramatically change.

“The fresh flower is what most people think of,” says the chef Randy Rucker, “but when you dry them, ferment them, or pulverize them in a blender with lime, the flavor morphs into something completely different.”

Chef Rhonda Saltzman from the bakery Second Daughter crafts jasmine blossom doughnuts by integrating flowers into both glaze and as a topping. Her bakery, co-owned with her sister Mercedes Brooks, opened in 2021 in South Philadelphia and brings culinary artistry with her flower-infused creations. She uses seasonal flower varieties from local markets, creating a visually striking product.

Rhonda Saltzman’s Jasmine Blossom Doughnuts

These doughnuts epitomize a blend of tradition and innovation, using challah dough for a soft, flavorful texture. During Saltzman’s youth, challah symbolized community and tradition, marking the beginning of Shabbat each Friday. This recipe illustrates how she blends these memories with new methods.

Ingredients

• Dough
• 575 grams (4 ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
• 120 grams (½ cup) water
• 150 grams (10 tablespoons) whole milk
• 85 grams (¼ cup) honey
• 35 grams (3 scant tablespoons) white sugar
• 75 grams (⅓ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 5 grams (1 ½ teaspoons) instant yeast
• 5 grams (1 ¾ teaspoons) kosher salt
• Jasmine Glaze
• 1,100 grams (9 cups plus 3 tablespoons) powdered sugar
• 120 grams (½ cup) whole milk
• 80 grams (⅓ cup) heavy cream
• ½ cup whole dried jasmine flowers
• 20 grams (1 tablespoon plus 1 ½ teaspoons) vanilla extract
• 4 grams (⅔ teaspoon) salt
• Frying and Finishing
• Neutral oil, enough to fill a pot 3-4 inches deep
• Fresh edible flowers

Saltzman’s creations reflect the delicate balance of flavorful flowers and the hearty substance of dough. Her choice to switch glazes and flowers like violas, lavender, and calendula enhances each doughnut’s texture and taste.

These Philadelphia chefs highlight the potential of flowers not only as visual garnishments, but as fundamental components that elevate flavors and explore the unexplored culinary possibilities of edible blooms.