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Floral Chèvre: An Easy, Beautiful, and Sophisticated Appetizer!

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!