Flower Power

For a long time, every time I went to an Italian store in the summer, I wondered what the zucchini blossoms taste like. They look so beautiful, with yellow flowers among bright green leaves. I read that they are delicious, delicate and flavourful. Recently, when at the Italian Centre, the blossoms were calling me from the shelf, so I decided to experiment that evening and serve fried zucchini blossoms at my dinner party. The result? The moment I had the first bite, it felt like I died and went to heaven. My palate was singing! Pure deliciousness! The zucchini flavour was unmistakable but intensified by the floral bouquet, and the outside crunch complemented the delicate texture of the flower. And the preparation was fast and easy. For the batter, I simply used a can of beer, added some flour, a pinch of salt, and whisked it together to the consistency of cream. You take the flower by the stem, dip it in the batter, and fry it in hot oil (I used sunflower oil), about 2-3 minutes per side. For even better results, before dipping in the batter, put some provolone cheese right inside of the blossom. The dish is a winner!