Whether it is sprucing up the plate for a dinner party or romantic night in, or even just getting picky kids to try something more than just the usual mac and cheese, presentation and flavor can make or break a meal. In fact, studies have found that the number of colors and components on a plate can make a difference to how meal is received. Six food colors and seven food components seems to be the magic combination for children, while adults look for three colors and three components in their ideal meal.
Serving up such flavor-filled and colorful meal options can be tricky, especially since it is so easy to fall into a daily routine. One way to spice up your dinner repertoire is to consider using edible micro greens. There are numerous micro green varieties that have been around for years, first emerging 20 to 30 years ago as an exciting and tasty option at fine dining spots. Despite their association with fine dining, micro greens and micro herbs are easy to use and add intriguing and often beautiful items to simple home meals. They are also more accessible to the home cook, these days and are often stocked at local supermarkets and grocery shops.
when assessing your micro green options, remember that they are rated on a scale to help you understand their quality, with one being poor and five being excellent. Only those rating three or higher on the visual quality scale are allowed to be sold and most consider a rating under three to be an unmarketable product. Micro green varieties should be stored at about four degrees Celsius or 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit. You should use them when they are fresh and the leaves are still vibrantly colored. Micro greens that are not as fresh can be used in pestos and other sauces and blends.
In addition to the numerous micro green varieties, there are over 100 types of common garden flowers that are both edible and tasty that can be added to both savory and sweet dishes and treats. More than just a pretty addition to salads, edible flowers are versatile and add interesting flavors as well as colors to dishes. Nasturtium pesto or flavored butters featuring varieties of micro herbs or flowers can liven up a dish.
Considering our obsession with sharing the food we eat and the food we make — the largest and most active Flickr group is “I ate this”, which houses over 3000,000 food pics from the almost 20,000 members — adding some interest, color and intrigue into home cooking will make it even easier to replicate the fine dining experience at home. Even the pickiest eater will be enchanted by the new and exciting colors and textures of micro greens and edible flowers. All it takes is a bit of experimentation and some willing taste testers and you are well on your way to an almost Michelin-starred evening meal.