I’m on a train on my way to the World Orchid Conference in Dijon, so I think that today’s topic is particularly appropriate: The little-known botanical underbelly of French haute cuisine. Yes, there are apparently people who would prefer to eat orchids than look at them. Orchids!! Ok, in terms of eliciting a horrified reaction, it may not be on par with frying up a beloved pooch or kitten, bbbbut… Really!
According to Viateur on the Orchid Digest List (who is a veritable fount of obscure minutiae related to orchids), the Arts-Culinaire.com Website contains the following recipes (try it yourself — type in "orchidée" in the search field):
- Truite farcie aux orchidees a l’anis
- Truites saumonees aux orchidees Snow White
- Poulet a l’orchidee des Azteques
- Canard aux orchidees Laelia Ancepi
- Magrets de canard aux orchidees Laelia Ancepi
- Tagliatelle aux orchidees Vanda Suavis
- Rigatoni au four aux orchidees Oncidium Ornithorhynchum
- Cannelloni au four aux orchidees Gatton Sunray
- Cannelloni aux orchidees Paphilopedilum Maudiae
- Cailles aux orchidees Laelia Ancepi
- Cocotte de poissons aux orchidees Vanda Suavis
- Paella aux deux orchidees
- Bison aux orchidees et foie gras
- Soupe d’orchidees Laelia Gouldiana
- Melon aux orchidees et roses
I’ll be extra vigilant the next time I invite a foodie over to my house:
Me (in my fantasies):
"Hey George, this is a paph. rothchildianum`Borneo’ FCC/AOS. It’s taken me seven years to coax a bloom out of this magnificent plant. What do you think?".George:
"mmmmm, delicious."
POLLENATRIX 