Amy Rankine Forager

M a g n o l i a

Magnolia in flower is breathtaking, a focal point in the garden, delicate and serene. It's also an incredible edible that tastes like ginger or galangal, with floral notes

If you look closely at the centre of a magnolia flower, you will see striking centres, akin to tiny pineapples. Magnolias are an ancient genus, going back 95 million years. Their botanical structure is unique, and because they evolved before bees, are pollinated by beetles. They have many stamen and stigma, closing in the centre to trap pollinating beetles overnight, and produce a rather alien-like fruit later in the year. How cool?

For the kitchen, the flavour is in the flower. With such short season, preservation is key. Here are three ways I am capturing that incredible ginger-spice flavour this week:

1️⃣ Magnolia Sugar: Layering the 'pineapples' in caster sugar. The sugar draws out the moisture and the essential oils, creating a deeply fragrant sugar perfect for baking or cocktails. Make sure to shake the jar regularly!
2️⃣ Magnolia Salt: Flower petals layered in salt. This makes an incredible finishing salt for fish, curries or roasted vegetables
3️⃣ Dehydrating: Drying the petals to use later as a spice rub, tea blends or to infuse into vinegars and syrups

Have you ever tasted magnolia? There is nothing like it! 🌿