Magnolia Blossom Flavor Newsletter

Gingery flowers to pickle, snack, and sweeten.

JB Douglas

Apr 08, 2024

Recipes

Magnolia Rice Pudding

JB Douglas

April 8, 2024

Magnolia blossoms taste like young, sweet ginger roots with a softly floral edge. This recipe cooks them gently with rice and milk for an uncomplicated flavor that’s sweet and cheery. It’s inspired by the Indian porridge “kheer,” so enjoy this alongside a Springy saag paneer, or top it with cardamom and pistachios. It also makes a great chilled afternoon snack when the sun is surprisingly warm and you want a little taste of the trees.

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Detail photos of burdock root recipe, shot by JB Douglas for The Wild Grocery — Greens Beans & Burdock

Magnolia Blossoms

Sometimes when I write about wild flavors, it can take several drafts of descriptions to effectively explain the experience of tasting a particular foraged ingredient. There can be unpleasing qualities I want to describe accurately without turning people off. There can also be several different flavors in a single ingredient that make it difficult to narrate the primary effect of eating it. This week’s ingredient, I think thankfully, is quite easy to understand. Magnolia blossoms taste like young, sweet ginger roots with a slightly floral edge. Their texture is like a tulip petal. They can be used anywhere you want a gingery flavor, but their tender nature works best raw, pickled, and cooked gently. And to say it again: they really do taste like ginger. Pair them with chocolate, vanilla, or pistachios for sweet applications. For savory applications: use bright, acidic ingredients to accentuate, and deep, umami ingredients to contrast.

There are several types of magnolias, and different petals can have different flavors. Handmade Apothecary has a helpful graph that shows some of the variations. You may see Magnolia trees speckled around your neighborhood in the Spring, when they provide some of the first pops of color: bright pinks bursting up alongside the stunning shoots of yellow from the forsythia. Use their color to your advantage on the plate.

I really like the recipe I wrote this week, but if you’re only going to make one thing with magnolia blossoms, it should be pickled petals. The technique is easy and approachable, it’s quick to make and lasts forever, and it’s an incredibly versatile flavor to have in your kitchen. There are many recipes online, but here are two I think look good: Pickled Magnolia Blossoms from Rooted Food and Pickled Magnolia Flowers from The Urban Nanna (Tiktok video here).

If you’ve already made the pickled petals, throw them in this Magnolia Sushi. If you want something sweet, try Ellen Zachos’ Magnolia Blossom Cream Cake or this easy Magnolia Syrup from Pretty Petunias. And one last plug for this week’s recipe: The main advantage of the Magnolia Rice Pudding is that you don’t need to wait to consume it - you’ll get the flavor payoff less than an hour after harvest.