The food scene is coming along pretty well in Brisbane, with Jan’s Power’s farmer’s markets (at the Powerhouse and St Joseph’s school) supplying a veritable supply of quality ingredients almost every week. Even if you don’t have the immediate need to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, the markets still provide a great atmosphere for simply walking around and taking in all the other sorts of produce and food. The offerings are wide including freshly made food like crepes, omelletes, cakes and breads to the more traditional offerings of seafood, organic meats, fruits and vegetables. This morning I was surprised to stumble across something I have yet to see (at least at a decent price) anywhere else in Brisbane’s typical grocers. Zucchini flowers!

Zucchinis (also known as courgettes) are readily accessible at any supermarket and the zucchini flowers are just another part of the plant. Their delicate nature and tendency to quickly wilt make it a difficult product to handle in bulk so they are normally more expensive than the zucchini you see in stores. It is also this delicate nature and rarity that make this an enjoyable food to eat. Zucchini flowers are most commonly served stuffed and then fried in a light batter, although they can be used in any other way. Inspired by my lunch at the Teppanyaki Cafe, I decided that it might be nice to make a light tempura batter and introduce the family to this small but exquisite ingredient.