Garlic Toast Points with Marbled Beet Chevre and Edible Flowers

Our valley is simply bursting with wildflowers and foliage at this time of year.  I've been making  point of getting outside a little bit every day for for a nature walk around our property, identifying various flora and finding ways to use them to add beauty, whimsy and flavor to the foods my family enjoys. 


Enter:  The Blue Fiesta Flower, a member of the Borage (Baraginaceae) family.  These are larger than the Borage blossoms typically used for garnish, but they have a similar lemony-cucumber flavor with a touch of sweetness.  They bloom March through May in Central through Southern California and as far South as Nevada and Western Arizona.  They can be found on mountain slopes, streambanks, woodland, coastal bluff and desert scrubland.  Contrary to their name, they are purple.


To enjoy the Blue Fiesta Flower, gently wash in cold water before use.  Remove the bit of bristly green just behind the petals (sepal & receptacle).  Keep refrigerated if not using immediately.

Plain Goat cheese
Beets (roasted, boiled or canned)
Pinch of salt

This isn't a recipe per-se.  You can make your goat cheese as light or dark as you wish and make as much or as little as you wish.

Step 1:  Take a small amount of cooked beets and making a puree in a food processor or blender.  This becomes your dye. Set aside. 

Step 2:  Take a small amount of goat cheese and the pinch of salt and whip in your food processor, mixer, or with an immersion blender in a bowl.  Slowly add some of the pureed beet , the same way you'd add food coloring.   Whip until smooth.  Add more "color" if you'd like.  Set aside.

Step 3:  Take an equal amount of goat cheese that you used in step 2.  Whip till light and fluffy.  Place in a shallow bowl.

Step 4:  Dollops small spoonfuls of the beet goat cheese on top of the plain goat cheese.  Using a fork or skewer, gently swirl the two together to create a marble pattern.  Chill for 15 minutes.

Serve with crackers or toast points.  I like to toast my bread, then rub each piece with a raw garlic clove.  I topped my garlic toast points with the marbled beet chevre, some edible flowers, chives, lemon zest and a crank of freshly ground black pepper.

Enjoy!