Tunisian chef Bassem Bizid uses edible flowers to prepare his dishes at a luxury hotel in Gammarth, an upscale northern suburb of the capital Tunis. — ETX Studio picTUNIS, Feb 20 — A Tunisian entrepreneur growing edible flowers says she is surprised by the appetite for her homegrown product in the North African country and hopes to see a “new culinary culture” bloom.
“I thought the flowers would be for export and of no immediate interest to the local market, but I’ve been surprised by the growing demand, in particular from some top-end hotels,” she said. Tunisians already use certain flowers in their traditional cuisine — some sweets feature dried rose petals, while lavender is an ingredient in a spice mix used in couscous recipes.‘Culinary journey’