Le Coquelicot

[Margaret Pilgrim]

One morning at breakfast our hostess in the south of France shared with us some of the most delicious red jelly I have ever tasted, kind of like the most exotic berry/cherry combination you could imagine. It put anything I have had from Herme to shame. We tried hard not to clean the bowl each day. She explained that it was made with the petals of the ordinary red poppy of the fields, although it took hundreds of flowers and three hours of simmering to create a large jar of the confiture.

Back in Paris, I ran into two cookbooks, one from Lenotre and the other Marc Veyrat, using coquelicot as a savory accent, eg in a sauce for a mild fish and in a citrus salad. At Le Derniere Goute, the left bank wine shop, Herve was explaining to us the biologique, or biodynamique as he prefers, movement among many vintnors. The outcome of farmers' stopping using chemical herbicides in the vineyards and fields is that the red poppy is returning to France.

So I wonder if perhaps the coquelicot might be something that might make a small appearance in country markets, like the small offerings of field greens that country people forrage. Also, can anyone tell me if the coquelicot is really quite ordinary in France and it is merely new to me? And, if so, how do you use it?

[pierre45]

One morning at breakfast our hostess in the south of France shared with us some of the most delicious red jelly I have ever tasted, kind of like the most exotic berry/cherry combination you could imagine.  It put anything I have had from Herme to shame.  We tried hard not to clean the bowl each day.  She explained that it was made with the petals of the ordinary red poppy of the fields, although it took hundreds of flowers and three hours of simmering to create a large jar of the confiture.

So I wonder if perhaps the coquelicot might be something that might make a small appearance in  country markets, like the small offerings of field greens that country people forrage.  Also, can anyone tell me if the coquelicot is really quite ordinary in France and it is merely new to me?  And, if so, how do you use it?

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The use of flowers in salads and jams is quite commun in the mediteranean countries.

Have you had rosepetal jam or rosewater ?

Edited October 28, 2005 by pierre45 (log)

[Margaret Pilgrim]

The use of flowers in salads and jams is quite commun in the mediteranean countries.

Have you had rosepetal jam or rosewater ?

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Oh, yes. In fact, this same hostess often serves individual molds of fromage blanc with a rose-scented syrup and raspberries at breakfast. And I have often included blossoms such as nasturtium in salads; violets go without saying. But the coquelicot really knocked our socks off!

[bleudauvergne]

So I wonder if perhaps the coquelicot might be something that might make a small appearance in  country markets, like the small offerings of field greens that country people forrage.  Also, can anyone tell me if the coquelicot is really quite ordinary in France and it is merely new to me?  And, if so, how do you use it?

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I will certainly ask about it this weekend...