Acacia Flower
Robinia pseudoacacia · Edible flower
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Acacia flower is the hanging raceme of fragrant, creamy-white pea-shaped blossoms borne by the black locust or false-acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia), a thorny legume tree native to North America and widely planted across Europe. Opening in late spring, the sweet, honey-scented clusters are dipped in batter and fried as beignets d'acacia, steeped into syrup and cordial, and scattered fresh over desserts.
Picking a good onedrag
Just opened, white and perfumedDried out, discoloured, wilted
Shop freshEveryday bestThe flower is the only part of a black locust that is food - its leaves, bark, shoots, pods and roots are toxic, so the leaflets come out and stay out. The blossom itself is eaten by the bowlful: batter the raceme whole and eat the flowers off the stem, or strip them for a syrup.
The blossomsWhite still, one or two going papery at the edge
What else is in the bunchA leaflet or two to lift out before anything goes in a bowl
The liftHangs well, a little give gone out of the green stalk
Smell at the clusterSweet still, but you lean in to find it