Osmanthus

Osmanthus fragrans · Edible flower

40 pairings

Osmanthus (sweet olive, gui hua) is the tiny, intensely fragrant autumn flower of the evergreen shrub Osmanthus fragrans — apricot-and-peach-scented golden blossoms that are preserved in sugar and salt as osmanthus jam (gui hua jiang), steeped into tea, brewed into wine, and folded into a wide range of Chinese sweets and pastries.

Picking a good onedrag

Whole gold blossom, apricot-honeyedBrown dust and stalk, musty

In dateThe ordinary bag or tin of gui hua cha, food-grade and in date. Ornamental sprays are pesticides never cleared for eating, and systemic ones cannot be washed off.Everyday best

Colour of the blossomDeeper gold, a faint tan freckle here and there

What is in the packetNearly all blossom, the odd short stalk or leaf fleck

A pinch in the handDry and separate, a little softer between the fingers

Scent at the bagClearly sweet and fruity with your nose held close

What to look for, from whole gold blossom, apricot-honeyed to brown dust and stalk, musty.

Preparing