.: Pansy Crepes With Pansy Syrup Follow me on pinterest

THEY'RE VERY pretty scattered over a salad or floating on the surface of a chilled spring soup. But edible flowers are moving beyond their role as go-to garnish for junior-league luncheons. Chefs are turning to them as much for their distinctive flavors and textures as for their good looks. At Manresa, in Los Gatos, Calif., chef-owner David Kinch features them on almost every plate. "I use flowers for color, aroma and their starburst of flavor," he said. "For instance, a radish flower tastes of radish—but it's so tiny, so surprising."

Pansy Crepes With Pansy Syrup

Makes: 12 crepes and 2 cups syrup

Combine 1½ cups milk, ½ cup water, 1 tablespoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons melted butter, ½ cup buckwheat flour, ¾ cup all-purpose flour and 3 eggs in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate batter at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Meanwhile, in a pot over medium heat, simmer 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Place 1 cup fresh pansies in a nonreactive bowl and pour hot syrup over top. Let stand at least 30 minutes. Strain syrup and discard flowers.

Bring batter to room temperature and stir to combine. Set 1 cup fresh pansies by the stove. In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt 1 pat butter. Remove skillet from heat and pour in ¼ cup batter, swirling to distribute. Return skillet to heat. After 1 minute, sprinkle a few pansies over batter. Loosen edges of crepe, flip and cook 30 seconds more. Repeat with remaining batter and more butter as needed. Serve crepes with syrup.