Butterfly pea flower
Chefs and mixologists on multiple continents are experimenting with the vibrant indigo and colour-changing properties of the butterfly pea flower. The flower—long used in Southeast Asian cakes and rice dishes—is now showing up around the globe, its popularity fuelled as much by its health benefits as by its distinctive colour.
Thirsty mag ran a piece in May 2019 featuring eight different blue pea flower cocktails served across the United States, from the Little Violeta at Geist in Nashville (other ingredients include gin, pineapple and aloe) to the Purple Rain at Madison on Park, San Diego (peach liqueur, lemon, egg white and a few drops of CBD oil). Food & Drink magazine featured three butter y pea flower drinks to make for summer 2019, using citric acid to turn the hue from blue to purple.
Butterfly pea flower is used to tinge lobster linguine at the Woodside Inn in Mumbai. In Australia, the Hunter Distillery makes a butterfly pea liqueur.
Why it’s interesting: Sustainability and climate concerns are driving innovation in the food and drink category—and fostering a newfound appreciation for previously overlooked ingredients.
