Edible Flower Cashew Cheese + Charcuterie Board

Besides friends and family, I think there is nothing that I love more than flowers. As the summer ends, I wanted to celebrate the beauty of the flowers as I was enchanted by the local wildflowers that bloom seasonally in town. There is something so precious about wildflowers, especially wildflower season in the mountains.  

I found this 1980's flower dress that is so vibrant and beautiful it reminded me of the wildflowers. It inspired me to do a bit of foraging.  In nature and in fashion, it was a celebration of wildflowers of all colors, pink, purple, yellow and white. 

Inspired by the flowers, I wanted to do something unique and beautiful with edible flowers. It seemed only natural to do a charcuterie board filled with cashew cheese and locally grown figs. For a moment, it's like feasting within the garden of eden. 

There are many lessons in the world of wildflowers. Some of us have a wild child spirit and bloom where we are planted, and other lessons are inspired by beauty. I've never once heard someone say anything negative about flowers. They are delicate and their beauty is inspirational even for some of the most world-renowned artists, like Monet. 

"I must have flowers, always and always."
Claude Monet

"Like wildflowers; you must allow yourself to grow in all the places people thought you never would."
-E.V.

Flowers are not only nature's beauty designed from our Creator, but it is an art piece of nature. The color. The shapes. The patterns. Flowers are symbolic in so many ways and even represent many underlining symbols in fine art, especially within religious art. When a flower is white it represents purity, or when its red in some ancient Christian  paintings, it represents the sacrifice or blood of Christ. 

Regardless, flowers make people happy and it brings light and love into one's home. 

"Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the mind."
Luther Burbank

"One of the most attractive things about flowers is their beautiful reserve."
Henry David Thoreau

Edible flowers are perfect toppings for dips and salads. You can find them at local farmer's markets in the summer, or packaged in various grocery stores in the refrigerated spice aisle. 

I follow my former blog post, "nut cheese" template to create various nut cheeses. For this, I omitted the garlic clove because I wanted to combine the nut cheese with sweeter foods. However, feel free to add in the garlic. You can also 'manipulate' the recipe by making an almond or macadamia nut cheese. 

Edible flowers have a bit of spiciness to them and so I did not want an overly "spicy" cheese between the garlic and the flowers. 

With this quantity of the recipe, I made two wheels of cheese. You can make one large wheel, or reduce the recipe to make a wheel the size of what you see on the board. 

Making a charcuterie board is an adventure in itself. You can add any sides that you would like that is sweet and savory. Vegetables like carrots or tomatoes compliment the cheese that is like a spread or dip. Raisins or jam also go well with the cheese on top of dark rye bread or crackers.

The sweeter side include some dates, chocolate and figs, which is basically nature's candy. You can choose anything you'd like! Enjoy the last bit of summer! 

This vintage dress and other vintage items are available on my Etsy shop, The Elizabethan Closet.

Edible Flower Cashew Cheese + Charcuterie Board
Prep  Time: 20-30 minutes
Wait Time: Several Hours

Ingredients: 
2 cups raw cashews, soaked for 2-4 hours
1/4 cup lemon juice
2.5 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp nutritional yeast
optional 1-2 garlic cloves
2-3 tbsp water

Directions:
Put all of the ingredients into a food processor with the exceptions of the water. Blend and puree as much as possible, and add 1 tablespoon of water at a time. Scrape the sides down of the food processor with a spatula and continue this process until you get the texture that you like. Less powerful blenders may require 2-3 tbsp water. 

Once complete, pour the nut cheese onto a sheet of parchment paper into two sections. Use the spatula and/or your hand or a bread knife to help form a wheel and smooth out the top. When ready, insert the flowers by pressing the stems into the cheese. Alternatively, you can cut the stems  and insert the flowers, or remove the petals and arrange them into patterns on the cheese. 

​Once done, place in an airtight container without smashing the wheel with the lid or parchment paper and chilling the fridge for several hours. 

Let's Connect! Enjoy my other edible flower + how to make nut cheese recipes below! 

How to Make a Nut Cheese Spread

Vegan Vanilla Lavender Mini Cupcakes

Vegan Chamomile Cupcakes

Yum

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