Preserved Rosella Snack

I've come across flowers used in tea, cooked like vegetables, or used as a garnish... but it's my first time trying a dried flower as a snack. I find it intriguing too that this was purchased from a cookie shop haha. This was from The Cookie Museum, an upmarket local cookie boutique specialising in interesting cookie flavours and textures, as well as local infusions.

I suppose it was disappointing in that there wasn't so much of that fragrant flower aroma... rather, it just tasted like a preserved/dried sour plum. Just that it was somewhat moist and slightly crunchy in the cooked vegetable way. I suppose people who like sour plums and preserved fruits would like this.

I also found its visual appearance very interesting... almost like alien tentacles. I guess rosella is unusual enough as a food to warrant its association as an alien food... =P 

Anyway, it would probably be best used as a garnishing for some dessert or salad (like how cranberries are used), so provide the sour kick, a crunchy texture and a splash of colour. I suppose The Cookie Museum sourced this for use in some of their cookies for those reasons, which may be why they can conveniently sell them separately.

Also, if you don't live in Southeast Asia, tropical fruits such as rosella might be highly unusual to you. If you found this interesting, you can explore more exceptionally unusual food and drinks here!