Specialty produce

While high quality dining experiences are usually associated with top restaurants, it is possible to have an amazing, gourmet meal without the expense. Organic micro greens, for example, can bring that restaurant touch to your dishes without the need to go out. Considering that the average cost of a fine dining experience in the U.S is $28.55, making your own salad, sushi or gourmet wrap using quality ingredients and unusual elements such as organic micro greens makes financial as well as flavor sense. Michelin star here we come!

Interest in fine dining is on the up from the looks of it, with visits to fine dining establishments rising 3% last year, translating into thousands, potentially millions, more Americans choosing to dine in upscale eateries. In fact, such upscale options make up about 10% of the total U.S. restaurant sales. Recreating fine dining options need not be hard as more and more of those exotic ingredients find their way onto the shelves. Adding micro greens to salads or edible flowers to dishes add a twist to conventional meals, lifting them from the ordinary to the extraordinary.

The same treatment can be given to everything from home-made cookies to cupcakes. Consider what edible crystallized rose petals or sugar flowers for cupcakes can bring to your baking delights. Perfect for a high-end dinner party or even just to wow the other moms at the bake sale. Such specialty produce is no longer just the domain of professional chefs with Michelin stars; every American can emulate those fancy — and oh so tasty dishes — with the right prep, access to those ingredients, and a bit of time.

There are dozens of organic micro greens and herbs on offer, while edible and tasty flower varieties run into the hundreds, meaning you can experiment across a range of dishes and baked goods till you find your perfect wow meal! Different varieties of edible flowers offer different taste sensations, some adding a distinct pepperiness that works well with salads, while others have subtler flavor offerings better suited to baking. The key is to experiment and try them out in combination or on their own to see what works for you.