Flower Focaccia Is the Prettiest (and Tastiest) Food Trend

If there's one positive thing to be said about this pandemic it's that it has lent itself as the perfect opportunity to discover new hobbies and talents. With all that extra time spent indoors these days, people are looking for new ways to pass the time. Not only with our noses plastered to our smartphone screens but also in the kitchen. Home kitchens all over the world see more activity with fresh banana bread, chocolate chip cookies, elaborate charcuterie boards, and even flower focaccia bread displayed in the most artful of ways.

The Flower Focaccia is Taking Over Instagram Feeds

We're already used to seeing those fancy charcuterie boards and homemade cakes that can be considered works of art. But now the hashtags #flowerfocaccia and #focacciaart are taking over Instagram feeds, proving that bread can be just as colorful. With edible decorations such as fresh veggies, herbs, flowers, and more, even bread becomes almost too pretty to eat.

Get Creative With Your Flower Foccacia Art

Focaccia is a flat, yeasted Italian bread similar in taste and texture to pizza dough. It's got a distinguished, almost tangy flavor that develops by letting the dough ferment in an overnight rise. It's usually baked on a baking stone (or sometimes a heavy skillet) to give it a crunchy exterior. A sprinkle of course salt is the original way of flavoring this bread, but it can be made in variations, including grape-rosemary and cracked black pepper. To get inspiration for your own flower focaccia art, here are some of the ways social media users are getting creative. A 20% spelt focaccia with olive oil, honey, mixed dried herbs, fresh rosemary, and beautifully cut cherry tomato flowers. It's one of the many loaves of bread that Instagrammer @blondieandrye shared with her 234k followers that can't seem to get enough of her artsy bakings. "Edible Flowers Alert!" says @mustloveherbs on her Instagram page. "If this garden focaccia doesn’t scream late summer warmth I’m not sure what will! Peak summer edible flowers and herbs are on top of and throughout this easy bread recipe! I bet you didn’t know Zinnias were edible! Well, they are! As long as organically grown! I used zinnias, allium blossoms, signet marigolds, sage, globe amaranths, mint leaves, and blossoms, and basil leaves and blossoms all fresh from my organic garden!" "Wondering how to keep your flowers from turning into little burnt chards on top of your focaccia? Olive oil. Make sure the bread is evenly coated in oil before placing the flowers onto it (this sticks them down). Then once they’re placed I take a good safe brush and paint everything liberally with olive oil! The moisture helps to keep everything bright and tasty!" @sweet.in.nature says: "I was so excited to get this one in the oven I forgot to get a pre-bake...so here it is in all its golden beauty. I decorated my garden focaccia with Greek olives, yellow pepper, fresh mint leaves, cilantro, sunflower seeds, and poppy seeds." Would you dare to sink your teeth in this beautiful loaf? Is it focaccia bread? Is it a summer garden? Or do we all just really want to take a bite out of this gorgeous deliciousness that @zimt___zucker baked?  @cheflovesgarden says: "Have you tried making flower focaccia? It is super nice to present on the summer table and there is so much edible you can decorate with now. Not everything can withstand the oven, so you will have to try your hand. Tomato, parsley, chili, red onion, sunflower petals, lemon, and lavender at least work great!" "Yeast dough doesn't just have to look boring ... does it? You can simply add vegetables and herbs to a flower meadow or as you imagine it - just let your creativity run free. The dough can easily be decorated with anything the season has to offer, such as bell peppers, onions,  cherry tomatoes, chives, corn, sage and oregano leaves, sunflower seeds, or with beautiful edible flowers. Only focaccia, however beautiful it may be, tastes a thousand times better served with delicious sauces." @pia_mia_clean_food made her version of a flower focaccia with beetroot hummus and & coconut-mint sauce, which does not only sounds super healthy but incredibly delicious too.