Flowers with Zing

The Sechuan Button is hot stuff, not just in the news, but in your mouth too. This small African flower adds an intense Pop Rocks effect in foods—some say it’s like “licking a 9V battery,” says Nicolas Mazard, president, Koppert Cress USA, the only company distributing and growing the buttons in the U.S. He adds, “The chemical responsible for the sensation is inside the sap of the plant, therefore, you have to release the sap by chopping it thin, grinding it or making a paste out of it,” to get the effect. Sechuan Buttons, so named because of the flavor similarity to a Sechuan Pepper, are most often used to infuse cocktails and sorbets, but can also be added to Southeast Asian salads, Brazilian stews, or paired with chile peppers and garlic. See below for two cocktail recipes that will add a little "spark" to any party.