Ecuador wants you to smell the roses, and eat them - native dishes from restaurants in murcia spain

Phuket, Ecuador (Reuters)-
Ecuador has long been a major exporter of large colored flowers that satisfy the eyes and nose.
Now farmers are exploring a new idea.
Roses you can eat.
Restaurants from New York to Barcelona, in order to attract customers with novel dishes, have begun serving foods grown at Roberto Nevado farm in central Ecuador's highlands with organic rose petals.
Nevado is a 70-year-old man who came here from Spain and started planting in the perfect rose.
The area provides conditions for growth, and his newado Farm in Ecuador now has 3 million bushes under cultivation.
Only 100,000 of them are grown without pesticides and are used to eat.
"But we believe the market will grow," he said at his plantation lunch, with appetizers, entrees and desserts in his plantation containing rose petals in red, pink and white
The sweet feeling on the palate, Nevado says, "it's new, fun, it's what everyone wants," when he rolls a bunch of passionate fruit mousse on his tongue, his green eyes flashed, and the crushed rose petals added a strong side-by-side to sweetness.
As a trained mechanical engineer, energetic Nevado works in the office, even in front of the computer or on the phone.
Four years ago, he began growing organic roses as part of a business "towards green" trend.
"They are the same as non-species
"Edible roses, but fertilizers must be organic and cannot spray any chemicals on them, which means they need more human care," said Nevado . ".
He explained that many bugs that can damage roses don't like garlic, so workers spray garlic solutions onto organic shrubs and plant garlic around his edible rose greenhouse. A long-
Nevado came here 12 years ago, attracted by the high altitude of the South American countries and the location on the equator, providing the conditions for the strong sunshine needed to grow the best roses.
His farm is about 2,800 metres above sea level.
He has 500 employees and ships 20 million ships a year.
At present, edible petals are only a small part of his business.
Restaurants such as Per Se in New York, Zazu in Quito and El Bulli near Barcelona have already begun to try rose petal dishes and desserts such as "rose egg souffle ".
"Waiters sometimes have to explain that we are not just taking out these roses from vases, they are specially planted for eating," said Zazu assistant chef Daniel Pilon ,", A Brazilian with a reassuring smile
This restaurant's rose martini, made from petals soaked in vodka for a week, is becoming a favorite in Zazu bar.
Since the signing of the 1991 Andean trade concessions act, Ecuador's flower industry has boomed, reducing trade barriers for countries in the region that help Washington fight drug trafficking.
Coca, the world's leading producer of cocaine, grew mostly in neighbouring Colombia and Peru.
Ecuador's flower exports last year were worth $0. 6 billion.
The industry is growing by about 13% a year and currently accounts for 2% of GDP.
About 100,000 people are directly and indirectly employed in the flower industry, which is a big number for a country with a population of only 14 million.
Consumption of roses accounts for only about 1% of flower exports, but growers say the market needs to be encouraged as the country gets out of its economic downturn in 2009.
Ignacio Perez said: "Every new market, even a small boutique market like this, can help promote the overall development of flowers in Ecuador and help the industry . " President of the Expo Growers Association.
He and other experts here say they know that no other country exports roses that provide nutritional benefits such as calcium and vitamin C.
Petals are certified by EU authorities and the United States. S.
The Ministry of Agriculture import.
Nevado is promoting the idea of eating roses at the food show.
One challenge, he says, is to convince potential buyers that they are safe.
"It's basically lettuce in rose form," newado, a short gentleman dressed in black, said in his farm's recent lunch.
When the reporter noticed that Nevado did not finish all the petals wrapped in delicious tuna --
He admitted that the stuffed tomato appetizer "I will come here with rose petals" drew an imaginary line on the forehead with my fingers.
"But please finish yours," he said . "