A BOOM in interest in fresh herbs and edible flowers for gourmet dishes has resulted in a herb farm investing in £200,000 of new equipment.

Parsley blinis, nasturtium sea trout cakes and lemon verbena flambe peaches with edible flowers were some of the floral treats on offer at Herbs Unlimited, when it hosted an open day to celebrate a new major investment.

The 92-acre farm at Sandhutton, just outside Thirsk, grows traditional and speciality herbs alongside salad and edible flowers.

The company was set up by former chef Alison Dodd in 1993 and grows everything from eight different types of mint to lovage, green and bronze fennel and hyssop.

It supplies the catering and hospitality industry with its fresh produce, as well as retailers and food processing companies and has a £4m turnover and 45 permanent staff.

Yorkshire Provender, Eat and TCS are among the company's many clients.

Chefs and food companies from around the UK were invited for a tour of the farm and greenhouse to mark the investment and inspire chefs to use herbs and edible flowers in ever more versatile ways.

High profile chef Stephanie Moon, from North Yorkshire, produced taster canapes which highlighted different ways to use the fresh speciality herbs and edible flowers grown on the farm.

Her creations included beetroot baked in anise hyssop beetroot gel and marigold petals, nasturtium sea trout cakes with caper mayonnaise and bean flowers and lemon verbena tisane.

Stephanie, a regular on television and radio, said: “I’ve been working with Herbs Unlimited for a number of years but I still get excited about the sheer variety of herbs and flowers that they grow.

“The textures, colours and flavours really enhance the final dish which makes showcasing its first class produce to fellow chefs a real thrill.”

Herbs Unlimited’s managing director Alison Dodd said the investment in the production line machinery will allow them to extend their operation ever further.

The company has also invested in a second tranche of solar panels.

“We invited chefs to see the farm for themselves and to learn more about the speciality fresh herbs and flowers grown here and their uses," she said.

“We hope to inspire chefs to bring something new to their menus.

"We supply our product to many food manufacturers and the hospitality sector throughout the UK but we can also supply direct to chefs.

“Interest in fresh herbs has grown tremendously in recent years but we can’t afford to stand still."