Pickling Nasturtium

I probably have a condition called "super taster".
It sounds cool but it is not, actually.
I taste bitterness, sourness or spiciness more than other people therefore can't eat food with strong flavors.

Pickling vegetables is fun. It's amazing to see the vegetable changes its shape, flavor and longevity with the simple process of pickling: however, I can't really eat them because they are usually too salty for me.
Nanohana-zuke is a pickled edible flower (rapeseed) which was one of few pickles I liked when I was a kid. I don't know why I liked... maybe those were not too salty or the idea of eating flower?

I wanted to make them but couldn't find the flower here, but there is one edible flower in my garden: nasturtium.

I decided to make pickles with this flower.

Boil water, throw flowers into boiling water and cook for a short amount of time, less than 10 seconds.
Drain and squeeze water from the flowers.
Add salt and diced chili pepper, mix and let them rest overnight.

It didn't taste like Nanohana zuke, of course, but this tastes good in its own way!

JC was somehow inspired by this new pickles and made a pasta dish.

Pasta with mushroom and truffle oil with nasturtium garnish.
The saltiness of nasturtium cut the greasiness of the truffle oil.
The wine for this pasta was Francois Chidaine Touraine Rouge 2017

A red blend of  Cot, Cabernet Franc, Pineau d'Aunis.
Purple flower and fresh red fruit.
Powdery tannin and good amount of acid for the dish.

This Loire Valley producer is known for white wine, but this red blend was really good.
It might not last long once it's opened, but no problem: it's so tasty and easy to drink that you will finish the bottle before long.