Culinary Arts graduate tempts the taste buds

Otago Polytechnic Culinary Arts graduate Penelope Baldwin is continuing her quest to educate others about the benefits of bitter flavours.

Penelope, who graduated with a Bachelor of Culinary Arts in 2016, is a trained naturopath, medical herbalist and holistic nutritionist and the founder and creator of Botanical Kitchen, a company that combines herbs and traditional medicine with food.

Penelope and partner Nick Maguire have recently opened the Kind Grocer, a vegan grocery store, on Vogel St, Dunedin.

A project in the second year of Penelope’s Bachelor of Culinary Arts programme left a bitter taste in her mouth but led to the sweet smell of success.

“I was driving around and noticed hawthorn berries growing at the side of the road and started wondering if I could use them.

“The berries were extremely bitter and I was nearly going to throw them out but instead they now form the basis of a line of drinks I’ve developed.

Penelope wants to bring back bitterness as a flavour of choice.

“The Western world has lost its taste for bitter foods and it’s been replaced by sugar. The Chinese include bitter food as part of every meal, bitter foods have health benefits and it’s my mission to get that balance right.”

Penelope and partner Nick Maguire have opened the Kind Grocer, a vegan grocery store, on Vogel St, Dunedin.

Read the Otago Daily Times feature article