Cooking with Lavender
By relache
Flavoring with Lavender
Known primarily for its beautiful fragrance, lavender can also be used in cooking. Used in small amounts, it can lend a wonderful flavor to tea, cookies and cakes, makes a delightful jelly, spices up a lamb deliciously and more. Don't use too much or the smell can be overwhelming!
The most important thing to remember when cooking with this herb is that you need to make sure you are using a culinary grade lavender. This means the plant has been raised and harvested in a manner that makes it safe for human consumption. You want organic plant material, something that has never been treated with pesticides or other unwanted chemicals.
At my house, we've got lavender growing organically in our yard so we pick and dry our own each year. The most-potent buds are picked right before the flowers form and open, when the plants are holding the most oils. They can be used fresh at that time or dried and used later. For all the recipes here, presume the use of dried buds unless stated.
lavender resources
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The Latest in Using Lavender in Cooking
- Ricky Lauren swings open doors of family's Hamptons homes in new book - Washington Post
Ricky Lauren swings open doors of family's Hamptons homes in new book Washington Post ... by enclaves of lavender blooms and rhododendrons. It was after they moved here in the '80s that Ricky started to think more about a healthy lifestyle and diet. For this book, she's gone farther, she explains, redoing recipes with less butter, ... and more » - 18 hours ago
- Got Top Desserts? - MarketWatch (press release)
Got Top Desserts? MarketWatch (press release) With this in mind, the California Milk Processor Board (CMPB), the creator of GOT MILK?, has partnered with "Top Chef Just Desserts" Season One Finalist Danielle Keene to show Californians gourmet, yet easy-to-make recipes that are sure to please even ... and more » - 3 days ago
- Lavender and It's Everyday Uses Information Available by LavenderWorld.co.uk - SBWire (press release)
Lavender and It's Everyday Uses Information Available by LavenderWorld.co.uk SBWire (press release) One can easily do this at home, either through experimentation or by following one of the many lavender recipes online. The trick is to use it sparingly, in savoury cooking when starting out try swapping half rosemary for lavender in stews, ... - 2 weeks ago
other lavender jelly recipes
- GourmetSleuth - Lavender Jelly
A recipe for Lavender jelly uses apple juice, culinary lavender, brown and white sugar. - Lavender Wine Jelly Recipe
White wine jelly is flavored with lavender leaves and tinted purple. Great for gift-giving. - Sparkling lavender jelly
This exotic and gorgeously pretty jelly comes from John McGeever of Congham Hall in Norfolk and can be eaten both as a superb dessert with, perhaps, a little cream, or as an unusual accompaniment to roast game or rabbit.
Lavender Jelly
This is one of my favorite ways to eat lavender. The flavor can be very delicate and it's fantastic spread on biscuits or shortbread. Try this one for spring or sumertime brunch, for Mother's Day or Easter as a special treat. If you drink herbal tea, try it as a sweetener! Here's a very simple recipe for lavender jelly, but I've also included some variations you might like listed over to the right.
Ingredients:
3 C spring water
4 Tbsp lavender buds
1/4 C. freshly-squeezed lemon juice
4 C. baker's sugar
1 packet pectin (approx 3 oz)
sterile jars to hold finished jelly
Bring the water to a boil and add the lavender buds. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes to infuse the lavender oil into the water. Remove from heat and strain out the lavender. In another pot, combine 2 C of the lavender infustion with the lemon juice, sugar and pectin. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar and pectin. Once the water boils, allow to boil for two minutes (soft jelly) to four minutes (thicker jelly) and then remove from heat. Fill your jars and seal.
Please read up on canning before making this recipe so that you know how to can/jar properly.
Raspberry Lavender Lemonade
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Lavender Recipes
- Blue Mountain Lavender Farm - Cooking with Lavender
Surprisingly, pungent lavender flowers may be incorporated into your culinary adventures to add a fresh, delightful flavor to a variety of dishes. - Lavender Recipes - Happy Valley Lavender and Herb Farm
Here are a few Lavender recipes to try regardless if you are a beginner or a Lavender aficionado! - Lavender Recipes by Purple Haze Lavender, Sequim Washington
The Purple Haze collection includes: Herbed Chevre with Crostini from our friend Hope Borsato, the recipe for Lavender Honey Bunches from our RECIPE FOLDER, and our recipe for Lavender Honey Ice Cream. - Lavender Recipes from Jardin du Soleil, a Lavender Farm in Sequim Washington
CRME BRULEE, CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL, POTATO & LEEK SOUP, LIMEADE AND PORK TENDERLOIN - Hood River Lavender Recipes-Cooking With Culinary Lavender
A great list of recipes for shortbread, scones, cookies, salmon, lemonade, breads, salad dressing and more.
Lavender Cooking Questions & Comments - share your own tips and favorite recipes
I use lavender as a home scent but never thought to include it in cooking!
Good article voted up
Very interesting hub, expecially the jelly recipe. I've heard that one can cook with lavender and have read how some people love the flavor of it, but have never tried it.
Lavender scones are also quite wonderful! Experiment based on the strength of your lavender buds and the quantity of flour. I usually use about 1/4 cup to 2 cups of flour. I look forward to making the lavender jelly to go with these scones!
Very nice! Love lavender :)
Great hub!
Thanks for the great article. I love the smell of lavender!
Thank you- I've been looking for stuff to use lavender in!
can't wait to try some of these! Thank you (and, I'm linking to you from one of my hubs. Thanks again!)
Okay as much as I love lavender, I never thought about using the lavender in my yard for my tea, and other ways. Wonderful news,oops, gotta stop and go pick some lavender buds for tea. Thanks relache.
Barbara, I suggest you weight out the required amount of pectin. I buy it in bulk myself, so I never have to worry about packets.
I tried the above recipe for lavender jelly. The recepe says to add one packet of pectin( approx. 3 oz. ) When I went to buy pectin I only saw packets of 1.75oz. or one brand had packets of 2oz. Do I put in 2 x 1.75 oz packets, or is on packet of 1.75oz. enough? Do you really need 3 oz.? If so, what kind of pectin comes in 3 oz. packets?
I cook with Lavender all of the time. I first learned of it from a friend on a rafting trip who made lavender scented cream cheese and smoked salmon omelets...for everyone. I'll be posting my favorite lavender recipe soon on my hub...thanks Relache!
Good - I can continue to enjoy that lavender & sea salt ice cream, then, without having to consult any of those "get rid of man boobs" hubs. ;-)
I find the flavor very subtle and many people have a hard time identifying the taste, but the aroma is spectactular!
I hadn't considered cooking with lavender before. I'll have to give it a try. Is the flavour similar to rosemary?
livelonger, the article actually is cautioning about pre-pubescent boys age 10 or younger (whose bodies aren't yet pumping out adult male levels of testosterone) using lavender. I can see how that would be a concern for pre-puberty, but during or post-puberty, the amounts of testosterone in the male body would probably make it physically impossible for someone to eat enough lavender to have a physical effect.
The only time I would recommend ANYONE put pure lavender oil on themselves is when they have burns on the skin. Wearing undiluted essential oils can cause highly enhance the effects of sun exposure, leading to bad sunburns even in weak sunlight.
Lavender ice cream is fantastic, too. Bi-Rite Creamery in SF has a delicious lavender and sea salt ice cream. But apparently men should beware of ingesting too much of it; apparently it has estrogenic effects:
I just love the flavor and the smell of lavender.
I've been experimented with culinary Lavender. Here is one of my favorites.
Lavender Honey!
2 tablespoons of fresh Lavender blossoms (buds)
4 tablespoons water
1 lbs Honey (the liquid kind)
Boil water, add lavendar and steep for 15-20 minutes, strain, heat up honey in microwave for 1-2 minutes on high (depending on size of microwave).Honey should be the consistency of water, add 'lavender water', stir once, let cool. Serve on warm home made bread to go with a cup of lavendar-Honey tea. Just add a teaspoon of lavendar honey to a cup of tea.
Tasty Hub regards Zsuzsy
sherri 4 months ago
Try making a berry lavender vinaigrette once... I'm not kidding, you will actually crave salad for breakfast from then on. lol