Lavender is one of my absolute all time favorite flowers. I love the scent! Never have I had trouble growing lavender til moving here. I’ve tried it in several different spots around the house and I cannot get it to survive. There are some nice lavender fields in central Texas so I don’t think it’s so much the climate as it is something else. We have different types of soil in different areas on our own property so I can’t imagine why I can’t get it to grow but I can’t. Next spring I’m going to plant some in the perennial area of the garden and see if it will grow out there.
I have never used lavender in cooking but 6 or 8 years ago, Chad found some lavender flavored hard candy and knowing my love of lavender and hard candy, he bought a jar of it for me. The first piece reminded me of soap, the second piece reminded me of the taste of perfume, the third taste, I was hooked and have yearned for more lavender candy and have never come across any of it again, though I’m sure it could be mail ordered if I searched.
In the Preserving with Pomona’s Pectin book, there’s a recipe for Lavender Jelly and I can’t wait to make it. That’s probably the first thing I’m going to make once I feel like cooking again.
Lavender
I ordered this lavender – it’s supposed to be French Lavender and it says it is “sweeter”. It definitely smells sweet. This is 8 oz. of lavender and it’s quite a bit, considering the jelly recipe requires 1/4 cup and most recipes I’ve seen require 1 Tablespoon so while I’ve been recuperating, I’ve been searching for recipes that use lavender and here are some I can’t wait to try:
Seared Ahi Tuna with Lavender Pepper Crust
Honey Lavender Biscotti
Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Yes, I’m hungry and yes, I’m ready to get back in the kitchen and play so . . yes, I must be feeling better!
carla says
Lavender is my favorite scent. Went to the Lavender Farm last year and learned about lavenders. He said water once a week (take it with a grain – we’re in CA)….he had done test rows to see which survived best. The only one he killed was the one he overwatered. The lavender ice cream was yummy! New breed of Lavendar – Phenomenal. Sturdy, scenty, and showy. I bought two starters. They have survived my neglectful gardening of them in pots…until I decide where to plant them in the yard.
Glad you are feeling better.
Pat says
You may have to build upa terraced area and then cover it in white sand. This is the way they do it in North Carolina .
In New Zealand, Bev planted it in rows with plenty of air and sunshine.
My husband has good luck in hot ,humid South Carolina in large pots. He plants Provence and Stoechas. He said you need to plant some every couple of years because it gets woody. Maybe you can get cuttings from someone in your area who has had good luck with it.
It is a Mediterranean plant and likes it hot and dry.
Tinkerfeet says
Glad to hear you are feeling better. If I said I wanted to cook my hubby would think I was sick! Lol He does all the cooking and I do the clean up. He started cooking when he retired and he is amazing at it. I have to say I am pretty amazing at eating it too! Lol
Eileen says
I love lavender too! So happy you are thinking about cooking! You ARE getting better!!
Terri S. says
Just a head”s up. The endocrinologists at the children’s hospital I transcribe for recommend keeping products containing lavender away from small children. I would guess this would include food products containing lavender. There is a growing body of anecdotal evidence that exposure to lavender can contribute to the development of precocious puberty in children. When they see a child with precocious puberty symptoms, they always tell the parents to check their laundry detergents, shampoos, lotions, etc for lavender and to stop using them if they contain it.
JudyL says
I had never heard that. Googled it and will definitely not use lavender around children. Thanks for that info.
Sara says
Judy, I have a bag of lavender too. I hadn’t thought about jelly! Thanks for the tip. 🙂 A number of recipes for Herbs de Provence call for lavender, that’s why I bought it. I can’t get the ready mixed herbs. I like to rub them on a roast before cooking, makes wonderful gravy.
Julie McCluney says
I found some Lavender Butter Cookies on the web (may have been Martha Stuart), they were fantastic. Well anything with the main ingredents of butter, sugar and flour, how could you go wrong. I have always wanted to make the Lavender Jelly… Lavender grows well in my yard but being in California – everything is so dry now – no buds. 🙁
Judy thank you for all your inspiration. Love you!
Gail in Wa State says
I make tons of apple sauce for the freezer and I always add some lavender to it.
Glad to hear you are feeling better.
Best regards…
Judy S says
So glad you’re feeling better. Here in WA you can buy all sorts of things made with lavender. A friend gave us some chocolate sauce once that was lavender-flavored. Perhaps you could try that? I ordered some once a while back and was, like you, surprised at the amount. I used mine for sachets and still have lots left.
Joyce says
I planted a couple of lavender plants this spring. Two of them were labeled as annuals. Of course the one that died was the one labeled perennial! I think I’ll try another perennial one next year…and see if I can keep it alive!