I haven’t been posting lately because I’ve been very busy finishing a new cookbook! It’s called The Art of Cooking with Lavender. It’s now available for sale here . I’m thrilled to tell you I love the way it turned out and think you will like it, too. I photographed many of the recipes and have featured a number of beautiful pictures taken at lavender farms I visited as well. The U. S. Lavender Growers Association has been very enthusiastic; many members have already purchased copies for themselves and to offer to customers who visit their fields and shops.
The book has over 70 images, all in full color. You can see some of them, plus the Intro and Contents by clicking on a short preview of The Art of Cooking with Lavender here . It even includes a couple sample recipes you can try! The recipes run the gamut from appetizers, snacks, soups and salads to main and side dishes and, of course, a goodly assortment of sweets. (The back covershows just several of the many recipes photographed. At the left is a lush, creamy-smooth lemon-lavender baked custard; then zingy Asian-style hot wings; then a thirst-quenching lavender-lime-ginger cooler; and at right assorted lavender cookies and frostings.)
I also included some photos of lovely lavender fields in the book. I hope these will put you in the mood to cook with lavender, and also go enjoy the beauty, fragrance, and charm of a nearby lavender farm. BTW, North American lavender farms are the best place to buy your culinary lavender because, like most food products, lavender buds are most fragrant and flavorful when newly harvested. If you can’t make a visit, many lavender farms have on-line shops to make purchasing easy.
To whet your appetite, here is a recipe from The Art of Cooking with Lavender that I fix often in cool weather–a creamy potato-corn-bacon chowder seasoned with culinary lavender and thyme. It demonstrates just how tempting culinary lavender can be in a savory dish. Lavender pairs beautifully with thyme, potatoes, and both smoked and fresh pork. It also teams up with cream, whether in this chowder, or my lemon custard (shown left on the back cover, above right) or my honey-lavender ice cream. To view the preview pdf of The Art of Cooking with Lavender go here.
- 6 or 7 slices smoked bacon
- 1 large onion and 1 large celery stalk, chopped
- ¾ teaspoon each coarsely ground dried culinary lavender buds and dried thyme leaves
- 3½ cups canned reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups peeled and cubed (1/3-inch) Yukon Gold, red bliss or other boiling potatoes
- ¼ tsp each black pepper and sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1½ cups rinsed and drained frozen yellow corn kernels
- 1 cup table cream or whipping cream
- Fry the bacon slices in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until they are just cooked through and nicely browned. Transfer them to paper towels; let drain until cool enough to handle, then finely crumble into bits. Put 2½ tablespoons rendered bacon fat in a 3- to 4-quart soup pot or saucepan; discard the rest.
- Place the pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, 3 or 4 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften. Stir in the lavender and thyme and cook, stirring, 1 minute longer.
- Immediately stir in the broth, potatoes, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a gentle boil and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes, until the potato is cooked through.
- If desired, with a potato masher, or the back of a large spoon, mash about ½ cup potatoes to slightly thicken the soup. Stir in the corn, crumbled bacon (reserve a little for garnish, if desired, and cream and continue cooking, uncovered, about 5 minutes longer to reheat and allow the flavors to mingle.
- Taste and add salt and more pepper if desired. Thin the soup with a little hot water, if desired. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat over low heat, stirring frequently, to prevent burning. Garnish with reserved crumbled bacon, if desired. Makes 4 or 5 main-dish servings.
I’ve posted some other lavender recipes–perhaps you might like the lavender buttercream frosting here.
I do have a nice lavender-honey ice cream in my book, The Art of Cooking with Lavender. However, I have not circulated the recipe–I need to keep some recipes exclusive to the book so people will be interested in buying it! There is an ice cream recipe on my http://www.kitchenlane.com site that you might adapt by adding in lavender. Yes, if you have an “English” lavender, aka true lavender, aka angustifolia lavender, you can use it fresh or dried. I would add a tablespoon of dried lavender in when the honey is added, then proceed as directed in the recipe.http://kitchenlane.com/2014/09/i-have-been-on-ice-cream-making-and.html
I am looking for a recipe for lavender ice cream. I want to use lavender from my garden. Do you have a recipe? and what type of lavender can I use?
Delighted you enjoyed my presentation. I’m selling the book on http://www.nancyslavenderplace.com You can choose various amounts, but a carton of 30 books is the best deal. Thanks for you interest.
Hello, I was at the recent Lavender conference. I would like to order a case of The Art of Cooking with Lavender cookbook. I was very impressed by your presentation and I want to share you recipes with my customers. Please let me know how I can place an order with you.
Regards,
Carol Brown
616-218-5793
Summerhouse Lavender Farm
It can help to think of lavender as a replacement for rosemary or thyme, say in pork, or lamb. I also use it a lot along with thyme. as in the chowder recipe here–very satifsying!
I rest my case. Lavender in BBQ sauce. I can’t wait to try that one!
Thanks so much Melanie. I was actually surprised at how many ingredients and dishes lavender went with… for example I wouldn’t have expected to find it added to a barbeque sauce–but it’s great in the one I have in the book.
Congratulations Nancy — I’m looking forward to getting a copy. I love lavender and I know your book will surely put a number of new ideas in my repertoire!