Cooking With Culinary Lavender: What Does Lavender Taste Like?
By E. A. Wright
TRYING CULINARY LAVENDER
If a healthy mix of sugar and spice would make your day nice, consider cooking with lavender.
The tiny purple flowers of the lavender plant lend food a unique, spicy
kick. When added to a recipe, lavender is a surprise. The taste of
lavender attention-grabbing — the exact opposite of the calming,
relaxing sensation that the scent of lavender supposedly enhances.
USE CULINARY LAVENDER
- How to grow Lavender!
My all time favorite garden plant is the Lavender. It is not just a great color in between the other perennials but it has this heavenly scent that I just cant get enough of. I have four different... - Cooking with Lavender
Lavender can add a delightful and exotic flavor to both sweet and savory cooking. Try these great lavender recipes! - Lavender and Roast Beef: Food and Recipes
I love the smell of lavender for a good many things.
OTHER CULINARY HERBS
- Starting a Culinary Herb Garden At Home
When you cultivate your own mix of fresh herbs, you'll be unconstrained by the varieties usually sold in a supermarket. The only limits are your time, patience and gardening skill.
- The One Window Herb Garden
Even if only one window in your house or apartment gets good light, it's possible to start an herb garden and find satisfaction in harvesting pinches and sprigs of your own homegrown herbs.
- Mints: From Chocolate Mints to Peppermints
Mints are hardy, versatile herbs that come in a wildly varied range of shapes and flavors. Take fresh pineapple mint. It's as different from peppermint as it is from Standard Issue Toothpaste.
WHO MIGHT LIKE LAVENDER?
No spice lover should skip culinary lavender. That's especially so for spice fanatics who like a dash of hotness in their desserts.
If you think mixing a bit of pepper into chocolate is an amazing idea, or if you absolutely adore the ginger in gingerbread cookies, you might really enjoy cooking with lavender.
WHAT IS CULINARY LAVENDER?
Culinary lavender is nothing too exotic. It's simply a mix of dried lavender buds that have been treated like food, rather than like something that might go in a sachet and never pass human lips.
In theory, culinary lavender comes from lavender varieties selected primarily for flavor.
WHAT DOES LAVENDER TASTE LIKE?
At first bite, lavender tastes exactly like it smells: a little bit like evergreen, a little bit like like mint, a little bit like rosemary and a little bit like flowers -- spicy flowers. Lavender is surprisingly peppery.
If, after sampling a piece of dried lavender, the taste seems too overpowering, don't give up on lavender forever. You might still enjoy a hint of lavender in your food. Try it in a sweet sauce or in honey.
WHICH FLAVORS MIX WELL WITH LAVENDER?
- Chocolate
- Lemon
- Blueberries
- Sugar
- Honey
- Cream
- Vanilla
- Thyme
- Bay
WHAT KINDS RECIPES CALL FOR LAVENDER?
- Ice creams
- Cookies
- Spice mixes
- Stews
- Sauces
- Decorative toppings for baked goods
- Flavored sugars
- Salad dressings
Have you tried culinary lavender?
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MORE BY E. A. WRIGHT
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Inside the gates of Queens Botanical Garden, I find peace and quietude wandering past the shaded nooks, nosing through the herb garden and stopping to smell the lilacs. It's serenity in New York City. - Brooklyn Botanic Garden
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Spring flowers aren't impossible to find in New York City. April is the best month to see magnolias, tulips and lilacs in bloom in Central Park.
oceansnsunsets 23 months ago
I love how it looks, and the idea of using culinary lavender sounds like a great idea. Thanks for sharing