ISO Lavender Info

[*amy*]

Can it be purchased in the herb/spice aisle, what is the taste like?

What I have in mind are these *Baked Strawberries w ice cream or individual strawberry shortcakes w mascarpone. Wondering if I can use the lavender in a compound butter w strawberries/honey/lavender (for pancakes, french toast, crostini, etc.). What do you think? TIA

*Baked Strawberries

[Barbara L]

I have wondered about that myself. I know a few DCers use lavender, so hopefully someone will have an answer soon.

Barbara

[Loprraine]

I've never seen it in a store here. I grow my own. OK, it's died a few times, but when it does well, it does great!!! I usually make Herbes de Provence with it. But, a friend of mine has infused butter / honey / oil something with it. I'll ask him. Make sachets for your pillows / drawers. Stick some in a pot of simmering water , or a hot bath. It is said to have a calming effect. It's great stuff.

[suziquzie]

I've had an Ice Cream recipe for a few years that I haven't tried yet, Lavendar Ice Cream.
I am finally trying to grow some this year so I can try it....

[kitchenelf]

I'll have to look it up but I bought lavender from somewhere in San Francisco. I had to buy quite a bit but I didn't care. I used mine for lavender martinis - YUM!

[suziquzie]

uh, martinis??? sounds awesome!
care to share???
brought my own booze tonight, no mooching!!!

[Bilby]

I have had lavendar semi-freddo a couple of times but they never strain the lavender bits out and you end up with the grainy bits being caught in your teeth. Smells good though.

[flukx]

I am with Loppraine - If I find lavender outside somewhere, I pick some and hang it until it is dry and use it in hot baths with milk and honey for wife. She loves it (I may have tried it once or twice as well!)

[Loprraine]

He infused it in sugar, much like you would a vanilla bean. He didn't infuse oil, but did try vinegar. That wasn't a huge success. The infused vodka wasn't bad.

[shortchef]

If you google "culinary lavender" you will come up with several places where you can buy this. We make a lavender shortbread that is delicious. I put the sugar for that in the food processor and avoid the little bits of lavender, it all gets blended in.