Author: Virginia McNaughton

The Lavender Garden: Beautiful Varieties to Grow and Gather

Author: Robert Kourik

Lavender: Fragrance of Provence

Photographer: Hans Walter Silvester

Translators: Lenora Ammon and Alexander Campbell

Author: Sharon Shipley

Lavender: How to Grow and Use the Fragrant Herb

Author: Helen Spector Platt

Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs

Editors: Claire Kowalchik and William H. Hylton

· ¾ cup butter

· 1/2 cup white sugar

· 1 egg

· 1 T. lavender flowers

· 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

Optional (for decorating):

· ½ cup colored sugar

· 1 T. lavender flowers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the butter and sugar. Beat the egg and blend into butter/sugar mixture. Mix in lavender flowers and flour. Drop batter by teaspoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheets. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove cookies to cooling rack and sprinkle with decorative sugar and lavender flowers if desired.

· 3 cups quick oats

· 2 cups flaked coconut

· 1 cup unbleached flour

· 1 cup packed brown sugar

· 1 cup butter

· ½ cup honey

· 1 teaspoon dried lavender

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine oats, coconut, and flour in a large mixing bowl. In a heavy saucepan bring butter, honey, sugar and lavender to a boil. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well. Drop dough by the spoonful into greased cookie sheet, making each mound about 1-2 inches high. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden. DO NOT OVER BAKE. Let cool for 15 minutes before removing from cookie sheet.

· 6 teaspoons dried mint

· 6 cups boiling water

· 1 tablespoon dried lavender blossoms

· 1 liter ginger ale

· 1 cup purple grape juice

Brew the mint in the water in a teapot for ten minutes. Add the lavender blossoms to the pot. Allow tea to cool. Strain the tea and add the ginger ale, grape juice and ice cubes. If serving in a punch bowl, float lavender buds and mint sprigs on top. Option: Add ice cubes with fresh mint leaf frozen in each.

· 6 T. extra virgin olive oil

· 2 T. balsamic vinegar

· 1 T. lemon juice

· 1 crushed garlic clove

· 1 tsp. coarse grain mustard

· 2 T. honey

· 1 tsp. dried lavender flowers

Whisk all ingredients together. Let stand for 30mins to allow flavors to infuse. Whisk again and serve.

This dressing will store in a screw lid jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.

· ¾ c. minced fresh mint

· 2 T. coarsely chopped dried culinary lavender

· 2 T. minced garlic

· ¼ c. soy sauce · 3 T. fresh orange juice

· 3 T. olive oil

Marinade in the refrigerator at least overnight. This makes enough to marinade 2 pork tenderloins or 1 pork roast. Cook to taste. Garnish with mint and a favorite chutney.

· ½ c. canola or vegetable oil

· 2 T. dried crushed culinary grade lavender

· 5 large crushed garlic cloves

· 5 sprigs of rosemary

Warm for 10 minutes and steep for at least 6 hours. Strain and store in an airtight container.

Fire up your barbecue. Wrap pink salmon or chicken breasts in foil with several sprigs of fresh lavender or several tablespoons of dried lavender buds. Grill for several minutes on each side until done.

Garnish with additional lavender.

Try adding an additional sprig or two of rosemary to the lavender.

Cook rice as usual but add a tablespoon of dried lavender buds to the water.

· 1 heaping tablespoon dried culinary lavender

· 3/4 c. of white sugar

· 3 c. of 2% milk

· 1 tsp. vanilla or 1 T. dark rum

· 4 eggs

· 12 T. brown sugar

· Ground nutmeg

· Fresh berries for optional garnish

Crush Lavender with mortar and pestle to release flavor and aroma. Mix with sugar and add to milk. Heat on low heat to scald; don’t boil Remove from heat and let lavender steep for 30 minutes. Strain the lavender from the milk mixture and discard. Add vanilla.

In a bowl, mix eggs and slowly add the milk mixture until well blended. Take 6 ramekins and spray with Pam. Place 2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar in the bottom of each ramekin. Carefully pour in the milk/egg mixture. Sprinkle nutmeg on top. Place in a water bath and cook for 1 hour at 325F. Chill thoroughly before serving. You may loosen the custard with a knife, invert in a bowl and add a few fresh berries for garnish or just serve in the ramekins. If you really want an elegant garnish, take a few sprigs of dried lavender, dip in an egg white and sprinkle with superfine sugar. Dry on waxed paper for at least an hour.

· 2 ½ cup water

· 1 ½ cup sugar

· ½ cup frozen or fresh strawberries or raspberries

· ¼ cup fresh lavender flowers chopped

· 2 ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

· 2 ½ cup water

· ½ cup sugar (optional)

· Fresh lavender flowers for garnish

Optional: Add 1 oz. chilled vodka and a splash of club soda.

In medium saucepan, combine 2 ½ cups water, sugar and strawberries. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat. Simmer 5 minutes to extract pink from berries. Remove from heat. Stir in lavender. Cover and cool. Strain cooled liquid into large pitcher, gently pressing juice from berries. Add remaining 2 ½ cups water and lemon juice. Stir well. Add ½ cup more sugar, if desired. Just before serving, add ice cubes. Pour into chilled glasses. Garnish with lavender flowers. Makes 6-8 servings.