Lavender Uses in Cooking

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Neither did I know that lavender uses in cooking. Yes! But it is important that we have knowledge about this amazing bush. Is it really a bush? nah! It is a shrub because it is taller than a bush, actually lavender are 20-24 inches tall and wide, flowers bloom in a spiral above the leaves and are typically purple, blue, pink and blue-violet in color. It is from the mint family.

Lavender grows well in the hot, dry climate usually spring to summer seasons in the Mediterranean region, the Arabian peninsula, Africa, and Russia.
Currently Lavender has 45 different species with over 450 varieties, some have not yet classified. It is widely available at affordable prices and used for medicinal, culinary, decorative and fragrance purposes. 

For cooking, lavender’s floral and slightly sweet flavor makes it widely adaptable. Dried buds are also called flowers, can be used as an herb added to salad and meat dishes. And can also be added to dressings and condiments. Ameliorated to make edible decorations or blended with sugar to create a distinctive flavor. It can be added to cheeses; blended into teas and mix with chocolate and baked products as well.

If you will choose for culinary use, make sure you buy organic lavender to avoid the pesticides commonly used on decorative plants and flowers or plant it by yourself.  The buds should be vibrant colored and tightly closed. Should be kept in a tightly sealed container away from heat and moisture. And must retain its flavor and aroma for up to six months.

Which lavender varieties will use in the kitchen?

Lavandula angustifolia/Royal Velvet

Bloom time	June to August
Height	24 inches
Colors	deep blue-purple, light pink, and white
Description	It grows in a cooler climate despite its Mediterranean origin. Also known as English Lavender. It has the sweetest fragrance among all species of lavender, which creates flavor in cooking. The stems and leaves of lavender plants can be used for culinary purposes. The flowers, in particular, give dishes a subtly sweet and citrus flavor. Very good in desserts.

Lavandula angustifolia/Betty’s Blue

Bloom time	Late summer
Height	23 to 36 inches
Colors	Deep violet-blue
Description	Dome-shaped flower. With gentle flavor, it is a salt-resistant type and leaves can be used in culinary.

Lavandula angustifolia/Melissa

Bloom time	Summer
Height	28 inches
Colors	White and pink
Description	Begin pure white but mature into a delicate pink color. Wonderful flavor in desserts and teas

Lavandula Dentata

Bloom time	Early summer to fall
Height	36 inches and taller
Colors	Light purple
Description	Also known as fringed lavender. It is a French lavender. It has narrow spikes of purple flowers, long-lasting, topped with pale violet bracts, and first appear in late spring. From stem to its flower is strongly aromatic with the typical lavender fragrance. less aroma than English lavender.

Lavandula Stoechas

Bloom time	Mid to late summer
Height	12 to 39 inches
Colors	Deep purple
Description	Unusual pineapple-shaped blooms with colorful bracts, or “bunny ears” that emerge from each flower spike. Although the flowers are not especially fragrant, the light-green leaves are very aromatic.

Lavandula ×intermedia/Provence

Bloom time	Mid to late summer
Height	24 to 36 inches
Colors	Dark violet and white
Description	hybrid combination of the cold hardiness of English lavender with the heat tolerance of Portuguese lavender (L. latifolia). It typically starts blooming a few weeks later than most English lavenders and features long spikes of highly fragrant flowers. Although not considered edible (due to high camphor content), the flowers and foliage are often added to sachets and potpourris. Also considered the highest oil-producing lavender and high camphor content It is also used for meats and savories.

 

Although most varieties of lavender can be used in cooking, these varieties are more widely used, which is Lavandula angustifolia. Because these lavenders have the sweetest fragrance among all species of lavender, which creates flavor in cooking. And it also called for some as a Delicious Lavender. The most widely cultivated species. 

Now we know the varieties that can use in cooking. Let’s see if we can plant this amazing bush in our garden. Is it simple or we should take farming coarse for this? Tips are here just go on and continue reading. Satisfaction not guaranteed to continue digging.

How to plant lavender?

1. Buy healthy lavender plants for your garden.
2. Bring them home and water them before you plant them in the yard.
3. Choose a location for your lavender that receives full sun.
4. Set the potted plants in different spots to pick where they look best
5. Unpot, plant, and water it.
6. Provide consistent watering until the lavender becomes settled.
7. By the late fall, prune back the plants.

How to maintain your plant and grow?

1. Make sure to give 6 hours or more of full sun each day. 
2. Apply very little water, or just enough to wet the plants.
3.  If you have solid or clay soil, grow lavender in pots. Grow in well-drained areas or raised beds.
4. If the soil is sandy, mix in some gravel to improve drainage. 
5. Good airflow is important around the plants if you have high humidity.
6. Don’t use any topping that will bring moisture to the plants or mulch. You can use small pea gravel on top of the soil for the best results.
7. Do not use a sprinkler system. 
8. Do not fertilize them if you want to use it for cooking. It is not necessary anyway even not. 
9. Do not to prune in late fall.

What Does Lavender Taste Like?

This is the question first come in our mind if not ever tried tasted a dish with lavender, and the answer is this: The first sensory impact of lavender is a pungent floral flavor and aroma, with obvious characteristics of an herb, it’s earthiness and mint. Different lavender varieties can take on an additional hint of fruit, woodiness, and smoke, making it a complex culinary herb.

Cooking With Lavender

Flowers, leaves, buds, and stems can be used. The first two used fresh and the other mostly dried. It adds flavor and color to culinary recipes. To dry lavender for cooking use, snip the stems off the plant just after the flowers have opened and hang them upside-down or lay them flat to dry. Wash the buds completely, then dry-roast them to remove some of the floral taste or grind them in a coffee grinder to improve the texture. You can also make lavender-infused sugar that may use in baking or swap it out for regular sugar in your favorite recipes.

Best Lavender Flavor Combinations: Of course Lavender + Ice Cream, Lavender+ Honey, Lavender +Lamb, and Lavender + Chicken. 

Some ideas to use lavender in cooking

The flavor of lavender is strong, use it sparingly so it won’t overpower your dishes. The buds are best harvested right before they are fully open when the essential oils are most potent.

• Dip a few dried lavender buds in a jar of sugar to give it a sweet aroma. That sugar can be used for baking and in desserts for additional aroma.
• Mince the fresh buds and add to a cake batter or sweet pastry dough before baking.
• Add flower buds to preserves or fruit compotes to give them subtle spicy notes.
• Dredge fresh lavender on a salad as a garnish.
• Can use fresh lavender to fill teas, cocktails, and other beverages.
• Roast lamb, chicken, or rabbit will be flavorful when you use chopped buds and leaves.
• Use to make Herbes de Provence by combining dried lavender with thyme, savory, and rosemary.

What is INFUSED OILs?

Also known as macerated oils. Consist of carrier oil and the herbs that will be infused. You will not infuse an herb without using a carrier oil. Some instances, they may be used essentials oils of the particular herb but there are plants do not have much essential oil contained in them.

In general Infused oils have an oily feeling that varies depending on the carrier oil used. And not as concentrated as essential oils. Additionally, infused oils, just like carrier oils, can get foul-smelling. 

What are the CARRIER OILs?

Almond oil- moisturizing and can also use as a base oil.

Apricot Kernel Oil– is very gentle on the skin, a great choice for products that will be used on little children.

Apricot kernel oil– can be a replacement for almond oil.

Avocado Oil– is high in essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins, If allergic to latex, however, you may also have problems with avocado oil. Do some skin testing first.

Castor Oil– is most like coconut oil.

Coconut Oil– favorite carrier oil because it has so many beneficial properties. And it is absorbed quickly by the skin and moisturizes well.

Grapeseed Oil– is culinary uses.

Jojoba Oil– is a usual carrier oil called for in DIY bath and beauty recipes as well as herbal remedies.

Olive Oil– a lot of uses – cooking, beauty products, herbal remedies, cold-process soap, and more. And is mostly preferred to use it with a base carrier oil because it has such a strong smell.

Palm Kernel Oil– Most sources of palm oil are unsustainable and the refining process is damaging to rain forests to help, make sure you choose a brand that is sustainably sourced.

Rosehip Seed Oil– Perfect for mature skin, and is great for skin in need of deep healing. If dry, wrinkled skin or scarring is a problem, add rosehip seed oil to your list.

How to make Lavender infused oil?

• Dry the fresh lavender flower to its stem in a cloth to enhance its aroma and minimize the chance of the oil becoming rancid. Tie the sprig up with rubber bands or any and let it hang upside down in a dry, warm area. It takes 2 weeks to dry up fully.
• Gently crush the lavender and place it in a jar. It is important that your hands are dry and clean as well as the jar where you will put it.

• Pour Carrier oil in the jar with the lavender in it. Fully covering the lavender but leaving 1–2 inches of space at the top to allow for expansion.

• Soak the lavender in a sunny location at least 48 hours to achieve a sensible scent, and more typically the oil is left out for three to six weeks. If you have not enough sunlight to do this you may:

• Use a crockpot or boiler to heat the oil and lavender mixture for 2–5 hours, keeping it at a steady temperature between 38–49ºC (100–120ºF). Be careful not to heat it so much because it can affect the aroma and the shelf life of the oil. Use a thermometer.

• Pour the oil in a muslin or cheesecloth over a bowl and pour the oil and herb mix over it.

• Repeat the process if you want to make the oil stronger the same oil will be poured back into the jar and have a new batch of dried lavender placed in it. stay it out in a sunny location, or heat it in a crockpot at low temperatures, to create a stronger infusion. And it can be repeated as many as eight times if you want a powerful oil.

• Store oil in a dark bottle or jar. to prevent overlong exposure to light from breaking the aroma down.

How to cook using Lavender oil?

It is much easier to use lavender infused oil for cooking than spending time chopping and slicing and preparing. Edible lavender oil is the most gentle oil. And the first one to pick among them. 

Lavender infused-oil for cooking is a simple way than using edible flower/buds and leaves.

In using oils just remember these three things: 

Convert-Remember that these are all concentrated portions of its original source. A drop is equal to a teaspoon, you don’t need more than one or two drops for a full recipe.

Dilute– should be diluted into lipid first. It is not only to keep us safe but it helps to ensure the oil gets dispersed all throughout the dish.

Delay- this is were some oils are volatile that it may disperse through heat. So, wait until the last process of cooking.

How to cook using lavender leaves?

The leaves have a ton of flavors like the flower. Cooking with lavender leaves works well with many different flavors –ice cream/cream, lemon, orange, honey, rosemary, sugar, vinegar, and walnuts to name a few. 

• Vinegar- use it in vinaigrettes. 
• Simple Syrup- boil gently a couple stems in a simple syrup and add to lemonade, iced tea or cocktails.
• Tea- use fresh/dried leaves to make the tea can be a substitute for flowers. (Lavender Mint Tea).
• Mix with Fresh Cheese- better combined with ricotta and/or goat cheese.
• Scented Sugar- add about one tablespoon of leaves to a cup of sugar and store in an air-tight container for 2 weeks. Remove leaves and may use to anything where you want a sweet and floral scent dish or drink.
• Cookies- may add for a light floral flavor.
• Cake- lavender leaves would be delicious in some cakes.
• Dried Herb Mixture- roasting and grilling will definitely smell good with it.

How to cook using edible lavender flowers/buds?

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) – look good and taste great in a glass of champagne, with chocolate cake, or as a garnish for ice creams or sorbets. Lavender imparts itself to savory dishes also, from stews to wine-reduced sauces. Diminutive blooms add a mysterious scent to custards, flans and to sorbets.

Where to buy culinary lavender?

Dried culinary lavender can be bought online. Always near us! Just a click away and it will be delivered to us. Just put on the keywords: Dried culinary lavender near me or Dried culinary lavender Walmart.

Let’s see a quick peek on what is online.

CULINARY LAVENDER (super blue)  by spice jungle	Worth from  $6.84 To $383.17	2 reviews
McCormick Culinary Herbes De Provence by McCormick Culinary	$12.82 for 6oz.	3 reviews and all 5 stars
CULINARY LAVENDER by JR mushroom specialties	From $3.99 To $136.99	No reviews

RECIPES

LAVENDER APPETIZER RECIPES

Lavash and lavender seasoning together

Tuscan seasoning.                           

• Mix this seasoning with butter or olive oil and spread on a fresh baguette for sumptuous lavender garlic bread.
• ½ cup or 64 grams roasted lavender (put culinary lavender buds in a hot, dry skillet for about 1 minute, stir until buds are slightly toasted)
• ¼ cup or 32 grams dried onion flakes
• ¼ cup or 32 grams dried minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon or 15 grams salt

Bring all the ingredients and put them in a food processor or blender. Combined for 10 seconds or until all ingredients are well blended.

Candied Walnuts with Lavender and Figs

• 1 cup or 128g brown sugar
• 2 tsp fine-grain sea salt
• 1 tsp ground culinary lavender buds*
• 1/4 cup or 32g sesame seeds
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 lb cups shelled walnut halves
• 1/3 cup or 43g chopped dried figs, stems trimmed

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Mix brown sugar, salt, lavender and sesame seeds in a small bowl.
In a large bowl whisk the egg whites a bit, just to loosen them up. Add walnuts and figs to whites and toss until they are uniformly coated.  It will take a minute or so. Sprinkle the sugar-spice mixture over the nuts and toss again.
Split the nuts between the two prepared baking sheets in a single layer, separating the walnuts from one another.
Bake for about 25 minutes or until the walnuts turn golden brown and the coating is no longer wet. It will need a little attention. Turn off your oven and let them dry for 10 minutes or more. Make it cool for a few minutes, and then slide the nuts off the hot baking sheets unto a cool surface to cool completely. Put in an airtight container and it will keep for a week or so.

Lavender Cookies

• ½ cup or 64g shortening
• ½ cup butter softened
• 1-1/4 cups or 162g sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons dried culinary lavender
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

(Optional) White chocolate chips 1 – 2 cups per batch.
In a large bowl, the first thing to do is cream the shortening, softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, do not rush just add one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts.  Combine the flour, baking powder, lavender, and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Drop by round teaspoonful 2 in. Lightly coat with cooking spray the baking sheet.
Bake at 350° Fahrenheit for 8 – 10 minutes or until golden brown. 
Make it cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks. Importantly, store in an airtight container. 
You may check the cookies once in a while if you want it just to be soft.
Makes 84 servings

LAVENDER FARM RECIPE

Grilled or Baked Salmon with Lavender

3 lbs or 1360.78g Salmon
4 tbsp Honey
6 tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon or 12.5g crushed culinary lavender
1/4 cup or 32g white wine
1 tablespoon or 15g Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Place every whole ingredients in a saucepan except salmon. Then heat over moderate heat stirring at all times, until reduced to ⅓ 
When it is turning into slightly brown or has a color brush on salmon
Grill the salmon and brush occasionally with its juice, set aside some to top when served. 
To bake preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover with sauce, bake for 10 minutes or until salmon is flaky.

Wyebrook Farm Fried Chicken

4 cups buttermilk (joggled)
1 small onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (peeled)
1 tsp hot sauce, such as Tabasco
Just a coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds or about 1.8kgs), cut as desired.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Safflower oil, for frying
Honey and fresh lavender, for serving.

 

• Puree 1 cup of buttermilk with onion and garlic in a food processor or a blender until smooth and combined. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl; whisk in the remaining 3 cups buttermilk, hot sauce, and 2 tbsp. salt. Then add chicken and let soak in refrigerator 4 hours, keeping chicken fully submerged (may put plate if necessary).
• Combined flour, cayenne, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a deep dish. whisk few pieces at a time, get the chicken from buttermilk mixture, letting excess drip back into bowl. Then dredge into flour mixture to coat. And now transfer chicken to a rack set over a rounded baking sheet and let stand for 30 minutes.
• In a large heavy-bottomed pot containing 2 inches oil over medium-high heat until a thermometer registers 350 Fahrenheit. Set down in batches, carefully add chicken to pot; cook, turn it occasionally with tongs until golden brown and a thermometer inserted into thickest parts register 165 Fahrenheit, for about 15 minutes for white meat, up to 10 to 12 minutes for dark. 
• Adjust the heat and maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and return oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit between batches. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate (season with salt and pepper) and then serve warm, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with lavender.

Pumpkin Soup

3 cups pumpkin puree (fresh or canned pumpkin is okay to use)
4 cups of vegetable broth.
1 sweet onion
2 cloves of garlic
1-2 tsp Herbes de Provence (Lavender)
Preparation:
Saute onion and garlic until soft add other ingredients stir carefully until cook at least 30 minutes.

Lavender Honey Lemonade

3 cups water (prepare more to taste)
1 cups lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1 1/2 heaping teaspoon  dried culinary lavender
2 tbsp. Honey 
1/2 cup sugar 

 

In a pot, put 1 cup water and granulated sugar over a medium heat stove and bring to boil, if the sugar was dissolved removed it from heat. Stir in honey and lavender into the mixture then cover. Set aside for 15 minutes. Using a filter, strain lavender out of lemonade.

​Stir the lavender syrup to the rest of the lemon juice and water in a large pitcher. Best serve with ice. Makes 4 cups of lemonade.

DESSERTS

Lavender Honey Ice Cream

2 cups whole milk (cold or room temp)
1 tbsp and 1 tsp cornstarch
3 tablespoons cream cheese (softened)
1 and 1/4 cups heavy cream 
1 tbsp dried culinary lavender
2/3 cups honey
1/8 cups corn syrup
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

• In a  large bowl fill it with ice water and in another small bowl, mix 2 tbsps of milk with the cornstarch. And in another large bowl, whisk the cream cheese until smooth. Set a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl then set aside.
• Get a large saucepan, combine the remaining milk with the heavy cream, honey, lavender, and corn syrup. Bring the milk mixture to a boil and cook over average heat until the sugar dissolves, in about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until the mixture is slightly thickened in about 1 minute.
• Slowly pour the hot milk mixture (through the sieve) into the cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Whip in the vanilla extract and salt. Set the bowl in the ice water bath and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cool, in about 20 minutes.
• Chill the mixture ( in at least 4 hours or overnight). When chilled, pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Put on plastic or parchment over ice cream (to prevent ice crystals) and wait until firm, in at least 4 hours.

What is Lavender Syrup?

One of the best uses of Lavender in savory dishes. If you are looking for a quick and simple way to get the sweetest flavor of lavender into numerous dishes, with an extremely high result effortless. Well, Lavender Syrup is quite an answer. 

Here’s how to make this lavender syrup:

In a pan, put an equal amount of sugar (using colored sugar leaves it with a slightly odd yellow tinge!) and water with a few teaspoons of dried culinary lavender. Gently heat it until the sugar dissolves and let bubbles away. You will have a sticky syrup afterward. For clearer lump-free syrup, you may strain the lavender out. If you leave it there the taste will get stronger and flecks of lavender in your syrup.

And here are some favorite uses:

• Drizzle it in your pancakes, your morning will be great!
• With whipped cream on meringues are superb
• Simplest is to mix with your favorite tea
• Drizzle it in your favorite ice cream instead
• Or just put it in a clean dry jar, put a ribbon and send a gift for someone special.

Products in the market

Lavender Syrup, Aromatic and Floral, Natural Flavors, Great for Cocktails, Lemonades and Sodas, Vegan, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free- by MONIN 750ml	Around 10 to 11 dollars 648 reviews 77% of 5 stars	Allergen-free, gluten-free, Halal, dairy-free, Kosher, contain no artificial ingredients, are non-GMO and vegan.
Lavender Syrup -by TORANI	Around 11 to 12 dollars 105 reviews 65% of 5 stars	Beautiful purple hue and quixotic aroma

Studies in using Lavender in cooking

There are many health benefits of lavender (Lavandula) – it can be used orally to treat, depression, headache, and nervousness as well as digestive concerns including flatulence, loss of appetite and even nausea.

Special Precaution:

1. Do not use lavender if you are not sure how it planted. Buy from trusted stores or farm that is not using fertilizers. (make sure it is organic culinary lavender)
2. Use sparingly, too much lavender in your dish will taste it like you chew a soap.
3. Make sure the lavender you bought is edible one not for decorative.
4. Pregnant and/or breastfeeding women are not recommended to consume lavender oil because it may increase photosensitivity and is not suitable topically for boys as some studies have linked the use of lavender oil to breast growth (Gynecomastia).

If you enjoyed this, here are some of my favorite articles also:

• Infused-oil recipes
• Culinary Lavender Recipes
• Types of Lavender
• Lavender Body Lotion Wonderful Aromatic and Medicinal Properties
• Essential oil extraction from lavender, medicinal properties, chemical composition
• Best lavender lotion for sleep
• How to make Lavender and Cedarwood lotion?

 

A little about Me:

Hi, I’m Jodie Celso. mother of two wonderful boys and an advocate of health and wellness mostly in children and the elderly. I’d like to grow my readership. can you help me out by sharing this post?

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