Lavender
Lavender is a shrubby perennial grown for its flowers and fragrance, but it also serves as a landscape item for its beauty and ability to stand heat and drought. It may be clipped to form a low hedge or an aromatic border along a path. In a rock garden, a single plant or just a few plants may be used to great effect as an accent. And, of course, lavender is a natural choice for any herb garden. The cool, gray-green foliage contrasts nicely with its own flowers, as well as dark green herbs and other plants. Lavender also grows quite well in containers.
Growing requirements:
Lavender loves the sun and hates to have its feet wet, so choose a position with good drainage, plenty of sun – at least 8 hours a day – and allow room for air currents around the plant when it reaches maturity. They are adept candidates for rock gardens. Select soil that is well worked, well drained and so loose you can dig it with your hands. Lavender likes a slightly alkaline soil. Some sand and well-rotted manure or compost will get the plant off to a good start.
Planting:
Carefully knock the plant from its pot, spread the roots, and place the plant in a hole that accommodates the spread roots. Mixing a little bone meal into the soil mix below the roots will slowly release organics that promote both root and leaf growth. Roots should not be placed directly on the meal, but on a mix of soil and meal. If the stems are long enough, give the plant a little shape by pruning, this will start the stems branching. When you water the new transplant for the first time, you can use a liquid fertilizer instead of plain water. A two-inch mulch of sand will moderate the soil temperature and reflect heat and light up to the plant. More heat creates more fragrant blooms.
Spring Care:
Prune your plant in the early spring to 2/3 its size, leaving a couple of inches of green above the woody stems. It seems drastic but this will stimulate new growth. Don’t be afraid to “give them a haircut.” They respond very well to being shaped because plants that are not pruned may have a tendency to fall open in the middle and sprawl.
Harvesting:
When your lavender has blossomed, the flowers can be picked for many uses. If you desire a fresh bouquet, pick the blossoms when half of the flowers on the blossom head have opened. If you are picking to dry the bundle for crafting or sachet, pick when 3/4 to all of the blossoms are open. When you cut each blossom, be sure to leave a few inches of green growth on the plant. Going down to the woody portion of the stem is too extreme.
Fall Care:
In early fall, cut the GREEN of your lavender back so about one or two inches of green remain. This will promote fuller growth for the next season and it will look better throughout the winter. Don’t cut into the wood if you can avoid it. It is difficult for the older wood to produce new shoots. It’s best for the plant if the pruning tool you use is sharp and clean.
Drying:
Cut a bundle from your plant. When you have enough blossoms to fill your hand, wrap a rubber band around the bottom of the bundle, straighten a paperclip and use it as a hook to hang the bundle upside-down in a dry, dark place. The darkness helps the lavender retain its color, and drying it upside-down helps it retain its blossom shape.
Let the lavender dry for about a week until there is no moisture remaining on the stems in the center of the bundle. You can use it for dried floral bouquets or for making sachets or other crafts, wedding favors, culinary use, or whatever your heart desires! After about one year of being exposed to sunlight, the color of lavender, like most dried flowers, will diminish. Turn the flowers into sachet, and pick another bouquet from your plant to replace it. For culinary uses, place dried lavender in an airtight, dark container, or freeze in zip lock bags; use within a year.
Serving ideas:
Select the best variety for cooking. Lavender varies in the potency and flavor of the oils, so selecting the best variety when cooking with lavender is an important first step. English Lavender (L. Angustifolia) has the sweetest fragrance of all lavenders, and is the most commonly used. Within the varieties of English Lavender the flavors will vary…some sweeter, some more lemon like.
Use the proper amount. Lavender is a strong herb that can “overdose” a recipe unless used sparingly. When beginning to experiment in cooking with lavender you should use it as a background flavor…like vanilla, you know it is there, but it is not the main player. It’s important to note that the potency of the flowers increases with drying. In cooking, use 1/3 the quantity of dried herbs to fresh. So, if a recipe calls for 1 tablespoon fresh lavender, try substituting 1 teaspoon of dried.
Starting by experimenting. Lavender flowers are most commonly used in dessert recipes, but as you progress in cooking with lavender, you will discover it is also an outstanding addition to savory recipes. Like rosemary, lavender can add a robust flavor to roasted meats and is especially good with lamb. In France, it is used in combination with other Mediterranean herbs in a savory blend called Herbs de Provence. A recommended blend includes basil, oregano, lavender, sage, and fennel.
A most appealing and easy way to cook with lavender is to create a lavender sugar. In a clean coffee mill, place the buds of two lavender flowers with 2 - 3 tablespoons of sugar. Grind these together until a fine sugar is created. This breaks apart the lavender buds and releases their essential oils into the sugar. Store this fragrant sugar in an air tight container in the freezer to use throughout the year. Once you have this in your pantry, you can experiment with adding this flavored sugar to your baking. Other methods of introducing the flavor are to steep lavender flowers in warm milk, cream or sugar syrups. Consider using these infused liquids and sugar to flavor whipping cream, homemade ice cream, jams and jellies, fruit syrups, iced tea, shortbread cookies, scones, glazes on pound cakes, biscotti, sorbets, granitas, custards, and cheesecakes.
Use good companions when cooking with lavender. Lemon is an outstanding companion to lavender. You can add even more zest to recipes with lemon by adding the mystery of lavender…everything from lemonade and pound cake to lemon chicken. Honey is another wonderful companion to lavender. Warm honey gently with lavender in a teaball or cheesecloth bag to infuse a subtle and intriguing flavor into the honey. Another recommended use is lavender syrups or lavender creams with berries, black currents, cherries, figs, ginger, lemon, orange, plum and vanilla.
Using lavender to flavor alcohol. Lavender is not only a stranger to most kitchens, it is also rare in the bar. When lavender flowers are steeped in alcohol, the essential oils are extracted from the buds and infused into the alcohol. Try placing sprigs of lavender into a gin bottle and then put the bottle in the freezer for summer drinks. A sprig of lavender in a martini with a twist of lemon is another intriguing synergy.
Varieties:
Growing requirements:
Lavender loves the sun and hates to have its feet wet, so choose a position with good drainage, plenty of sun – at least 8 hours a day – and allow room for air currents around the plant when it reaches maturity. They are adept candidates for rock gardens. Select soil that is well worked, well drained and so loose you can dig it with your hands. Lavender likes a slightly alkaline soil. Some sand and well-rotted manure or compost will get the plant off to a good start.
Planting:
Carefully knock the plant from its pot, spread the roots, and place the plant in a hole that accommodates the spread roots. Mixing a little bone meal into the soil mix below the roots will slowly release organics that promote both root and leaf growth. Roots should not be placed directly on the meal, but on a mix of soil and meal. If the stems are long enough, give the plant a little shape by pruning, this will start the stems branching. When you water the new transplant for the first time, you can use a liquid fertilizer instead of plain water. A two-inch mulch of sand will moderate the soil temperature and reflect heat and light up to the plant. More heat creates more fragrant blooms.
Spring Care:
Prune your plant in the early spring to 2/3 its size, leaving a couple of inches of green above the woody stems. It seems drastic but this will stimulate new growth. Don’t be afraid to “give them a haircut.” They respond very well to being shaped because plants that are not pruned may have a tendency to fall open in the middle and sprawl.
Harvesting:
When your lavender has blossomed, the flowers can be picked for many uses. If you desire a fresh bouquet, pick the blossoms when half of the flowers on the blossom head have opened. If you are picking to dry the bundle for crafting or sachet, pick when 3/4 to all of the blossoms are open. When you cut each blossom, be sure to leave a few inches of green growth on the plant. Going down to the woody portion of the stem is too extreme.
Fall Care:
In early fall, cut the GREEN of your lavender back so about one or two inches of green remain. This will promote fuller growth for the next season and it will look better throughout the winter. Don’t cut into the wood if you can avoid it. It is difficult for the older wood to produce new shoots. It’s best for the plant if the pruning tool you use is sharp and clean.
Drying:
Cut a bundle from your plant. When you have enough blossoms to fill your hand, wrap a rubber band around the bottom of the bundle, straighten a paperclip and use it as a hook to hang the bundle upside-down in a dry, dark place. The darkness helps the lavender retain its color, and drying it upside-down helps it retain its blossom shape.
Let the lavender dry for about a week until there is no moisture remaining on the stems in the center of the bundle. You can use it for dried floral bouquets or for making sachets or other crafts, wedding favors, culinary use, or whatever your heart desires! After about one year of being exposed to sunlight, the color of lavender, like most dried flowers, will diminish. Turn the flowers into sachet, and pick another bouquet from your plant to replace it. For culinary uses, place dried lavender in an airtight, dark container, or freeze in zip lock bags; use within a year.
Serving ideas:
Select the best variety for cooking. Lavender varies in the potency and flavor of the oils, so selecting the best variety when cooking with lavender is an important first step. English Lavender (L. Angustifolia) has the sweetest fragrance of all lavenders, and is the most commonly used. Within the varieties of English Lavender the flavors will vary…some sweeter, some more lemon like.
Use the proper amount. Lavender is a strong herb that can “overdose” a recipe unless used sparingly. When beginning to experiment in cooking with lavender you should use it as a background flavor…like vanilla, you know it is there, but it is not the main player. It’s important to note that the potency of the flowers increases with drying. In cooking, use 1/3 the quantity of dried herbs to fresh. So, if a recipe calls for 1 tablespoon fresh lavender, try substituting 1 teaspoon of dried.
Starting by experimenting. Lavender flowers are most commonly used in dessert recipes, but as you progress in cooking with lavender, you will discover it is also an outstanding addition to savory recipes. Like rosemary, lavender can add a robust flavor to roasted meats and is especially good with lamb. In France, it is used in combination with other Mediterranean herbs in a savory blend called Herbs de Provence. A recommended blend includes basil, oregano, lavender, sage, and fennel.
A most appealing and easy way to cook with lavender is to create a lavender sugar. In a clean coffee mill, place the buds of two lavender flowers with 2 - 3 tablespoons of sugar. Grind these together until a fine sugar is created. This breaks apart the lavender buds and releases their essential oils into the sugar. Store this fragrant sugar in an air tight container in the freezer to use throughout the year. Once you have this in your pantry, you can experiment with adding this flavored sugar to your baking. Other methods of introducing the flavor are to steep lavender flowers in warm milk, cream or sugar syrups. Consider using these infused liquids and sugar to flavor whipping cream, homemade ice cream, jams and jellies, fruit syrups, iced tea, shortbread cookies, scones, glazes on pound cakes, biscotti, sorbets, granitas, custards, and cheesecakes.
Use good companions when cooking with lavender. Lemon is an outstanding companion to lavender. You can add even more zest to recipes with lemon by adding the mystery of lavender…everything from lemonade and pound cake to lemon chicken. Honey is another wonderful companion to lavender. Warm honey gently with lavender in a teaball or cheesecloth bag to infuse a subtle and intriguing flavor into the honey. Another recommended use is lavender syrups or lavender creams with berries, black currents, cherries, figs, ginger, lemon, orange, plum and vanilla.
Using lavender to flavor alcohol. Lavender is not only a stranger to most kitchens, it is also rare in the bar. When lavender flowers are steeped in alcohol, the essential oils are extracted from the buds and infused into the alcohol. Try placing sprigs of lavender into a gin bottle and then put the bottle in the freezer for summer drinks. A sprig of lavender in a martini with a twist of lemon is another intriguing synergy.
Varieties: