If I had to pick one flavor that defined this summer for me I would undoubtedly choose lavender. Many people don't immediately think of food when they hear the word lavender...but I do. Traditionally lavender is used mostly as a scent, for oils, candles, lotions and deodorants. But when I hear the word lavender I think of all the wonderful things I can eat that are flavored with the wonderful floral taste of lavender.
I can pinpoint the day when my fascination with culinary lavender first began. It was the night when my roommate Heather brought home some lavender truffles from the high-end restaurant where she worked at the time, Jory. These truffles were some of the most decadent things I have ever placed in my mouth. The fragrant lavender blended so well with the creamy and rich dark chocolate.
Willakenzie's booth at the Yamhill lavender festival
Since then I have been on the hunt to find all kinds of culinary applications for lavender. I hit what seemed like the jackpot one day at a Portland Farmers Market when I got to taste and eventually purchase two utterly delicious, yet very different lavender products.
The first product was lavender cheddar from the Rogue Creamery located in Medford Oregon, my absolute favorite local creamery. It was really fun getting to taste lavender being used in a savory application, and it was the perfect combination. The second product that day I got to taste was lavender jam from Sundance Lavender Farm located in Salem Oregon. They produce eight different varieties of lavender jams, but my favorite combination was lavender and blueberry.
While I was visiting Sundance's booth at the Farmers Market I picked up a flier for the 2010 lavender festival (July 10-11th) . Initially I had no idea what the lavender festival was about, but regardless, I knew I had to go. Upon reading the brochure I learned that many different lavender farms around Oregon are opening up for visitors. Many have music, food, crafts, and lavender products to purchase.
The first place I visited the day of the Lavender Festival was the small Lavender Festival located in Yamhill Oregon. This was the only destination on the festival tour route that wasn't located at an actual farm. Instead, many local farms had booths here so that visitors could purchase products from many different farms all in one place.
I looked around the festival, testing a few lotions, smelling a few candles and even buying a bouquet of lavender, but the real reason I was here was to learn about different ways to eat lavender. Much to my delight it wasn't long before I found a food stand selling different lavender goodies. I purchased a lavender lemonade and a lavender scone and was in for a real treat! The lemonade was heavenly, and perfectly thirst quenching on an 80 degree day--I have now decided that lavender and lemon is one of my favorite combinations! The scone had a delicate but present lavender taste, and was such a treat!
Lavender Scone
I then visited two lavender farms, Wild Rain and Willakenzie. Wild Rain had a great location with a beautiful lavender field and access to the river, but Willakenzie had the culinary products I had been looking for! They sold lavender salt, lavender pepper, lavender sugar, a kit to make lavender simple syrup, and culinary lavender. They also were selling lavender sorbet for the festival, it was very sweet but tasted just right on the hot day.
It was an absolutely perfect day and inspired me to start trying recipes with lavender. In fact, just yesterday I was recipe testing to create a lavender cookie,
Lavender Sorbet
Here is the lavender simple syrup recipe you can use to sweeten lemonade (or any drink!), pour over a cake or fruit, or use in a sorbet recipe.
Lavender Simple Syrup
From ZoeBakes.com
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
3 tablespoons dried or fresh lavender flowers
In a sauce pot bring the water, sugar and lavender to a simmer.
Allow to simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved. Turn off heat and let sit until cool. Use or store in the refrigerator for up to a month. The longer you let the lavender steep in the simple syrup the stronger the flavor will be. I store it in the refrigerator with the flowers still in the syrup and strain it when I need it in a recipe.
Attention! The bakery where I work, Sweetest Thing Cupcakes, in Newberg is now offering a lavender cupcake during the month of August! Super yummy!
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