A Lavender Farm
As with farmers’ markets, I cannot pass by a lavender field without coming to a screeching halt. On a recent Saturday afternoon, I was running an errand in Woodinville Wine Country, north of Seattle, when I drove by the Woodinville Lavender Farm. Turns out, I had happened by at a good time. The farm’s owner was about to conduct a class on growing, harvesting, and cooking with lavender. I pulled up a chair. I’ve been growing and eating lavender for years, but this guy -- a rocket scientist turned lavender farmer (it’s true!) -- taught me a few new things about this versatile and amazing herb. Namely:
1. French and English Lavenders (Lavandula angustifolia) are sweeter and low in camphor, making them best for culinary use.
2. Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas), while beautiful, is bitter and therefore not good for culinary use.
3. You can grow lavender from cuttings. Just strip the bottom leaves from a small lavender branch leaving about 2 inches of stem and poke it into soil -- with growth hormone or not -- and you will get a new lavender plant in about a month.
4. Lavender has antiseptic properties and can be applied directly to the skin to soothe burns, bug bites, and more. It can aid in healing.
5. Lavender mixed with dark chocolate is sinful and addictive. Ditto for lavender tea biscuits. (We tried both at the end of lavender class.)
I bought several lavender plants (French and English ones) and a bag of culinary lavender to make lavender syrup, which transforms ordinary iced tea, lemonade, even a cafe latte into something legendary. Lavender syrup is also good in margaritas, cosmopolitans, and other mixed drinks. Plus it’s a snap to make.
Lavender Simple Syrup
1 cup filtered water 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons whole culinary lavender buds 1 strip lemon zest
Boil the water in a small saucepan and add sugar. Stir continuously until the sugar is dissolved. Add the lavender buds and lemon zest and allow the mixture to steep, uncovered, for about 30 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-screened colander or cheesecloth. Lavender syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Note: If you don’t happen to pass by a lavender farm or you don’t grow your own lavender, you can buy lavender buds in the bulk section of Whole Foods or other well-stocked grocery stores.
This recipe is from my favorite book about lavender. If you have to buy one book on the subject, make it this one: The Lavender Lover’s Handbook by Sarah Berringer Bader. As its subtitle -- The 100 Most Beautiful and Fragrant Varieties for Growing, Crafting, and Cooking -- says, you’ll learn new things about choosing and caring for lavender and enjoying it in your home and kitchen.
Here’s another look at Woodinville Lavender’s fields, the best manicured I have ever seen (maybe even beating those in Provence, France).
Here they are on May 23, the day I attended the lavender class.
Here they are a month later with the showy lavender in bloom. Imagine reaching into the garden and gently rubbing the lavender. The smell, yes!, it’ll transport you.