Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Fields of Lavender

Our lavender is just perfect right now - and we have a lot of it.  It is full of busy bees - lots of different species of bees. Did you know that in California alone there are 1000 species of bees!




We always gather some and dry it for baskets etc, and I've made quite a few lavender wands in the past.  While my mum was here - she decided to make a large wand as she'd told some friends in England that I'd made on with 90 stalks of lavender one year so she set about to make her own large one.It's pretty fiddly with that many stalks - especially the first couple of rounds.




And each year I always dry a little of the Provence lavender.  We have a few different varieties of lavender but the Provence is the one that is good for cooking and eating. But remember - a little goes a long way!  I even have a lavender cookbook - bet you didn't even know such a thing existed! A friend bought it for me a couple of years ago.



The best lavender recipe I have ever made is lavender and honey ice cream.  To say this ice cream is rich is an understatement! If I recall -  you use 8 eggs in it!  But it certainly is yummy and one of those things saved for a special treat.  Last time I made it with lavender shortbread.


What is your favorite use for lavender? Is there something new I can make this year with it?  I'd love to hear your ideas....

1 comment:

Francy said...

I am boring I just stuff bags of it in old suite cases or any box that needs "refreashed" & in a drawer every now and again.

Have never cooked with it.

LOVE your pics. So very beautiful. Lucky u.