Lavender?

[flyinglentris]

Has anyone ever used Lavender as a spice? How'd it go? What's its flavor appeal?

 

[Burt Blank]

Yes it is one of the crops my family grow on Hvar, I like all it's properties except it's taste.

 

[flyinglentris]

Yes it is one of the crops my family grow on Hvar, I like all it's properties except it's taste.

With food, isn't taste the important thing? What would you use it for, if not for its flavor agent?

 

[Burt Blank]

There are many uses, the premium one is to sell the oil etc to the tourist. Here are five. 5 Homemade Lavender Products • Welcome to Croatia

 

[Burt Blank]

https://www.total-croatia-news.com/...-croatian-island-which-has-it-all-11-lavender

 

[flyinglentris]

I see. It is best used for cosmetic and body care products.

 

[MrsDangermouse]

I like all it's properties except it's taste.

Totally agree!
I love the perfume of lavender...but I don't want to eat it.

 

[flyinglentris]

Given these responses, I will forgo buying Lavender as a spice to try it.

 

[Burt Blank]

I will forgo buying Lavender as a spice to try it.

It's a herb mate not a spice. "A popular and well known herb, lavender is a native of the mediterranean and became widely distributed throughout southern Europe. French Lavender, Lavandula stoechas, was well known and widely used by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and Arabs for mummification medicinal purposes and for scented baths and soaps."

 

[Morning Glory]

Has anyone ever used Lavender as a spice? How'd it go? What's its flavor appeal?

Given these responses, I will forgo buying Lavender as a spice to try it.

Hey don't come to that conclusion so fast! I certainly have used it in recipes and if used judiciously it is delicious in both savoury and sweet dishes. Its a bit similar to rosemary and can often be used where rosemary would be used. The main thing is not to overdo it!

Here are some of my recipes using lavender:

Charred Chicken Breast with Lavender, Juniper and Orange

Tangy Dodgers with Lavender

Greengage, Feta & Honey Tart

Lavender Kulfi with Mango Coulis (old post - photos not so good!)

 

[Burt Blank]

Hey don't come to that conclusion so fast! I certainly have used it in recipes and if used judiciously it is delicious in both savoury and sweet dishes. Its a bit similar to rosemary and can often be used where rosemary would be used. The main thing is not to overdo it!

Here are some of my recipes using lavender:

Charred Chicken Breast with Lavender, Juniper and Orange

View attachment 52202

Tangy Dodgers with Lavender

View attachment 52203

Greengage, Feta & Honey Tart

View attachment 52204

Lavender Kulfi with Mango Coulis (old post - photos not so good!)

The problem is that all the fresh dried or fresh lavender flowers are so pungent that years ago when I helped with the harvest, even after scrubbing my hands it tainted my lunch time sandwich. It then tasted like disinfectant.

 

[Morning Glory]

The problem is that all the fresh dried or fresh lavender flowers are so pungent that years ago when I helped with the harvest, even after scrubbing my hands it tainted my lunch time sandwich. It then tasted like disinfectant.

Well.. all I did was take a pinch of lavender out of a jar so no issues like that! Seriously, there are plenty of recipes that use lavender and there are some great recipes from top chefs. This is from Great British Chefs' website:

Already well-known in the realms of fragrance, lavender's aromatics can also be used to outstanding effect in the culinary world for both sweet and savoury dishes. Unlike many herbs, the potency of lavender flowers actually intensifies as it dries. This is important, as when cooking with dried lavender, a little does go a long way. When using lavender, ensure that you use food-grade lavender, as flowers from a garden centre or florist often has pesticides which can be harmful if ingested.

English lavender, with its sweet and mellow flavour, is usually the variety of choice for cooking. In this lavender recipe collection, James Sommerin shows how well lavender can be used with meat in his duck breast recipe, supported by the earthy sweetness of beetroot and sweet potato.

On sweeter plates, adding a bit of lavender to a sugar bowl will impart it with a lovely flowery touch that can be used in baking, or simply in a nice cup of aromatic tea. Frances Atkins makes use of the provenance of an English garden with her rose petal panna cotta with damson and lavender Viennese shortbread, while Pascal Aussignac uses the purple blooms in a sorbet to accent his rich chocolate pudding recipe.

 

[Windigo]

I enjoy lemon & lavender cake . And lavender shortbread too. It's very nice with a cup of tea.