Lavender - Try it in the Kitchen For a Beautiful Flavor

[Sheldon Powell]

Lavender was popular among the pre-Christian Greeks and Romans as a
scent for baths and soaps. During the Dark Ages when people forgot to
wash for about 500 years, lavender moved into obscurity, but Tudor
England revived its use in the late Renaissance period.
Medicinally, lavender has a soothing effect on the nerves. Bathing in
lavender water is said to relieve palsy and hysterics. The water is
also used as a gargle for sore throats and hoarseness. One recipe says
to add 2 ounces of refined lavender essence to 1 1/2 cups of good
brandy. That'll relieve a sore anything!
Lavender balm is traditional for sore joints and toothaches, and is
used as an antiseptic for wounds. If you make your own tea blends,
lavender is a necessity in any combination involving chamomile. In
fact, lavender is a very popular mainstay in dozens of herbal tea
blends.
The dried leaves and flowers are commonly used in potpourri and
sachets. In the kitchen, lavender is an essential ingredient in herbes
de Provence, and a teaspoon of finely crushed dried leaves sprinkled
on a vegetable stew right at the end is a surprisingly wonderful
addition.
Try adding crushed dried lavender to your next batch of sugar cookies,
or any white cake batter. If you add cloves to anything, a little
lavender compliments the flavor.
To make delicately colored and scented vinegar, steep a cup or so of
fresh or dried lavender flowers in a gallon of white vinegar for a
week, shaking daily. At the end of the week, strain the flowers and
store in airtight bottles. Add to oil and vinegar salad dressings, or
try some on sliced tomatoes.
Growing Lavender Successfully
Flowers form during June and July in spikes at the top of the plant.
Flowers must be harvested before they open. Both flowers and leaves
are dried in the warm shade, and if they're not dry in a couple of
days, pop them briefly in a low oven.
If you're starting lavender from seed, it's very prone to "damping
off," which means the tiny babies get too moist and mold away. You can
help prevent damping off by misting with a weak chamomile tea.
? Lavender likes neutral soil, so add some lime if your soil pH is
more than 4. ? Mulching is not desirable. That's unusual! Lavender
likes warm soil, and mulch keeps it too cool. ? Very little fertilizer
is needed by lavender. ? All lavenders like lots of sun. ? Sandy or
coarse soils are just fine for lavender. ? Lavender is a perennial,
but cold winters can kill it. Try piling straw on it in the fall, but
don't be disappointed if it doesn't come back. ? Munstead lavender is
the fastest growing kind. ? English lavender is the most common, and
most fragrant.
If you're interested in learning more about carefully crafted herbal
teas to settle your stomach and calm your nerves, click over to the
website at the end of this article and search the Glossary. There, you
can read more about the gastronomic delights of many herbs, spices and
teas. To view a fabulous, hand-picked herbal tea collection visit the
Peaceful Herbal Tea Adventure page.

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