Lavender

Lavender is the dried flower of Lavandula angustifolia, and the small buds keep their purple colour after drying. The scent is clean and floral with a resinous, almost minty edge, and the flavour follows it: lightly sweet, floral and mildly herbaceous.

It is native to the Mediterranean and is now cultivated worldwide.

The buds are small, firm and deep purple, and the aroma comes up stronger when they are rubbed between the fingers. Lavandula angustifolia, also called English or true lavender, is the species most often chosen for cooking and sachets because it is sweeter and less camphorous than other lavenders.

How to use it

In baking, lavender perfumes shortbread, cookies and cakes. In the pot it is one of the herbs in the French blend Herbes de Provence, rubbed onto meat or scattered over roasted vegetables. It steeps into tea on its own or paired with chamomile or mint, and infuses syrups, cocktails and homemade lemonade. Away from the kitchen it goes into potpourri, aromatherapy and natural perfumery, and it has a long history in folklore and ritual. Use less than feels right: lavender turns soapy quickly, and a quarter teaspoon will scent a whole batch of biscuits.

Details

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