Lavender

[marketestalls]

Hello

I've cooked with lavender water in the past in puddings and I was wondering if I could use the lavender out of the garden instead of lavender water. Are some varieties poisonous?

Thanking you


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[SueA]

Don't think it would do any harm as you can use lavender from the garden to make biscuits/ ice-cream etc. & none that I know of are poisonous.

[Wendy]

Hi,
I agree Sue, Lavender is not poisonous and actually a very good antedote for many poisons, The only this to be careful of with lavender is the essential oil which is very potent and only recommended 2 drops taken internally

[Dobby]

I did not know you could eat Lavender i thought it was just essential oil or insence
any recpice
we have 2 big lavender plants

[marketestalls]

Hi Dobby

This is the one that had caught my eye.

Fresh Lavender Ice Cream
2 1/2 cups of milk
1 cup sugar
4 cups light cream
1/4 tsp. salt 1 tsp vanilla extract
1 handful fresh Lavender angustifolia flowers*
*The deeper the colour of your Lavender flowers, the more colour your ice cream will have. I use our deepest coloured "Hidcote " Sweet Lavender. Pick when just freshly opening, not older over bloom for the freshest taste.

Gently heat the milk and fresh Lavender together. Do not boil.
Strain out the Lavender & stir in the salt & sugar while still hot.
Stir in vanilla extract & cream.
Chill immediately, minimum 2 hours.
Churn or process as your ice cream maker directs, then skip to step #8.
OR by hand follow steps #6 & #7~
Pour mixture into a stainless steel bowl and place in your freezer.
Every 15 minutes, whisk or beat until icy or thickened.
In the last few minutes or just before you remove from the ice cream maker: sprinkle in a few fresh florets of Lavender! Fresh raspberries an option or Lemon peel zest.

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[TPeers]

Wow, that sound nice - now all I need is for my lavender to live long enough! It keeps on dying and I don't know why

[Snadger]

You only need two drops of Lavender essential oil for a relaxing bath!

When I was experimenting with herbs I gathered a bunch of mixed basic herbs ie Lavender,Rosemary, Thyme and Sage. Tied the bunch together and hung it under the scalding hot tap as I filled my bath!

The water went green but I had a very relaxing bath in it!

Eat your heart out Radox!!!!!!

[muckdiva]

Wow, that sound nice - now all I need is for my lavender to live long enough! It keeps on dying and I don't know why

I had some beautiful french lavender, 3 plants all of which died. I think the spot I planted them in was not light and sunny enough. The Hidcote lavender outside the front of the house does really well on very arid thin soil, but plenty of sunshine. Has to be hacked back from time to time, otherwise very little attention. Love it.

[Snadger]

I had some beautiful french lavender, 3 plants all of which died. I think the spot I planted them in was not light and sunny enough. The Hidcote lavender outside the front of the house does really well on very arid thin soil, but plenty of sunshine. Has to be hacked back from time to time, otherwise very little attention. Love it.

Hi muckdiva, I had considered Hidcote lavender for edging some vegetable beds! Whats the minimum width it could be kept at realistically?

[TPeers]

The plants are in my south facing rear garden, we are clay over chalk (complicated but true) So soggy in the winter and concrete at any other time! Could it be the winter sog that is doing for them? I know they are mediterainean - but it must rain there too! What is Spanish soil like?

[muckdiva]

Snadger
Our plants have been in about 5 years and alongside some box and santolina/cotton lavendar make quite a good little ornamental hedge. They are pruned back quite hard on a regular basis so have never been allowed to get too big. They are no more than 9ins to 1ft wide. I'm no expert on this, but I would think you could trim them to what size you need. Seem to remember Bob Flowerdew suggesting raising new plants from cuttings from time to time to replace any plants that are getting too big or leggy, but ours haven't got to that point yet.
I hope you give it a go, Lavender seems to have so much going for it. The ice cream mentioned earlier sounds heavenly!

[Earthbabe]

Snadger

The only thing to remember when cutting back is not to cut right back to very old wood. However if you regularly prune they will be fine and can withstand quite a bit of aggression. I believe the lavenders at the Jersey Lavender Farm have been in a number of years and they seemes quite closely spaced.

http://www.jerseylavender.co.uk/

Gives you info about the farm etc.

For those with a real passion for cooking with Lavender I'd recommend this

http://www.jerseylavender.co.uk/byte...4&cartUserID=0

It is organised by season and the lavender is used with sweet and savoury dishes. It includes a section on store cupboard ingredients such as lavender sugar and syrup.

If you want to avoid the probs of neat essential oil infuse a load of flowers in some good quality (ie cosmetic/aromatherapy grade) sunflower oil or for real luxury jojoba.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Dobby]

HI marketestalls
Ice cream mmmmm sounds nice

[marketestalls]

Hi Dobby

The original pudding I made years ago was for the Masterchef competition believe it or not. (I didnt get on the telly!). I think it was lavender mousse with a dark chocolate sauce. Sounds a bit dodgy on reflection;-)

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[Earthbabe]

Hi Dobby

The original pudding I made years ago was for the Masterchef competition believe it or not. (I didnt get on the telly!). I think it was lavender mousse with a dark chocolate sauce. Sounds a bit dodgy on reflection;-)

marketestalls


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www.farmersmarketforum.co.uk

Hmmm maybe that should have been chocolate mousse with a lavender sauce.