![\"lavender](\"http:\/\/heidiannie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/lavender-and-Aiden-008.jpg\")
<\/a> <\/p>\nLavender grown in your own hedge or bed is acceptable for culinary use. <\/p>\n
As long as you don’t treat it with insecticides or sprays. And it is in the harvesting that the distinct difference can be seen. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
dried stem of lavender<\/strong><\/p>\n As you can see from this single stem above, there are several components to the lavender flower. The head or spike above contains many flowers or corollas. In order to use the flowers without overpowering your recipe, you must remove the flower from the calyx.<\/p>\n lavender florets or corollas<\/strong><\/p>\n Once separated, save the calyx for use in sachets or potpourris-<\/p>\n this is painstaking and patient work- I found doing it when my husband watched baseball worked for me- it takes about as long as a baseball game lasts to get more than a few tablespoons of usable lavender flowers.<\/p>\n flowers and calyx- calyx alone- flower or corolla<\/strong><\/p>\n Look at the difference in just appearance. The scent is mainly contained in the calyx and the flowers fragrance is much more subtle. The flowers also have the bluest appearance of the three.<\/p>\n I also crystalized some of the fresh flowers. I usually do violets in the spring, so I thought it wouldn’t be too difficult to adapt that process to lavender florets.<\/p>\n HAH!!<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n It was ridiculously hard. I managed to get eight florets done in a half an hour.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n in a cool oven-<\/p>\n (sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the baking stage! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n Here is my second recipe.<\/p>\n Welsh Scones with lavender and currants<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Ingredients:<\/strong><\/p>\n 8oz. (1 cup) self rising flour<\/p>\n 4 oz. (1 stick) butter, cold<\/p>\n pinch of sea salt<\/p>\n 4 oz. (1\/2 cup) dried currants<\/p>\n 1 tsp. lavender,culinary, flowers only<\/p>\n 2 TBS. fine sugar<\/p>\n 1 egg<\/p>\n 1 TBS buttermilk<\/p>\n more sugar for the topping.<\/p>\n Cut butter into flour until looks like corn meal-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add egg and buttermilk and stir gently, until completely moistened.<\/p>\n Then put onto a medium hot griddle and cook until slightly browned on one side. Turn over and cook on the other side, sprinkling a little sugar on top.<\/p>\n These are so light and delicious!<\/p>\n Very More-ish as my friend, Celia, says!<\/p>\n I think the flour is just there to hold the butter into an edible shape, really!<\/p>\n These have been called Welsh Scones, Griddle cakes, and Singin’ Hinnies-<\/p>\n I call them magnificent.<\/p>\n I’ve never had a scone that topped these for lightness or flavor.<\/p>\n You can leave out the lavender if you like, but make these scones.<\/p>\n You won’t be sorry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Recipe #1 Lavender Cookies Ingredients 2 teaspoons culinary lavender flowers2 cups all-purpose flour11\/2 teaspoons baking powder1 pinch of salt6 tablespoons butter1\/3 cup shortening3\/4 cup sugar1 egg1 tablespoon milk1 teaspoon vanilla Instructions Pre-heat oven to 375\u00baF.Stir together flour, baking powder and … Continue reading <\/a> <\/b><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/p>\n<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/a> separating the florets-<\/p>\n<\/a> preparing the egg white-<\/p>\n<\/a> processing the sugar to be super-fine-<\/p>\n<\/a> tweezering the florets-<\/p>\n<\/a> painting outside and inside with egg wash-<\/p>\n<\/a> coating with sugar-<\/p>\n<\/a> drying and baking the florets <\/p>\n<\/a> and finally attaching to sugar cubes for a decorative effect. <\/p>\n<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/p>\n<\/a> <\/strong>add salt, currants, lavender, and sugar.<\/p>\n<\/a> Stir so that currants are coated with flour and not in clumps.<\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/p>\n<\/a> Dump out onto pastry board and pat gently into a 9 x12 rectangle and cut into diamond shapes.<\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/p>\n