It started with Peter Mayle’s charming book, “A Year in Provence”, grew stronger during my own trip to the south of France and then kicked into overdrive when a visit to my sister brought me to the central California coast.  I dream of lavender fields. I don’t want to merely look at or drive past them; I want my own field, carpeted with row after perfect row of luxurious purple-blue lavender. In Los Olivos California, near Santa Barbara, we visited Clairmont Farms, which is a lavender farm.  Yes, a lavender farm.  People really live this way! What the heck am I doing on the raw NH coast?

Lavender has a history that goes back 2,500 years and has so many uses it would take three blog entries to do it justice.  Briefly, the ancients used lavender in cosmetics and embalming, as an insect repellent, in culinary dishes and teas and to safeguard against evil.  It is even thought to protect against the plague and cholera. How romantic!  Today, lavender is used in much the same way and one is hard pressed to find a commercial perfume product without it.  I like the idea of lavender in the kitchen.  Herbes de Provence is a mixture of herbs from that region and varies from recipe to recipe.  It consists of any combination of dried thyme, lavender, fennel and savory, but can include rosemary, marjoram chervil and tarragon.  It is the lavender, though, that makes the flavor so interesting. It is both earthy and floral. I sprinkle a generous handful on potatoes before roasting, add it to an omelet or mix with diced tomatoes, olives and garlic to cover and bake swordfish. For fun, try this refreshing and unabashedly girlie drink.

Pink Lavender Lemonade  

Equipment needed: Medium saucepan, strainer, large pitcher

2 ½ c Water
1 ½ c Sugar
½ c Frozen or fresh, hulled strawberries ¼ c Fresh Lavender flowers chopped 2 ¼ c Fresh Meyer Lemon juice (Tuttle’s Red Barn on Dover Point Road often sells these for the same price as a regular lemon).
2 ½ c Water
½ c Sugar (optional) If using Meyers lemons, sugar may not be required.
Fresh Lavender flowers for garnish

In Medium saucepan, combine 2 ½ cups water, sugar and strawberries. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat. Simmer 5 minutes to extract pink from strawberries. Remove from heat. Stir in lavender. Cover and cool. Strain cooled liquid into large pitcher, gently pressing juice from berries. Add remaining 2 ½ cups water and lemon juice. Stir well. Add ½ cup more sugar, if desired. Just before serving, add ice cubes. For the romantic, pour into chilled collins glasses, garnish with lavender flowers and commence speaking French.

In my dream I am not living in cold, dark New Hampshire, but a much sunnier, dryer, hospitable climate where one can grow lavender for miles and rosemary "shrubs" dot the landscape year round. In Provence, fields of carefully planted and cultivated lavender go for miles along the countryside and roadways.  In the local shops bunches of dried lavender hang from ceilings and baskets spill over with colorful sachets wrapped in Provencal fabrics, lavender oils, honey and hand made olive oil soaps.  Lavender appears on local menus and is featured in the perfumes made in the region.  Try that with lobster!

I have grown lavender, with much success, in my Massachusetts and New Hampshire gardens and even started some from seed (not easy!) last spring. Two plants survived this winter! By next summer, I will have an honored area in my new herb garden entirely devoted to lavender, in hopes of recreating a miniature version of my lavender dreams.  Stay tuned to see how well it goes!

Lavender Biscotti

Equipment needed: Cookie sheets, 1 small and 1 large mixing bowl, whisk or hand beater

2 c All-purpose flour
2 tsp Baking powder
¼ tsp Salt
½ c Coarsely chopped macadamia or hazelnuts
2 Lg Eggs
½ C Granulated sugar
3 tsp Dried lavender flowers ¼ c Melted butter
2 Tb Honey
1 Tb Lemon rind
Juice of 1 lemon
3 Tb Milk
½ tsp Vanilla or lemon extract

Optional: melted chocolate for dipping

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In large bowl combine all dry ingredients, lavender and nuts. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, butter, honey, lemon, lemon rind, milk, and vanilla (may use beater on slow instead of the whisk). Add to flour mixture. Stir well. Dough will be soft and sticky. Spoon onto cookie sheet into 2 "log" shapes: approximately 2 " wide. Bake 35 minutes until golden. Remove from oven. Cool 10 minutes. Place on board, cut into 1" wide slices. Place on sides on cookie sheets. Return to oven cook 20 minutes longer, turning once. Cool on rack. Optional to dip or decorate with melted chocolate. Yield: 2 dozen

Chow,

Nancy Pearson

Nancy lives in Seacoast New Hampshire and enjoys food, fashion and all things Mediterranean.

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