Culinary Uses for Lavender

Culinary use of lavender may not be as well known or widespread as its uses for bath and body products, but it’s been used in cooking for many years...

Lavandula x intermedia 'Provence'
Item # 63155 		Lavandula intermedia 'Provence'
Provence French Lavender

each $5.99
3 or more $5.79
Lavandula x intermedia 'Grosso'
Item # J3152 		Lavandula intermedia 'Grosso'
Fat Bud French hybrid Lavender

Each $7.99
3 or more $7.79
Lavandula x 'England'
Item # 63197 		Lavandula 'England'
England hybrid Lavender

each $5.99
3 or more $5.79
Lavandula x intermedia 'Hidcote Giant'
Item # 63153 		Lavandula intermedia 'Hidcote Giant'
Hidcote Giant French hybrid Lavender

each $5.99
3 or more $5.79
  • Topics: Edible Gardens, Lavender
  • Author: Mary Ann Walz
  • Keywords: cook,cooking, lavender cooking, lavender cook, Culinary Uses for Lavender, lavenders, edible
  • Date: September 2005

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It’s always a delight to gather vegetables, fruits, and herbs from the garden for our meals. But did you know that you could also use the Lavender from your perennial gardens for food preparation? Culinary use of Lavender may not be as well known or widespread as its uses for bath and body products, but it’s been used in cooking for many years and is becoming increasingly popular.

Give It a Try

  • Take care that the plants have no chemical fertilizers or pesticides on them.
  • Buy fresh and dried Lavender that is labeled for culinary use.
  • To use fresh, pick flowers that are in their prime. Wash and dry in the same manner you would leaf lettuce.

Type of Plants

Some prefer the English varieties of Lavender for culinary uses as it has the most intense fragrance. Clint Alcott and Randy Murray, makers of For the Love of Lavender products, prefer Lavandula x intermedia ‘Provence’ as it has the least amount of camphor so you get a more subtle scent and flavor without as much risk of overdoing. As a general rule, the darker the bloom, the more camphor the bloom contains.

Provence Lavender adds a nice floral accent without being perfumey, medicinal or bitter tasting. When using Lavender, a little goes a long way so it’s best to start out with small amounts and experiment a bit. Too much Lavender can easily overpower a dish and lend a soapy taste.

Normally, the flowers are used for cooking. Dry Lavender should be broken up a bit in an herb mill or mortar and pestle. Don’t pulverize it to a powder.

Cooking Methods

There are a few basic ways to use Lavender. Once you master them, it’s easy to modify some of your favorite recipes to include a bit of Lavender.

  • Crush dried Lavender flowers, add them to sugar, and store in an airtight jar until ready for use. Use a sieve to separate the sugar and flowers. The scented sugar can be used in cakes, cookies, whipped cream, jams, and other sweets for a delicate flowery flavor.
  • Add Lavender to water to create an infusion. Strained, this makes a nice addition to teas, lemonade, or other summer drinks.

Lavender is not just for sweet treats. It is a wonderful addition to savory meat dishes as well:

  • Use a tiny bit sprinkled on a salad or in your vinaigrette dressing.
  • Use as a dry rub on roasted meat such as a leg of lamb or on baby back ribs. Dried Lavender lends a nice smoky flavor to meat, poultry or fish that is just wonderful.
  • Use the Lavender stems in lieu of metal or wood skewers for small pieces of meat. Soak the stems in water for 5 minutes before skewering the meat and placing on the grill.

Keep several Provence Lavender plants in your kitchen garden and consider keeping a potted plant in the house for winter use. You’ll have a pretty plant that’s a useful addition to your repertoire of herbs along with the added benefit of a nice scent whenever you brush the leaves.