While not usually thought of in culinary terms, lavender is surprisingly delicious in both sweet and savory dishes. On the grill with lamb or chicken, in a marinade for pork, or as a flavoring in herbal vinegar, the leaves have an aromatic pungency similar in some ways to rosemary, yet very distinctive. Also like rosemary, a little goes a long way. In sweet dishes the leaves and the flowers can be used. Lavender sugar, made by burying the lavender in sugar for a few days, is delicious on strawberries, in hot tea, in cakes, or ice cream. A lavender syrup can be used to make lavender sorbet, or sprinkled on fruit salad or pound cake.

Delicious Sun Tea
In a large glass jar or container with lid, place 6 green tea bags, 10 cups of cold water, 6 sprigs of fresh lavender sprigs (leaves and stems included). Place the sealed container in full sun for at least 8 hours.

Strain our tea bags and lavender sprigs and stir in one can of Limeade. Serve over ice with a fresh sprig of Lavender. Delicious and refreshing!

Lavender Blueberry Muffins

¾ cup sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. Salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 ¼ cups milk
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. grated lemon zest
1 tsp. chopped dried *culinary lavender (1 tbsp. Fresh)
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Combine first four dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the lemon juice with milk and let stand for 5 mins. Add the rest of the wet ingredients including the lemon zest, lavender and blueberries to the milk and lemon juice mixture. Gradually stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until all dry ingredients are moistened. Bake 25-30 minutes. Cool completely before removing from pan.

Lavender Lemonade
Brew dried Lavender in water for several minutes. Add to your favorite lemonade mix in lieu of part of your water requirements-to taste. Too much lavender brew will taste like soap
When cooking with Lavender, you must be careful of which lavender you use. Many lavenders contain too much camphor or mentol to taste good enough to eat.  Many people say only an English lavender will do, but others swear by Provence type.