Lavender is a popular herb that is most often used for its unique scent and incredible health benefits. Generally, when people think of lavender, they imagine soaps, oils, and beauty products. However, lavender has another use beyond its therapeutic and beauty benefits. Similar to other herbs, lavender makes a great addition to your kitchen pantry. Using lavender in the culinary arts can bring wonderful dimensions to any dish. But, cooking with lavender requires practice and some prior knowledge. Otherwise, you might end up with a soapy flavour—yuck! If your new year’s resolution is to cook with lavender, we have you covered.

In this article, we are going to focus on how to cook with lavender and provide some inspiration for what dishes you can try and make!

First off, let’s talk about types of lavender.

Before you start snipping the lavender from your front yard and throwing it into tonight’s dinner, it is important to understand what kinds of lavender are okay for culinary use. There are 47 known types of lavender. However, not all of these varieties can be used in your cooking. In fact, culinary lavender is a specific type of lavender that is more commonly known as English lavender. The reason that English lavender is used in culinary practices is that it has a much lower oil content than say French varieties that are more commonly used in soaps and oils. The lower oil content leads to a sweeter taste that is more favourable in the kitchen. 

Culinary lavender can be used both fresh and dried. And, it is important to check that the lavender is specifically labeled as culinary or at least do your due diligence before consuming. Furthermore, it is important to note that you should not use lavender essential oil for cooking because it can be unsafe for consumption! 

As with any food product, getting it directly from the source is going to yield a much better product and you’ll be supporting local farmers. Moreover, the farmer will be able to provide you with more information about how the plant was grown, processed, and handled. 

How do you Cook With Culinary Lavender for Sale?

Cooking with culinary lavender for sale comes with a good amount of practice. When using spices and herbs that are potent—like lavender—it is important to practice the notion that less is more. Dried lavender is several times more potent than fresh, so keep that in mind when cooking with this fragrant flower. Lavender has a low tone and tastes better when mixed with something fatty or bright and flavourful. For instance, fatty meats pair well with lavender because the lavender cuts through the heaviness and lightens the flavour. Nuts are also a good pairing with lavender. 

On the other hand, lavender also pairs well with fruits and herbs like strawberries, blueberries, pears, lemon, orange, sage, rosemary, oregano, thyme, and black pepper. If you are using lavender in baking, we recommend grinding it with some sugar to create a subtle lavender-infused taste. Another popular use for lavender is creating simple syrup that can then be used for lemonade, cocktails, coffee, icing, whipped cream and so much more!

Some Culinary Inspiration!

Below we’ve listed a few ideas where lavender can be a perfect addition to some of your favourite recipes. 

• As a garnish for fried chicken – shocking…we know! But, don’t knock it until you try it
• In ice cream and sorbet – add a floral dimension to everyone’s favourite dessert!
• In salad dressing – lavender in your favourite garden salad dressing is seriously out of this world
• Lavender-infused lemonade – I mean c’mon this one’s a classic!
• Lavender-grape anything – if you haven’t paired lavender with grapes, what are you doing!?
• Honey infused with lavender – lavender plus honey is a combo you won’t want to miss out on. Spread it on toast or add it to your favourite drink for a natural sweetener. 

Contact us About Purchasing Culinary Lavender for Sale!

2023 is going to be a big year for us at MKL Lavender Farm. We have lots of super exciting things planned for the next few months. If you are looking for culinary lavender for sale to kick start your culinary goals for 2023, we have a great selection of English lavender. Be sure to contact us today about our culinary lavender for sale in Kelowna. We would be happy to help you find the right product. Be sure to check out our social media for the latest updates and more. 

We look forward to seeing you soon!