Lavender’s dried buds; simply called flowers are fragrant and have a slightly sweet taste that can be the perfect complement to many dishes such as a spice rub for your roast lamb or fish and meats. Chop up fresh or dried lavender and mix with lemon juice and olive oil as a rub for pork, lamb or even a roast for a subtle, but fragrant flavor. Marinate for several hours before grilling to bring out the best of the flavor. 

Before you start, make sure you use organic lavender avoiding any pesticides.  The buds should be brightly colored and tightly closed. If you store it in a tightly sealed container away from heat and moisture, it should retain all its flavor and aroma for up to six months.

Lavender is a strong herb that can over-power a recipe unless it is used sparingly. Begin cooking with lavender as a complement to your dish, so it’s almost like an after taste.  It’s important to note that the potency of the flower increases with drying. And when cooking, the heat releases its fragrant taste, so use sparingly to avoid over powering your dish.

Like a little sugar? Who doesn’t!  An easy way to cook with lavender is to make lavender sugar.  If you have a coffee grinder (Amazon and Bed, Bath and Beyond carry them), place the buds of two lavender flowers, with 2-3 tablespoons of raw sugar. Grind together until fine. This will break apart the lavender buds and release the oils into the sugar. You can store your lavender sugar in any air-tight container in the freezer to keep it fresh and fragrant. Now that you have your newly fragrant sugar available, have fun and experiment with adding the Lavender sugar to baked goods and teas;  as well as flavoring whipping cream, homemade ice creams, jams and jellies, fruit syrups, shortbread cookies (my favorite by the way), scones, glazes on cakes, biscotti, sorbets, custards, cheesecakes and more. 

For those of us who like variety in our cocktails, Lavender is not only unique, but rare to find in bars, except in some of the trendier restaurants, like ours. When lavender flowers are steeped in alcohol, the oils are extracted from the buds and infused into the alcohol.  On your next visit to Lavender Bistro try our famous ‘Lavender Botanical Lemon Drop.’ Or, try taking a sprig of lavender in your martini with a twist of lemon! 

Did you know?

Did you know that our lovely Bartender extraordinaire, Leanna, lives next to 450 acre Lavender farm?  We just love it, because she brings the organic lavender to Lavender Bistro to make her ‘famous’ Lavender simple syrup for our specialized cocktails; the aforementioned Lavender Botanical Lemon Drop and Lavender Margarita!

Written by Renee Woodward; Marketing manager at Lavender Bistro.  Join us for an exquisite dinner at 78-073 Calle Barcelona, La Quinta.  Call for reservations at 760.564.5353 / Happy hour from 4pm, dinner from 5:30pm.  Live music nightly! 

Lavender, most commonly known for its relaxing effects on the body is the most versatile of all essential oils. Therapeutic-grade lavender has been highly regarded for skincare; beneficial in cleansing cuts, bruises and skin irritations. The fragrance, found to be calming; relaxing and balancing – physically and emotionally is beneficial for your overall health as well. 

Here are some ways you can incorporate lavender into your daily life:

1. Calm your senses
Rub 2-3 drops of lavender oil in the palms of your hand; take a deep breath to draw the scent all the way in to release a calming effect. Rub on your feet, temples, wrists, earlobes (or anywhere else, except internally) for a continued calming effect. 

2. A good night sleep
Take a long, deep breath, then rub a drop of Lavender oil on your palms and smooth over your pillow for a relaxing sleep.

3. Insect bites
Put a drop of Lavender oil on a bee sting or insect bite to stop itching and reduce swelling.

4. Minor burns
Put 2-3 drops of Lavender oil on a minor burn to decrease pain, redness, swelling and potential scarring (see your doctor for burns that are not minor and require more than a topical solution.)

5. Cuts and abrasions
A few drops of Lavender oil on a cut can stop the bleeding; clean the affected area to kill any bacteria.

6. Eczema / Dermatitis
Mix several drops of Lavender oil with some mixing oil (coconut, sesame, etc) and apply on your eczema and dermatitis for immediate relief. 

7. Nausea or motion sickness
To alleviate the symptoms of nausea and motion sickness, place a drop of Lavender oil on the end of your tongue, behind your ears or even around the navel.

8. Nosebleed
Place a drop of lavender oil on a tissue and wrap it around a small piece of ice. Place it under the middle of the top lip to the base of the nose and hold until the bleeding stops (If you feel discomfort, remove the ice). 

9. Chapped skin and cold sores
Rub a drop of lavender oil on chapped skin, cold sores and even on sunburned lips.

10. Hay fever 
Rub a drop of lavender oil between your palms and inhale deeply to help alleviate the symptoms of hay fever.

11. Dandruff 
Rub several drops of lavender oil into the scalp to help eliminate dandruff.

12. Enhance your meals or drinks
Add a few drops of lavender oil to your water, tea, dessert recipes (ice cream), bread or even salad dressings. 

Lavender can do wonders for your mind, body and spirit, as well as your food! Keep it on-hand to enhance, heal and calm your life.

Written by Renee Woodward; Marketing manager at Lavender Bistro. Join us for an exquisite dinner at 78-073 Calle Barcelona, La Quinta.  Call for reservations at 760.564.5353 / Happy hour from 4pm, dinner from 5:30pm.  Live music nightly!