I love these recipes because they encompass my motto for a great cookbook: sophisticated and, at the same time, accessible. The book is a fantastic introduction to anyone looking to experiment in the kitchen with lavender \u2013 from <\/strong>seasoned chefs, foodies, and novice cooks as well as lavender and gardening enthusiasts.<\/p>\n More than just recipes, Discover Cooking with Lavender<\/em><\/strong> walks through buying, growing and harvesting lavender. Cooks will discover the varieties of lavender best for culinary use, how to harvest lavender buds and new techniques for bringing this herb\u2019s exotic flavor into drinks, savories and desserts. And the photos are beautiful!! Even if the charming photographs alone don\u2019t have you running out the door to pick up a lavender bush of your own, the fabulous recipes definitely will!<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a note from the author; \u201cAfter 25 years as a technology executive, I decided to focus on my true passion which is creative cooking,\u201d said Gehrt. \u201cDiscover Cooking with Lavender <\/em>sprang from my love for food, friendship and gardening, and I\u2019m thrilled to be able to share ideas for how to incorporate this fragrant herb into everyday cooking.\u201d<\/p>\n And we\u2019re glad she did! \u2013 Kathy Casey <\/strong><\/p>\n Lemon Lavender Pound Cake<\/strong><\/p>\n This pound cake originated in 17th<\/sup> century England. The original recipe called for one pound of butter, sugar, eggs and flour. As baking powder and baking soda came into use in the late 1800s, the recipe was modified. Lemon gives this cake a citrus taste, while lavender adds a hint of fresh flowers.<\/em><\/p>\n Makes About 12 Servings <\/em><\/p>\n 4 cups of all-purpose flour For the glaze: 1. Preheat oven to 325\u00b0 F. Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan. Glazing the cake \u00a9 Kathy Gehrt, Discover Cooking with Lavender, Florentia Press (2010)<\/p>\n Lavender Lemon Soda<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Fizzy, sweet, cold and fresh, soda tastes great on a hot summer afternoon. Hidcote lavender is a great choice for this drink because of its floral essence. Blue Velvet, Provence or Munstead varieties also work well.<\/em><\/p>\n Makes 4 Servings<\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n 1 cup water \u00a9 Kathy Gehrt, Discover Cooking with Lavender, Florentia Press (2010)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" To most people, lavender is strictly associated to soaps, perfumes and wall colors. Lavender has been used in the culinary world for centuries and is enjoying a bit of a renaissance. Today\u2019s creative chefs look towards this member of the mint family to spice up cocktails and savory dishes as well as add delicate elegance […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11842,11760],"tags":[1567,1568,1569,1570,885,1571,1561,1453,313,11862,1562,1458,521,1572,1563,1573,1574,1575,1029,293,1564,1576,1565,1042,1566,1370,1577,1540,1578,1579,1580,11857,11859,1581,466,1582,1583,1584,1585,1586,662,1587,1132,1155],"class_list":["post-1780","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-books-to-cook","category-dishing-with-kathy-casey-blog","tag-all-purpose-flour","tag-bake","tag-baking-powder","tag-baking-soda","tag-book","tag-buds","tag-bundt-pan","tag-butter","tag-cake","tag-dessert","tag-discover-cooking-with-lavender","tag-dried","tag-eggs","tag-finely","tag-florentia-press","tag-glaze","tag-grinder","tag-ground","tag-juice","tag-kathy-casey","tag-kathy-gehrt","tag-lavender","tag-lavender-lemon-soda","tag-lemon","tag-lemon-lavender-pound-cake","tag-lemonade","tag-mineral-water","tag-oven","tag-paddle-attachment","tag-plain","tag-powdered-sugar","tag-recent","tag-recipes","tag-room-temperature","tag-salt","tag-sour-cream","tag-sparkling","tag-spice","tag-squeeze","tag-stand-mixer","tag-sugar","tag-unsalted","tag-water","tag-zest"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dishingwithkathycasey.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1780","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dishingwithkathycasey.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dishingwithkathycasey.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dishingwithkathycasey.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dishingwithkathycasey.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1780"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dishingwithkathycasey.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1780\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dishingwithkathycasey.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1780"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dishingwithkathycasey.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1780"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dishingwithkathycasey.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1780"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Lavender_poundcake\"](\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4154\/5018039049_c416b3d00c_m.jpg\")
\nPhoto by Brian Smale, from Discover Cooking with Lavender<\/p>\n
\n1\/2 tsp. baking powder
\n1\/2 tsp baking soda
\n1\/2 tsp of salt
\n1 Tbsp. dried lavender buds, finely ground
\n8 ounces of unsalted butter, at room temperature
\n2 1\/4 cups granulated sugar
\n3 Tbsp freshly-grated lemon zest
\n5 eggs
\n1\/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
\n1 cup of plain sour cream<\/p>\n
\n1 cup of powdered sugar
\n2 tsp freshly-grated lemon zest
\n2 Tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice
\n1 tsp dried lavender buds, finely ground using a spice grinder<\/p>\n
\n2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the dried lavender buds, then set mixture aside.
\n3. Combine butter, sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed until the mixture becomes smooth and pale, about 5 to 8 minutes.
\n4. Add eggs, one at a time, fully mixing each into the batter before adding another. After the last egg is added, slowly add the lemon juice and mix for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix 30 more seconds until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
\n5. Remove bowl from the mixer. Add flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the sour cream. Use rubber spatula and gently mix just until all ingredients are incorporated.
\n6. Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan, filling pan two-thirds full.
\n7. Bake on center rack of oven for 70 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Insert toothpick into center of the cake; it will come out clean when the cake is done.
\n8. Let cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes.
\n9. Loosen the sides of the cake pan with a sharp knife. Place serving plate, upside down, on the top of the cooled Bundt pan and invert the pan to remove the cake. Let cake cool completely.<\/p>\n
\n1. Sift powdered sugar and ground lavender buds into a medium bowl, then add the lemon zest and lemon juice, Mix with a spoon until smooth. Drizzle glaze over the cooled pound cake.<\/p>\n
\n1 cup sugar
\n2 Tbsp fresh lavender flowers
\n1 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
\n25.3 fluid ounces sparkling mineral water
\nIce cubes<\/p>\n\n