A passion for lavender

Either fresh or dried flowers can be used in recipes. Lavender has a strong, slightly citrusy tang—a little goes a long way. “If you cook with lavender and the dish tastes or smells soapy, you’ve used too much,” says grower Andrea McFadden.

Use lavender in place of lemon or mint in sweet dishes and lemon—and vanilla-based desserts; in savoury dishes, use as a substitute for rosemary. McFadden also suggests gently pulling fresh flowers off stems and sprinkling 10 to 12 of the blossoms on a green salad.

Here are some lavender recipes on CanadianGardening.com to try:

• Bohemian lavender scones
• Lavender lemonade
• Spring lamb with lavender gremolata and grilled vegetables
• Berries with basil and lavender-honey yogurt drizzle
• Rose petal, lavender and mint liqueur

Read more in Gardens and Herb Gardening