lavender honey/lavender syrup

 

The past  few weeks I have picked up small bunches of fresh organically grown lavender at our CSA and have been drying it at home. My six year old really loves lavender. We make bath salts for his winter eczema. We make lavender oil to mix with our infused calendula oil for moisturizing and healing. And we make syrup and honey for lavender lemonade!  I like making both the honey and the syrup.  The honey is used most for hot and iced tea and drizzled on scones or biscuits. The syrup is used most in lemonade and for cocktails or home made sodas.

So, I have two recipes. One is using raw honey (lavender infused honey) one is for using sugar (lavender syrup). There are many recipes out there for lavender syrup - I like mine using lemon. It makes the lavender pop and is more fragrant without being too floral and cuts the sugary sweetness!

::lavender honey::

1 cup raw local honey

2 Tbsp. dried lavender buds

Gently warm the honey in a pot (don't boil or overheat). Add the lavender buds and let sit in the pot with the honey on a low burner for 15-30 minutes (longer=stronger lavender flavor).  Stir gently. Let cool a bit and pour into a bottle using a strainer when just warm.

::lavender syrup::

1 cup fine granulated sugar

1/4 cup dried lavender buds

juice of one small/medium lemon

1 cup of water

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add all ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and it starts to thicken a little, about 10-15 minutes. Let cool a bit and pour into a bottle using a strainer when just warm.  Syrup will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered in a glass jar, about 2 weeks.

Note: Be sure to use organic/untreated dried lavender (if you buy it dried, be sure that is for culinary use). 

Idea:: If you want to find a use for those sweet crystallized lavender buds in your strainer, try adding to muffins, scones or tea bread recipe. It is really good.

rhubarb syrup :: rhubarb soda

It is that time of year...rhubarb time! I try to make a bit of everything with it so that it can last us through the year. Frozen, jam, compote, chutney, syrup...combined with some of the decadent freshness that is the seasonal treat like rhubarb ice cream or granita or baked honey glazed rhubarb. The house has the constant rhubarb and honey smell this time of year and it is a good thing.


We have a lot of cold and wet this week (frost tomorrow night?) so it is for home and kitchen puttering. Yesterday I made one of my favorite things. Rhubarb syrup, this year with ginger and cardamom. SO GOOD.


::Rhubarb Ginger Syrup::

8 C chopped rhubarb
1.5 cups honey
sliced fresh ginger (2" knob)
2 cardamom pods, cracked - seeds only into pan (optional, but it is good!)
1/2 vanilla pod scraped (or 1 tsp good vanilla extract)
2 cups water
(If you want it to look pink, add a slice of fresh beet)

Combine everything in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook gently until the fruit is soft and the liquid has thickened slightly, about 30-40 minutes.

Run the mixture through a fine strainer (or cheesecloth) that has been placed over a large bowl. Strain until most of the liquid is in the bowl. Give a little press on the solids with a spoon to extract more syrup.

Pour the syrup into a clean bottle, cap or cork the bottle and refrigerate. It will store for quite a long time in the fridge.

The solids make a nice rough jam or are fantastic added to baked goodies (just remove ginger slices), so if you want you can put them in a clean jar and keep them in your refrigerator and use as needed! I'm making muffins this morning with it.

What to do with it? I love using it to make rhubarb soda. Or add a little to lemonade (my boys love this) or iced tea. Drizzle over vanilla ice cream. Or ... vodka and a sprig of basil would be good!

Of course the first thing we did with the syrup was make rhubarb soda. We don't drink store bought carbonated beverages/sodas, but having a rhubarb ginger soda is a real treat - and sweetened with only honey.

::Rhubarb Soda::

Ice
Syrup (for a pint canning jar glass I fill to about 1/4)
Club Soda
sprig of fresh basil (optional)

Put the syrup in over the ice and then gently pour the club soda over. Lightly crush the basil and stir in. It is so so so so so so good!

More rain and cold this week, and more rhubarb in my kitchen!

::good stuff::

I like adding ginger to just about everything. It has so many beneficial properties and also has fantastic flavor. Ginger is known to help with stomach issues - stomach aches, gas, nausea, even motion and sea sickness! Ginger has anti-oxidant properties and fantastic anti-inflammatory effects. It is a good immune system booster as well. Ginger is so concentrated with active substances, you don't have to use very much to receive its beneficial effects!

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