Customer Reviews

The Lavender Cookbook

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Last year I attended a cooking class at Sur le Table where Sharon demonstrated some of her recipes, and the entire class was in culinary heaven! Sharon's collection of recipes using lavender is diverse and unique, and will add a sumptuous note to your cooking repertoire. Elegant or simple, these recipes invoke images of France, and inspire me to invite friends over for special meals. This cookbook will be one of your favorites! Enjoy! Edible lavender can be ordered online from Dean & Deluca http://www.deananddeluca.com/

I saw Sharon Shipley's "The Lavender Cookbook" at several of the vendor booths at the Becker Vineyards annual Lavender Fest, and rushed to order myself a copy after being drawn in by the book's colorful seasonal menus that all incorporate lavender in some form, from beverages (Lavender ginger lemonade, lavender iced tea sangria, lavender mulled wine) to desserts (chocolate lavender brownies, lavender honey custard ice cream, lavender coconut panna cotta with raspberry caramel sauce).

As a vegetarian, this book had plenty of delicious offerings that make the most of seasonal Mediterranean produce such as eggplant and artichokes. Rounded out with the included veggie- and fruit-based soups and lavender-infused breads, there is plenty to appeal to vegetarians and vegans who seek to incorporate the delicate flavor of lavender. For carnivores, there are lavender salt rubs, lavender chicken breasts in champagne sauce, grilled lavender lamb chops, grilled seafood, and more.

Every page was a voyage of discovery. Unexpected delights such as Taos lavender potato soup (poblano and chipotle peppers, cumin, an assortment of veggies), cantaloupe, mango, and Asian pear salad with lavender cilantro dressing, and farro lavender tabbouleh salad brought unexpected international twists to a seemingly straightforward herb.

The recipes are presented in an easy-to-follow manner, and oftentimes there is a short introduction as to the origin of the recipe. The seasonal menus take advantage of fresh local produce, and are correspondingly light for spring and summer (tropical fruit gazpachos and cold soups, light salads) and heavier for fall and winter (hearty stews and chili, hot beverages). The desserts are simply fabulous, from lavender devil's food cake to fragrant fruit-infused cakes, poached pears, panna cotta, and more. The cookbook is illustrated with pen-and-ink sketches of the Provence countryside on the chapter headings, and line drawings on some of the recipes. Nearly every recipe includes helpful hints on where to find trickier ingredients.

This is upscale, elegant, and romantic cuisine that would feel at home in a spa or resort town. Thankfully, it is fairly easy to prepare thanks to the well-written instructions, the ingredients are generally easy to find (finding dried lavender itself (Melissa's Dried Lavender, 0.33-Ounce Bags (Pack of 24) may be the most challenging aspect), and your guests will be wowed with the unexpected sensuality and versatility that dried lavender has to offer.

Note: the book does not cover varietal lavenders other than the hybrid Provence.

As a lover of lavender since I was a child and sewed sachets with fresh dried lavender and then learned to make French ice tea and lemonade with fresh lavender blossoms I have had lavender in my life. This is a wonderful book with so many wonderful recipes including her lavender syrup and cold beverages, and her wonderful brownies that are a great start for someone wanting to try culinary lavender.

Full disclosure: I am very proud to have been the lavender grower who collaborated with Sharon on this amazing book. It was my good fortune to learn about the fun of cooking with lavender from Sharon and to have been her sous chef as we taught classes across the country.
Our relationship began when she purchased my culinary lavender following our first harvest and would bring new food concepts to my farmer's market booth so I could sample and provide feedback, along with my enthusiastic customers. While writing the cookbook, she tested many of the recipes at the market and also during her cooking classes, much to everyone's total delight.
What I love most about Sharon's creations is that you don't have to be a trained chef to prepare them well. She was incredibly adept at developing unusual ways of using lavender, but wasn't a fussy chef, so all the recipes are pretty straightforward.
Sharon's legacy is that she really showcased lavender as an extremely versatile herb to both amateur cooks and culinary professionals. These recipes will stand the test of time. All of us who have been called to the challenging job of growing lavender owe Sharon much gratitude because she and the cookbook played a key role in helping to build the US lavender industry, which was in its infancy at the time of publication.
My favorites? The Lavender Chocolate Brownies, lavender cocktails and Dude Ranch Stew with Lavender Dumplings. But one stands out from the rest--I actually gave her an idea based on my now infamous Stud Muffins ( men are most drawn to the combined scent of lavender and pumpkin) which I was sampling when we first met. You'll see what I mean when you taste the Butterscotch Pumpkin Muffins with Honey Lavender Butter on page 110. Enjoy!

I have tried 3 recipes from this book since I received it and have loved each one. The lavender brownies were wonderful and my husband and I loved the polenta and mushroom dish. We purchased lavender from our local Penzeys spice store. I think the jar cost us somewhere between $3-$4.

If you have never cooked with lavender before, I encourage you to try it. It adds a very subtle flavor and works with a variety of different types of foods.

When you read the recipe titles in this book, you will feel as though you are reading a menu at a fine restaurant. The result...fabulous food! I am excited to try the other recipes. You won't be disappointed!

Beautifully put together book. The recipes are fabulous and the commentary and information are incredible. Loved the double bookmark cover leaves...makes it easy to mark a page and keep the book open while cooking. The bread pudding was awesome!

Cakes, cookies, desserts, drinks, meats, bread, side dishes and more, you can use lavender in all of these recipes. A book you will want to keep in your kitchen and not in your book case.

I love this book. It is so perfect for me as I grow lavendar in my garden and have been very excited to learn how to use the results of my harvesting.

A book of wonderful recipes! Most are fairly easy, but a handful are definitely geared toward less novice cooks. A good resource if you like to surprise your dinner guests.The Lavender Cookbook

This book is jam packed full of excellent recipes. I am so excited! Every page, great recipes. I love lavender, but until now have only had a few recipes and now I'm in lavender Heaven.