The Lavender Gourmet: Culinary Recipes for Entertaining and Every Day [Paperback]

Jennifer Vasich (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2009

Lavender as a culinary herb? Absolutely! Chives, dill, and basil may be more familiar, but lavender has one advantage over all the other herbs standing in the spice rack: versatility. No baker would add chives to shortbread cookies...or dill to chocolate truffles...or basil to an orange chiffon cake. Yet lavender's delicate sweetness imparts a fresh, fragrant taste to those very same recipes -- and scores of others. And, when it comes to savory dishes, the multifaceted little purple flower infuses entrees, soups, breads, and appetizers with a mellow yet aromatic bouquet that complements the flavors that surround it. Now, you can experience the refreshing taste of lavender in beverages, salads, sandwiches, ice creams, chocolates, and so much more. The Lavender Gourmet contains more than 140 recipes that showcase this flavorful herb, and each one will have friends and family racing to the table to see what fabulous dish you've prepared next. The Lavender Gourmet also offers... ** A lay-flat binding -- no more fighting to keep the book open to the correct page ** Recipes in 12 different categories that have been tried and tested by cooks and bakers just like you ** Information on where to find culinary lavender buds ** Recipe variations for creating different versions of the same dish ** Tips, hints, and comments that help you get out of the kitchen faster ** Advice on growing, harvesting, and using lavender. A flavor that you'll cherish forever...sweet, aromatic, refreshing lavender.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Lavender is God's gift to the anxious, the stressed, the depressed, the sleepless. And, it turns out, to the hungry, as Jennifer Vasich's delightful new cookbook makes clear." --Jeannie Ralston, author of The Unlikely Lavender Queen: A Memoir of Unexpected Blossoming

"Jennifer created a book that will likely change the way you think about lavender." --Jim Long, author of Growing & Using the Top 10 Most Popular Herbs

About the Author

At one time, Jennifer Vasich thrived on living in the big city and working her way up the corporate ladder in sales and marketing. But a less metropolitan life kept beckoning, and she soon realized that she was really a country girl at heart. Always optimistic and energetic, Jennifer welcomed her new natural lifestyle with open arms and began studying massage, aromatherapy, and herbs. Along the way, she met a flowering purple herb called lavender, which altered her path once again. After experiencing lavender's soothing qualities firsthand, Jennifer started creating and selling a line of lavender-based products in 1998. These "lavender luxuries" included handmade soaps, body-care products, teas, and culinary items. Finally, Jennifer had discovered a way to blend her passions for helping people, living a healthful life, and cooking and baking with lavender. The best part of all was that she and her husband Michael shared the same vision and passion for the lavender business. Showering everything she touched with love and her God-given creativity, Jennifer immersed herself in lavender -- which she had grown to cherish. Soon, the couple's business, Gabriel's Garden and AllThingsLavender.com, flourished. It wasn't long before Jennifer and Michael found that they had stumbled upon their true labor of love. Never one to sit on her laurels, the ambitious yet down-to-earth "lavender lady" found a new way to share the herb's glorious characteristics. In 2002, Jennifer established the Michigan Lavender Festival. Now, every July, she and Michael host the ever-growing event, which celebrates lavender in all its splendor while showcasing the talents of Michigan-based artisans. Jennifer's success, though, has not changed the gregarious country girl. Her faith, husband, daughter, friends, and family are still her top priorities, and she thanks God every day for the blessings in her life. Her cookbook, the next step in Jennifer's efforts to reveal lavender's charms to those around her, is the best of the best of her culinary creations. She hopes it will make lavender, which calms the soul and spirit, into a favorite culinary ingredient for cooks and bakers everywhere.

Product Details

• Paperback: 344 pages
• Publisher: Moose Run Productions (November 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976631539
• ISBN-13: 978-0976631538
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #415,868 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 140 recipes showcasing the culinary versatility of lavender in the preparation of savory dishes, February 12, 2010

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lavender Gourmet: Culinary Recipes for Entertaining and Every Day (Paperback)

While best known as a superb and ancient source for the making of perfumes, lavender is also a culinary herb to be used to very good effect in an amazing variety of dishes. In "The Lavender Gourmet: Culinary Recipes For Entertaining And Every Day", cookbook author and lavender expert Jennifer Vasich has compiled an impressive 344-page compendium of 140 recipes showcasing the culinary versatility of lavender in the preparation of savory dishes including entrees, soups, breads, salads, appetizers and deserts. Of special note are the recipe variations offered for creating different versions of the same dish. Enhanced with a wealth of tips and commentaries on not just cooking with lavender but also growing and harvesting it, "The Lavender Gourmet" is an exotic and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Wonderful Book!, January 27, 2010

By 

Lisa Bacis (Ithaca, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lavender Gourmet: Culinary Recipes for Entertaining and Every Day (Paperback)

This book is a marvelous and beautifully arranged accumulation of a variety of recipes that utilize lavender. While it may seem odd at first when you think of lavender in the edible form, once you try just a few recipes, you'll quickly see how the herb delicately enhances the underlying flavors of the dish. I have a bit of a sweet tooth so some of my favorite recipes include Lavender Blueberry Muffins, Lavender Scones, Lavender Lemon Shortbread Cookies, and Lavender Mint Brownies. Yum! I can honestly say that part of the reason my bosses love me so much at work is because I bring them lavender brownies. ;) I would HIGHLY recommend this book to any cook or baker whether he or she is a novice or seasoned veteran in the kitchen. Bon Appétit!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BEST recipe book for anyone who loves lavender!, November 15, 2009

By 

Helen Wilson (Shelby Twp., MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lavender Gourmet: Culinary Recipes for Entertaining and Every Day (Paperback)

Well written and includes a lot of wonderful information on lavender. These recipes are simple to prepare, and make a GOURMET STATEMENT! This book has quickly become my new favorite. If you love lavender and love to cook, this book is a MUST HAVE!