We normally think of lavender as a lovely flash of scented color to add to sachets for pure aesthetic effect. But remember that lavender is also a transcendent culinary herb, and that it is a gorgeous and elegant addition to any herb garden. Similar to rosemary, lavender originated in the mountains alongside the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Italy. The leaves contain the strongest fragrance; the lovely blossoms are more subtle. Lavender tastes flowery, clean, and sharp--and pleasantly bitter.

In addition to culinary and aesthetic uses, lavender also has healthful properties. Herbalists list many applications for lavender, singing its praises as an aroma therapeutic, a carminative (help for flatulence), a diuretic, both a sedative AND a stimulant (go figure), and a tonic. Lavender is also known in folk medicine as a remedy for dizziness, an appetite stimulant, a stomach soother, a germ inhibitor, and an insect repellent. (MUCH better-smelling than "Off!")

Lavender is a hearty plant with many varieties that grow perennially, and in temperate climates, it can flower twice a year. Try to grow your ownãyou will love it!

A Few Lavender Culinary Tips:

• Lavender-scented powdered sugar:
  Put a few lavender flowers and some leaves in a jar with powdered sugar for at least one day before using the sugar.


• Herbes de Provence ("Heaven in a Small Jar"):
  Combine equal parts dried thyme, fennel seed (coarsely ground), oregano or marjoram, summer savory, and lavender in a small dry jar with a lid. Keep in a cool place, and use on roasted vegetables (particularly roasted tomatoes or potatoes) or on grilled foods, especially grilled tofu or chicken.


• To use those beautiful blooms in cooking:
  Snip off the flowers when they're open and looking lively. Use as you would any fresh savory herb, adding them toward the end of cooking, to preserve their color. . For a stronger flavor, also use the leaves. Don't forget the blossoms are a form of edible flower, and make a lovely addition to a green salad!


• Use lavender in bread, with rosemary:
  Rosemary and lavender make great partners! Try using a tablespoon of each per loaf in bread doughs for a soft, piny taste.


• Use lavender in butter, also with rosemary:
  Make an extraordinary herb butter to complement grilled fish or corn on the cob. Simply cream 4 tablespoons unsalted butter with 2 teaspoons each minced fresh lavender and rosemary leaves. Garnish with the lovely purple flowers of either herb.


• Lavender-Apple Jelly:
  If you make your own apple-mint jelly, substitute lavender for the mint next time around. If you eat lamb or chicken, cook them in a garlicky marinade, and serve lavender-apple jelly as a condiment. You can also do this with grilled tofu. The jelly will give any of these dishes a bright, lightly floral flavor.


• Lavender-Rosemary Vinegar
  Lavender can lend a velvety perfume to dressings for summer salads, and to marinades for such hearty winter vegetables as parsnips, turnips, and beets. To make lavender vinegar, fill a ten ounce jar with equal amounts of lavender flowers and rosemary sprigs. Pack the herbs fairly loosely. Cover with a cup of warmed white wine or sherry vinegar and let steep, covered, at room temperature for two weeks. Strain (discarding the herbs), and use in vinaigrettes, marinades and to deglaze pans after they've been used for roasting or sautÈing anythingãsavory or sweet.

Thanks to Judith Benn Hurley, author of "The Good Herb" for many of these ideas!