Today’s letter of the alphabet in the A – Z blog challenge is ‘L’ and I have chosen one of my favorite things for this post – Lavender!
I love the scent of it, the beauty of its blooms, the taste of it in the famous herbal blend we know as herbes de Provence. But lately it has been showing up in some unusual places.
My husband and I had dinner at Ruby Tuesday’s last night and as I perused the menu, I found a cocktail named Lavender Pear Martini. I didn’t order it, but I wish I had. It looked divine. In its center was a triangular lavender tea bag and the drink itself was turning shades of purple. My understanding is that it uses vodka and pear nectar and the lavender is infused through the drink by the tea bag. It turns colors in front of you. Isn’t that interesting?
I have seen recipes for lavender ice cream, lavender pound cake, lavender cookies, lavender macarons, and even lavender chicken and lavender bread.
It’s original uses vary from laundry freshening, sachets for drawers, bunches to repel insects; its essential oils used for healing, moisturizing,bathing, and massage therapy as well as in cleaning supplies.
Many of us have sensory memories of the scent of lavender in our grandmother’s closets or drawer linings. For me, I am reminded of France whenever its wisping trail finds its way under my nose. Several beauty products and potpourris there use this flowering herb and the fields of Provence are infamous for their huge crops of it. There are tours available to experience the wonder of the rolling lavender.
But you don’t have to go to France to enjoy lavender. Although I haven’t had any success with treating it as a house plant, it makes a beautiful plant for the garden, dries easily, and has been associated with good luck. And since today is Friday the Thirteenth, a little lavender worn for luck couldn’t hurt.
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Beautiful! There is a lavender farm not far from here and you have inspired me to go visit!
If you come to France to see the lavender, the best time is early July, at the height of bloom and just before it’s cut. Heavenly. I sprinkle lavender around the base of my plants to keep the cat from digging in them. Works like a charm. Here’s a couple of posts I’ve done on lavender.
http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2010/07/strokes-of-lavender-and-sunshine.html
http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2010/07/fete-de-la-lavande.html
I am trying to grow lavender to make my own scented saches. I read somewhere lavendar is good for deterring moths
I can almost smell the lavender and the pleasure of having it growing or around in the manners of which you describe. I have some lavender essential oil and some eucalyptus essential oil, I got them during my brown recluse scare. I didn’t use them though. But I’m happy I have them in case I need them.
Those foods and that drink you spoke of sounds like treats worth trying. 🙂
If you plant it near rose bushes it helps keep bugs awar from them. You made me homesick today. 🙂
I absolutely adore lavendar. I grow some every year on my balconey and have had up to 8 varieties growing. Unfortunately, it winters better outdoors in the ground than indoors, but I am trying other techniques instead of bringing the plants indoors. Thx for post.
Need to try that lavender ice cream! Somehow your post just wafts the scent – must be the imagery!
So many uses! There’s a lavender farm near us in the country. I want to go visit, but still haven’t yet. This post certainly gives me many reasons to visit.
I adore the scent of lavender! My friend lived on a lavendar farm and I order soaps and bubble bath from them all the time. Such pretty stuff!
Lavender is one of my favorites! And it’s so versatile. I like making sachets from it, too. Great choice for the letter “l” … 🙂 Excellent post!
Hi,
I also love Lavender, it smells gorgeous, and can be used for so many things. I also love seeing Lavender fields, just like your photo, a truly magnificent plant. 🙂
Lavender is by far my most favorite scent. 🙂
Oh, gosh. You really need to go on Beth and Lisa’s lavender tour. (And sunflowers and poppies and dégustations, including Kristin and Jean-Marc’s “grape farm,” and markets and French BBQs and and and …..)
Renee, I just re-read your previous Friday 13. I still find it as funny as I did then, possibly even funnier (that’s the good thing about reading something again, after an interval: You get nuances you may have missed the first time round). To feed your passion: May I recommend the film “Ladies in Lavender”. It’s touching – but not in a syrupy way.
Your evocative ode to lavender begs two questions: What type of perfume do you wear? And, most importantly, why didn’t you have that cocktail?
U
I love the scent of lavendar. Trader Joe’s has a nice, reasonably-priced lavender lotion which I always keep on hand. I’m enjoying your A-Z challenge! 🙂
I love lavandar and it is starting to bloom here now. I saw some yesterday on my walk. We buy lavandar smelling soaps and sachets for our clothes drawers. I can wait to go see the lavandar fields this year. I missed them last year.
Ashley
I noticed lavender was starting to show up in some unusual places, too. Never thought of it as being edible.
That lavender and pear martini you described sounds wonderful! I will have to look for that one. I love lavender. I grow it under my roses and in the spring its scent infuses my garden and makes it heavenly. The bees love it too.