From: Barry_Carlson@mindlink.bc.ca (Barry Carlson)
Subject: Lavender
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1993 00:32:22 GMT

In response to Paul G Kosidowski:pkosidow@csd4.csd.uwm.edu who writes:
> Does anyone have any tried and tru techniques for drying lavender
> and separating the buds. I just clipped a far amount of stalks off
> my plants just as they were starting to bud, and I was hoping to use
> them in potpourri or something else....Will they just shake off
> after they're dried.  Also, anyone have any favorite things to do or
> make with lavender?

I put the lavender, stalks and all, on big trays to dry.  You can also
bundle them up and hang them to dry if that is more convenient.  I
also make a few bouquets for the house and treat them just like cut
flowers except that I don't give them any water.  The flowers will
separate easily from the stalks once they are thoroughly dried so
don't bother trying to separate them until then.  As for making
things, as you mentioned Lavender is a great ingredient for
potpourri.  I usually make lavender sachets...just a plain cotton
baggie tied at the top and stuffed full of lavender.  Even without a
fixative, lavender will stay fragrant for about a year.  These sachets
are great for popping in any drawers where you have clothing -- smells
good and also acts as a bug repellant.

Lavender, in small quantities, can be added to herbal tea blends and
it goes particularly well with the mints.  As a culinary item lavender
has gone out of fashion, but Queen Elizabeth I was very fond of
Lavender Conserve.  You can also make Lavender Jelly, Lavender Syrup
for desserts and Lavender Sugar for sprinkling on cakes and cookies.
A rather nice old English custom was to serve small sweets on lavender
stalks much the same way we might serve a bite-size savory nibble on a
toothpick.

LAVENDER CAGES: These "cages" are made when the lavender is freshly
cut and the stalks are still flexible.  Cut about 25 stalks of
lavender to the same length and as long as possible.  Rub off any
leaves so that each stalk is bare other then for the lavender flowers
at the top.  Bundle the lavender flowers together and tie them tightly
just under the flower heads.  Then hold the flower bunch upside down
and carefully bend down each stalk so that the lavender flowers are
enclosed in a "cage" made by the stalks.  Tie the stems together
tightly at the bottom of the cage and trim them so they are even.
Make a loop in the string so that you can hang up your cage until the
lavender is completely dry.  Although simple cotton string is
perfectly serviceable, there is nothing like a piece of slim satin
ribbon to make lavender cages as beautiful as they are fragrant.  Try
using the cage "bars" as weft threads and weaving the satin ribbon
through them.

CONSERVE OF THE FLOWERS OF LAVENDER: The following recipe is from "The
Queen's Closet Opened" by W.M., the Cook to Queen Henrietta Maria,
1655.  "Take the flowers being new so many as you please, and beat
them with three times their weight of White Sugar, after the same
manner as Rosemary flowers; they will keep one year."

Enjoy!
-Moira Carlson