The aroma of biscotti baking in the oven transports me from this snow covered January day to my July herb garden: bees buzz, the sun shines, and the air fills with the sweet scent of lavender. This Mediterranean herb has been used medicinally for hundreds of years—for digestion, relaxation, and as an immunity booster, but my favorite way to enjoy the aroma and subtle flavor is in almond lavender biscotti (see recipes page) for the pure pleasure of it. Even though my kitchen herb garden is nestled under a few feet of snow, thanks to an hour of summer labor, a jar of dried lavender buds waits to flavor our winter baked goods.
Drying lavender is extremely easy. Cut the stems when the buds are just about to open and hang them upside-down in small bundles, in a warm, dark place. When dry, pull the buds off the stems and store them in an airtight jar.
When harvesting lavender for baking, ensure that it’s culinary lavender. There are a number of varieties that grow easily in Pawling and have an excellent flavor. We are lucky to have a local supplier of lavender who is extremely knowledgeable and resides in Pawling, Ellen of North Wind’s Farm. She sells culinary lavender plants at many local farm markets and culinary lavender buds through her website: http://www.northwindsfarmlavender.com.
Kathy Keville of Discovery Health writes that, “Of several fragrances tested by aromatherapy researchers, lavender was most effective at relaxing brain waves and reducing stress.” Perhaps that explains my feeling of contentment as I bite into the fragrant, crispy biscotti.
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