Tag Archives: lavender

missing Herb

rosemary thymeSo it’s September.  Wow.  I guess it’s fair to say that we will be saying goodbye to summertime before long.  So what will you miss as we say farewell to this most beloved of seasons?  Hmmm…   One of the things that really gets to me at the close of summer is saying goodbye to my summer herb garden.   Makes me sad. I just love my herbs.  Yep.  Love to cook with them throughout the summer.  The ability to walk just outside my door to snip fresh herbs for dinner… priceless!  But, quite honestly,  I also enjoy just having them nearby.  I know; weird.  But when I’m watering, I love to just run my fingers through the leaves; the intoxicating fragrance of lavender, rosemary, basil, mint… Love .  And then I have a little friend bee, named “Buzzy”, who likes to hang out with me early in the morning.  Along with “Herb” (with an “H”).  He is the little (ceramic) pig who lives in the herb garden.  OK – Perhaps I sound like a bit of a crazy woman at this point.  Hard to argue, really… 

But I will tell you who does understand.  My friend, Martha.  Yep – Martha Stewart.  Not only has Martha come up with a delicious way to savor my summer basil well into the winter months; she has done it dairy free!  Yes maam… We’re talking pesto without cheese!!  And the icing on the cake?  Martha says that it actually freezes better than traditional pesto with cheese!  Wow, Martha!   “You had me at hello…”  Thanks!!

basilpesto martha

Basil Pesto

yield: Makes 1 3/4 cups

  • 1 cup walnuts or pine nuts
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 8 cups (4 ounces) lightly packed fresh basil leaves
  • 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1.   Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts evenly on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until golden and fragrant, tossing once, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely.

2.   Step 2

Meanwhile, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil; add basil, and submerge with a spoon. Immediately drain in a colander. Rinse with cold water until cool, then pat basil completely dry in paper towels.

3.   Step 3

In a food processor, combine nuts, basil, and garlic; season generously with salt and pepper. Process until nuts are finely chopped. With machine running, pour oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until smooth. Use immediately, or freeze.

Herbs in olive oil

Not a PP (Pesto Person)?  No problem – Here are some tips from “theKitchn” on freezing and preserving fresh herbs in olive oil.

Herb
“Herb”

lavender hot chocolate

lavender hot chocolate

In Southern California, we’re blessed with a relatively mild and short winter season. Incredibly, while the rest of the country may still be under a blanket of snow, here it’s already warming up to the low 70s during the day. That doesn’t mean a nice, piping mug of hot chocolate isn’t welcomed in the early morning hours, or late at night (in my case, since I’m not much of a morning person).

Inspiration for this drink came from an amazing hot chocolate I had at a bar after a day of snowboarding at our local mountains. It was so incredibly rich, creamy, and comforting I found myself enjoying it more than the pale ale I had ordered for myself. After returning from my trip, I had to try recreating it at home.

For richness, I used whole chocolate instead of cocoa powder. I’m sure cocoa powder would have been fine, but the combination of bitter dark chocolate and creamy milk chocolate just seemed more indulgent and sinful. The addition of lavender was inspired by the lovely latte and waffles drizzled with chocolate lavender sauce from Café Medina. At this point you’re probably thinking, gross, I don’t want my hot chocolate smelling like soap. Trust me, with just the right amount, it’s wonderfully soothing and relaxing.

Give it a shot, and let me know what you think!

lavender hot chocolate

Since lavender is quite fragrant, adjust amount according to preference. For a creamier hot chocolate, a 1 to 1 ratio of dark to milk chocolate can be used. Makes 2 servings.

hot chocolate:

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 3 ounces dark chocolate (70% cacao)
  • 1 ounce milk chocolate
  • 1/4 teaspoon lavender buds

whipped cream:

  • 1/2 cup cold heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract or seeds from 1/4 of a whole vanilla bean pod
  • 1/2 tablespoon granulated white sugar

For whipped cream, place cold cream, vanilla, and sugar into a cold mixing bowl. Beat the mixture with a whisk or mixer until stiff peaks form. keep refrigerated until ready for use.

For hot chocolate, heat milk and lavender over medium heat, whisking occasionally until the milk begins to simmer. Remove from heat and let lavender steep for 5 minutes. Strain lavender and return milk to saucepan. Over medium heat, add chocolate and mix until chocolate is melted and incorporated. Whisk milk mixture for 10-20 seconds until frothy. Pour into mugs or bowls and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

This delish & decadent recipe for “Lavender Hot Chocolate” came from a wonderful site that you MUST check out… a la mode. The photography on the site is just gorgeous… and this particular recipe is absolute PERFECTION on this COLD, COLD winter day!!  Enjoy my friends, and thank you, “a la mode“!!