Coffee Punch Recipe

Enjoy the taste and colour of lavender

Lavender adds colour to food, and when used sparingly, brings a fragrant flavour to a multitude of dishes, both sweet and savoury. It is thought to have spread across Europe from the Greek Hyeres Islands in about 600 BC. There is every chance that the Romans, brought it to these shores. It certainly took its name from the Latin word lavo, which means to wash, as the Romans used lavender flowers to perfume their bath water as well as flavour their food.

The Snowshill lavender fields in the Cotswolds only date back to 2000, but this glorious 53 acres of lavender, growing on a free draining limestone hill and set amid some of the most picturesque rolling countryside you could ever wish for, is a magic place. My dog Pythius and I visited these fields last week as well-behaved dogs are permitted to walk the 70 miles of rows, providing they remain on a tight lead.

The 250 different lavender plants planted in these fields are now coming into bloom and beginning to display their deep purple flowers, subtle blues and even soft pink and white blossoms. Their combined aroma is overwhelming. Because lavender is known to have a soothing effect — not just on us, but dogs too — we were amused to watch Pythius’s reaction to its fragrance. He stopped walking for a moment and just sat there beside the flowers gently swaying from side to side, a calm soporific smile on his face. Indeed he was reluctant to leave. It was really quite amusing. I have never seen him look so contented. It was all we could do to control our urge to laugh.

All types of lavender are edible, though the French variety is considered slightly toxic if used in cooking. Snowshill lavender shop sells little jars of culinary lavender. This is lavender that has not been sprayed with chemicals and is pesticide free. The alternative to using this is to grow lavender in your own garden. Harvest your lavender as you would all edible crops that you grow, by picking it in the morning after the dew has evaporated, looking for the most beautiful spikes with the fullest colour. Bunch a dozen stems together and secure them with rubber bands and they can be hung upside down in a dark, dust-free, well- ventilated place until it’s obvious they have dried. These flowers can then be stored in jars of sugar for a while to infuse their aroma into the sugar and so provide an easy way of adding a lavender flavour to cakes and biscuits. Like other herbs, dried lavender has a more intense flavour than fresh. For more subtle flavours, use freshly-picked blooms, cut first thing in the morning.

Wildberry Ranch: Coffee Punch Recipe

I am a Christian woman who first of all loves the Lord Jesus Christ, my savior. I have been married for 39 years in a few months. I have six wonderful children, 13 living grandchildren (two more have gone on to their savior). I love Antiques (I am a dealer and sell at a mall and shows). I love children, books, old things, interesting (but not necessarily relevent) facts, quilts and friends. Now, I am swimming in deep water here, I don't know a lot about blogging and I sometimes think I am drowning... I am learning a few new strokes every time I use this but then...

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