All too often, we get caught up in having everything done a certain way when it comes to cooking, especially when it comes to seasonings. We, Americans tend to be more prudish in what/how we season our food, relying mostly upon salt to create flavors. One of the great things food scientists and test kitchens are encouraging people to do these days is build layers of flavor WITHOUT adding tons of salt. Now, there is nothing wrong with salt, but we have to realize it is not the only way to make foods taste good. Two of my favorite, super versatile flavorings are rosemary and lavender.
I am sure most of you are familiar with rosemary in both it's dried and fresh forms. If nothing else, you may have seen in growing in a shrub along a walkway or in someone's garden. It is fairly easy to grow, and when properly groomed, can certainly be a fragrant, decorative addition to your garden. I remember the first time I heard of rosemary. I was a child, probably 8 or so, and it was around Easter. My mother wanted to make leg of lamb for the first time, which meant she and I would spend time researching cooking methods and spices. I remember when we went to the store to get the meat, we had a conversation with the butcher about how to cook it, and what spices were typically used with it. Of course, he mentioned mint jelly, and my mother bought an obligatory jar, though I don't think she had any serious intention of using it. He then mentioned rosemary. My mother located the fresh rosemary, and I remember thinking it looked unappealing since it seemed to be just a twig, similar to a young pine twig. When we got home and I got to smell the rosemary, I instantly fell in love. It actually did remind me a bit of the piney woods that surrounded our house. At any rate, I remember helping my mother cover the leg of lamb in oil and the spices and us excitedly waiting for it to finish cooking. I loved the earthy, piney, flowery taste it gave the lamb.
As I grew older, I expanded my use of this elegant herb to include beef. I can't get enough of the beef/rosemary combo. To me, it's almost better than lamb with rosemary. A few years ago, I heard of using rosemary to scent sugar. At first, it seemed like an odd pairing, but the more I thought about the beautifully floral scent of the herb, things started to make more sense. In nutrition, one of the standard labs was the snickerdoodle cookie lab. Don't ask me why a nutrition class would make cookies, I was simply following the directions of my predecessors. Don't worry, I have since done away with the lab to opt for something a bit healthier. Any any rate, one good thing to come out of the snickerdoodle lab was me obtaining a great sugar cookie base. One crazy summer, I got the wild idea to take out the cinnamon coating, and add rosemary. This single stroke of genius has led to rosemary lemonade, a rosemary/ginger cocktail and a simple rosemary-lavender tea.
This brings me to my other love. Le lavender! While I am not fond of the color, the flower not only has a soothing smell, but it also has a full bodied, luxuriously floral taste. Depending upon how well preserved your flowers buds are, a little goes a long way. It can be very easy to overwhelm a dish when using lavender flowers, so proceed with the utmost caution and discernment. I have found a few teaspoons of lavender in whipping cream pound cake is absolutely heavenly. It takes a plain pound cake to a whole new, far more elegant level. I am not a big chocolate person, and when I do indulge, it tends to be white chocolate (not real chocolate, I know; don't judge). The famous chocolate boutique, Cocoamoda (www.cocoamoda.com)in Calvert, Texas creates exquisite chocolate confections with old-world charm. I have been blessed enough to have visited a few times, and each time, I fall in love. The mastermind behind the sweet treats, is as charming and winsome as his creations. With the exchange of but a few words, you two become BFFs and the deal is sealed with a hug. It is in this setting, that I was introduced to one of my absolute favorite things EVER...the white chocolate lavender truffle. Words cannot adequately express the delight these truffles bring, so I will not tarnish their good and tasty name, by attempting to describe them.
Lavender and mint make a soul soothing tea that scents the whole house. It does a far better job than chamomile tea at relaxing your and helping you find that happy place deep inside. Herbs De Province can seem mysterious and intimidating to use because different mixtures contain different things, but many include lavender. Some suggestions for working with lavender in savory applications are: lamb, chicken and of course a hearty yeast bread. Given how bland chicken can be, I would suggest seasoning with lavender and something that can stand up to it like lemon or orange, otherwise the poor bird would be overwhelmed. Lamb is rich enough on it's own to handle a liberal sprinkling of lavender. You will find the floral punch really rounds out of the flavor of the lamb and gives it an almost buttery flavor.
Thank you for entertaining my ranting, and I hope you gleaned something from it!
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