Lavender, friend of the potato

Most people know lavender from its smell. The flower itself is a delight when growing in a field. Pollinators — the catchall term for butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, etc… — love it. We use it in soap and potpourri.

It makes for a natural dessert flavor. You can infuse it into a syrup that livens up vanilla ice cream or flavored drinks.

But, it’s lavender as friend of the potato that I’d like to talk about. A few buds of dried lavender offers a hint of earthy floral flavor to potatoes. You don’t want to use much, because warmed food-grade lavender will overpower the flavor of everything it’s with. Use a few buds per potato and mash them in and give it a bit of time for the lavender flavor to release.

I’ve tried it in mashed and baked potatoes. The potato in the photo is a baked potato with the insides mixed with some creme fraiche (had to use it up), diced shallot, lavender and salt/pepper. It was the meal’s highlight.