Lavender from the Garden

The lavender in our garden is starting to bloom and I've started picking some of these delicate purple flowers to use in my baking. I have tried to pick them before the buds open fully, and then I've set them on a paper towel in a sunny spot so they can dry out. They smell amazing!

I might use the lavender to make the Strawberry Lavender Muffins that I baked last Fall as they were absolutely delicious. I also may use some of it to make a tea. For those who are into baking with lavender, or those who would like to give it a try, here are some recipes that I've rounded up from around the web. Usually you strain out the lavender and just use the delicate flavor in your baking, although there are a couple of recipes that use the lavender right in the yummy treat.  I haven't tested these ones out, but I'm thinking that I probably will in the near future.

Lavender Tea Cookies - from Once a Week Vegan
Lavender Fudge with Vegan Vanilla Marshmallows - from Sneaky Vegan
Lavender Shortbread - from Vegan Yum Yum
Chocolate Cupcakes with Lavender Icing - from Lindsay is Vegan

Thai Basil Flowers

I have an assortment of four different basil plants growing this year in the garden with Thai Basil being one of them.  The plants are beginning to go to seed at the moment, so I've been plucking the flowers off in an effort to extend the life of the plant.  One day, Paul was outside and picked some of the Thai Basil flowers.  He noticed that they smell differently than the basil leaves.  He brought them in the house and it smelled fantastic!  The flowers actually filled the kitchen with a wonderful aroma of sweetness combined with anise or licorice scent.  Right now, I just have these in a small bowl on our kitchen table as a type of potpourri, but I started looking around the web to see if they can be used for anything else.  Here's what I found:

Thai Basil Blossom Ice Cubes, for Thai Basil Mojitos - at Pitchfork Diaries
Thai Basil Information - at Thai Food and Travel
As a Garnish or in a Green Salad - at Jugnoo Farms
Lemon Myrtle Star Cookies (can be easily made vegan!) - at Tasty Kitchen
Thai Basil Flowers and Tomato Salad - at Cooking on the Weekends
Sesame Slaw with Thai Basil Flowers - at Hogtown Homegrown
Thai Basil Seed Drink - at Pranee's Thai Kitchen

I also read that you can combine dried thai basil flowers with grated orange rind and make it into a tea.  I can't find the website where I originally read that, but thought I would list that as an option!

I haven't quite decided what I will do with my Thai Basil flowers, but for now, they look awfully pretty on my kitchen table and smell absolutely wonderful!