Lavender Lemonade

I am absolutely enamoured with this lavender lemonade.

Isn't it beautiful? 

Such a calming and comforting shade of pink.  Like the inside of a polished seashell.  You know, those big ones you hold up to your ear and you're supposed to hear the ocean?



On a recent mountain cabin get-away girls' weekend with one of my friends, we went poking around some shops in a little mountain town.  I stumbled across a section in the back corner of one of these little shops dedicated to lavender products from Mountain Farm, a lavender (and blueberry and dairy goat) farm in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina.

Since many of the products had to do with cooking, I ... of course ... 'got stuck' in this corner for quite some time ... reading all the product labels, my mind swirling with ideas.

I'd never cooked with lavender.  And I was intrigued.  I swear I could have bought every product in there.

I settled on just three.  Pretty good restraint on my part.

One of them was this A Taste of Lavender cookbook from Mountain Farm, with a little packet of dried lavender in the back.

As soon as I got home I gave Mountain Farm's lavender lemonade recipe a try.

And I love it.  Lemonade infused with the florally fragrant taste of lavender.  But not too much, so it's overpowering.  It was just right to me.

Over ice, a glass is perfectly refreshing on a hot summer day.  Yup, I'll be making this again ... for sure.

I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!

Lavender Lemonade

Source:  Adapted from A Taste of Lavender: Culinary Delights from Mountain Farm compiled by Linda Thompson & Marilyn Cade

Ingredients

For 2 quarts:

4 sprigs fresh lavender (flowers & stems) or about 1 T. dried lavender flowers

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. fresh lemon juice (about 6 lemons)

1/4 c. fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

2 quarts water

Directions

1.  Bring water and sugar to a boil in a large saucepan.  When sugar is dissolved, remove from heat.  

2.  Add lavender, lemon juice, and lime juice.  Cool to room temperature, strain, and chill.

3.  Serve over ice garnished with lemon slices and lavender sprigs.

Enjoy!

This post is linked with Inspiration Friday, Foodie Friday, Foodie Friday with Diane Balch, Weekend Potluck, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Think Pink Sunday, Sundae Scoop, Nifty Thrifty Sunday, Sunday Showcase Party, On the Menu Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Cast Party Wednesday, Whatcha Whipped Up, Full Plate Thursday, Sweet Treats & Swanky Stuff Thursday, Share Your Creations, Sweet Treats & Swanky Stuff Pink Party, Saturday Dishes.

I am absolutely enamoured with this lavender lemonade.

Isn't it beautiful? 

Such a calming and comforting shade of pink.  Like the inside of a polished seashell.  You know, those big ones you hold up to your ear and you're supposed to hear the ocean?



On a recent mountain cabin get-away girls' weekend with one of my friends, we went poking around some shops in a little mountain town.  I stumbled across a section in the back corner of one of these little shops dedicated to lavender products from Mountain Farm, a lavender (and blueberry and dairy goat) farm in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina.

Since many of the products had to do with cooking, I ... of course ... 'got stuck' in this corner for quite some time ... reading all the product labels, my mind swirling with ideas.

I'd never cooked with lavender.  And I was intrigued.  I swear I could have bought every product in there.

I settled on just three.  Pretty good restraint on my part.

One of them was this A Taste of Lavender cookbook from Mountain Farm, with a little packet of dried lavender in the back.

As soon as I got home I gave Mountain Farm's lavender lemonade recipe a try.

And I love it.  Lemonade infused with the florally fragrant taste of lavender.  But not too much, so it's overpowering.  It was just right to me.

Over ice, a glass is perfectly refreshing on a hot summer day.  Yup, I'll be making this again ... for sure.

I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!

Lavender Lemonade

Source:  Adapted from A Taste of Lavender: Culinary Delights from Mountain Farm compiled by Linda Thompson & Marilyn Cade

Ingredients

For 2 quarts:

4 sprigs fresh lavender (flowers & stems) or about 1 T. dried lavender flowers

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. fresh lemon juice (about 6 lemons)

1/4 c. fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

2 quarts water

Directions

1.  Bring water and sugar to a boil in a large saucepan.  When sugar is dissolved, remove from heat.  

2.  Add lavender, lemon juice, and lime juice.  Cool to room temperature, strain, and chill.

3.  Serve over ice garnished with lemon slices and lavender sprigs.

Enjoy!

This post is linked with Inspiration Friday, Foodie Friday, Foodie Friday with Diane Balch, Weekend Potluck, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Think Pink Sunday, Sundae Scoop, Nifty Thrifty Sunday, Sunday Showcase Party, On the Menu Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Cast Party Wednesday, Whatcha Whipped Up, Full Plate Thursday, Sweet Treats & Swanky Stuff Thursday, Share Your Creations, Sweet Treats & Swanky Stuff Pink Party, Saturday Dishes.