For the Love of Lavender

My new found love of culinary lavender is quite well-known amongst my friends by now; it seems that whenever I talk about food lately, I'm describing the latest lavender Earl Grey tea I've tried (Revolution Tea has a blissful blend that is strong and aromatic), or the dark chocolate with lavender I ate (for this, Dagoba Organic chocolate), or the lavender-iced cupcake I enjoyed not too long ago. Even the chocolate shop where I work part-time recently debuted a specialty lavender hot chocolate, with the signature hot chocolate base, homemade vanilla whipped cream, and a sprinkling of culinary lavender buds on top, giving the drink a floral quality without being overpowering.

Lavender just seems to go well with so much in the foodie world, both in sweet and savory dishes. As I've looked for recipes, I've seen lavender sauces matched with duck and pork, it's included in beef Carpaccio dishes, paired with goat cheese in tarts, and roasted with tomatoes. For the majority of people I've spoken to, though, using lavender in foodstuff generally is a bit too adventurous. I, however, am all about adventure, which explains the wide range of ingredients that my baking cupboard contains.

Today was a beautiful day off from work (thanks, President's Day!) and as I walked through Woodland Park here in Seattle, my mind wandered to my baking, and why I have so quickly warmed to all things lavender. The reason, I mused, is that the very essence of lavender is soothing and calming, and what better way to infuse these properties into my life than to literally consume them? I know I was not considering this when I took the first sip of lavender tea or when I excitedly helped to put together the lavender hot chocolate at the shop, but it makes sense to me. I, like many others, use lavender body lotion and lavender candles to soothe myself at the end of the day: these things help me to relax and re-center myself. If I use lavender for these reasons, then why not take it a step farther by suffusing my diet with the herb? What other healing herbs can I make a mainstay in my kitchen, then?

It's a beautiful flower in sight and smell, and equally so in taste, as I'm discovering day by day.

This lavender recipe comes from Hood River Lavender in Oregon and is a wonderfully fragrant, bready dish that showcases lavender very well.

Lavender, Rosemary, Garlic and Olive Focaccia

Ingredients:
1 pound pre-made pizza dough
2 Tbsp olive oil (extra-virgin)
¼ cup pitted & chopped black olives
2 tsp chopped lavender buds
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp coarse salt
ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Lightly oil a large baking sheet. On a work surface, roll pizza dough out into an 8 x 14 rectangle. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and cover with a clean dish towel, let rise at room temperature for 20 min. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. After final rising on baking sheet, make dimples in dough with finger tips. Brush on 2 Tbsp olive oil; then add mixture of: 2 tsp chopped lavender, 2 Tbsp rosemary, 2 cloves minced garlic and chopped olives. Press into place, sprinkle with 1 tsp coarse salt & black pepper to taste. Bake 12 – 15 min. or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Cut into pieces to serve.

Celebrating with Sea Salt Caramel Brownies

It was my intention, with writing this blog, to stay away from opinions on all matters excluding those that are baking related, including politics. I feel that those who know me are aware of my political leanings, and I'm hardly the type to grab a soapbox to stand upon, shouting out my views on the state of the world.

That being said, I am quite excited to celebrate Inauguration Day. And how does one celebrate? If you are like many Seattlites I've been talking with over the past week, you will be taking a half day from work, going to a party, or finding a coffee shop or bar that will be broadcasting the event. If you are a baker like me, you will find a way to create a dessert based on Obama's favorite chocolate: Fran's sea salt caramel.

First, a word on these caramels: they exist on confectional level so far above the average chocolate, in taste, in originality, in quality, that to attempt to compare it to anything less than gourmet would be an abomination. Snobbish as that may sound, it's true: these caramels are unbelievable.

Eaten upside down, they deliver to the tongue an initial hit of salt (not the Morton's variety: real, course sea salt) mixed with a wonderfully creamy, sugary caramel, all of which mingle in the mouth taking moments to savor.

It was with this consumption method that I began to think of how I would make sea salted caramel brownies, so that they did not taste as though I had mis-measured the salt in the recipe. The brownie base itself is straightforward, but not commonplace: they are more cake-like and chocolatey without being too heavy. The caramel infuses the recipe with sweetness. And the sea salt gives the recipe depth of flavor.

What I did was, after greasing, sprinkle the sea salt over the bottom of the pan, then top it with the batter. I then gave the brownies another light sprinkling of sea salt before baking, and then topping with the caramel.

Another source of inspiration for these brownies is the salted caramel cupcake that is Cupcake Royale's flavor for the month of February (they rolled it out a bit early for the inauguration).

Both the cupcake and the brownies were, in my opinion, great successes: they both touched upon the idea of the glorious caramel confections while producing a terrific product, both of which stand alone as delicious creations that Obama would doubtlessly be proud of.

Sea Salt Caramel Brownies

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, cut into pieces
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup chopped nuts
12 caramels, unwrapped
1 tbsp. milk
2 tbsp. sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease a 9x9 -inch baking pan.

Melt 1 cup chocolate chips and butter in large, heavy-duty saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in eggs. Add flour, sugar, vanilla extract and baking soda; stir well. Sprinkle about 1 tbsp. of sea salt into the prepared baking pan, then pour in batter; sprinkle with remaining chunks and nuts.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky.

Microwave caramels and milk in small, microwave-safe bowl on high (100%) power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals; stir until smooth. Drizzle over warm brownies. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.