Lavender Recipes for Summer Entertaining

photography by Ari Nordhagen

Lavender Lemonade

Lowe’s Lavender Farm / CANBY
Michelle Lowe, farmer

SERVES 6-8

FOR LAVENDER SIMPLE SYRUP

Ingredients:

FOR LEMONADE

Ingredients:

Instructions:

FOR LAVENDER SIMPLE SYRUP

Bring water to a boil, add sugar and stir until dissolved.
Add lavender bud, and stir until all bud is submerged. Smash buds against the pot with a spoon to release oils and color. Remove from heat, cover with a lid and let steep for at least 30 minutes. Allow mixture to cool before straining bud.
Strain bud using a coffee filter or cheesecloth. Store leftover syrup in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

FOR LEMONADE

Lowe’s Lavender Farm / CANBY
Michelle Lowe, farmer

SERVES 1 EACH

Ingredients:

1 salmon fillet
Olive oil (enough to coat top of salmon)
Mayonnaise (enough to coat skin side of salmon)
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Old Bay seasoning, to taste (or seasoning of your choice)
1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey (if you prefer a sweeter taste)
3-4 fresh or dried lavender stems (if using dried stems, soak in water for at least an hour)
Lemon slice

Instructions:

Coat the top of salmon fillet with olive oil and the bottom (skin side) with mayonnaise. Season the top of fillet with salt, pepper and Old Bay (or seasonings of your choice). For a sweeter taste, add a little brown sugar or honey.
Place 3-4 lavender stems on a small sheet of foil, and then place the salmon fillet on top of the lavender stems. Add a lemon slice or two to the top of the fillet, and then fold the sheet of foil loosely over the top of the fillet.
Grill at 350 degrees until the internal temperature of the fillet is 145 degrees. Remove fillet from the grill, and plate with desired sides (roasted red potatoes and asparagus are terrific accompaniments). Add a sprig of lavender for garnish, and enjoy!

Amaterra / PORTLAND
Tyler Voelker and Taylor Pante, mixologists

MAKES 1 COCKTAIL

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Lavender Veil Cocktail

Amaterra / PORTLAND Tyler Voelker and Taylor Pante, mixologists

Serving:

MAKES 1 COCKTAIL

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Combine first 4 ingredients together, shake and strain into a martini glass. Top with sparkling wine.

Lemon Lavender Poundcake Waffles

Ambar Estate / NEWBERG Heidi Whitney-Schile, winery chef

Serving:

SERVES 2-4

Ingredients:

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a food processor, combine lavender, lemon and sugar. Pulse until the mixture is thoroughly combined and has a fine texture. You want to make sure the lavender is evenly distributed throughout the sugar.
Transfer your lavender-sugar mixture from the food processor to your mixing bowl or stand mixer. If you are using a stand mixer, attach a paddle attachment. Add softened butter to the bowl, and combine. If you are using a stand mixer, turn on medium-high speed, and combine. Whip together for approximately 5 minutes until light and fluffy. The sugar should also shift color to a lighter yellow.
Turn your mixer down to medium speed, and add the eggs one at time, scraping the bowl between each addition. (If your eggs are not room temperature, your mixture might look a little broken, but don’t worry—it will be okay in the end.)
Turn the mixer to low speed, and add your flour mixture in 3 batches, adding milk in between each addition of dry flour. Slowly mix batter until smooth; now it’s ready to use.
Spray waffle iron with nonstick, and scoop batter in. Cook until the waffle becomes golden-brown.
Optional: Top the waffles with powdered sugar and fresh blueberries when serving. Enjoy!