LAVENDER

Lavender, whilst best known for its strong floral scent, is sweet-tasting with a hint of citrus. Most often used in Mediterranean cooking, it forms part of the classic dried mixture of herbes de Provence and is sometimes used to flavour vinegar and savoury applications in place of rosemary. Lavender is equally at home with buttery baked goods and makes a beautiful foil for dark chocolate. Try pulling apart a cluster of fresh lavender flowers and sprinkling them over ice cream or custards along with fragrant fruit.