Is your dog's unusual barking a secret code for something mysterious?

[Lesley]

I'm going to make more cordial today and also more of the mint cordial and I'm going to try a Lavender Cordial.....the whole kitchen is going to be sticky again

[Guest]

I'm going to make more cordial today and also more of the mint cordial and I'm going to try a Lavender Cordial.....the whole kitchen is going to be sticky again

 

I quite like the idea of mint and lavender cordial... you will have to share your secret recipe Lesley....

[Charlottechicken]

Here's the mint cordial recipe and thread, Quin.

 

mint cordial thread

 

I'd be interested to see the lavender cordial recipe, though I only have enough lavender to make a few biscuits. I bought culinary grade lavender from Norfolk Lavender from their catalogue a few years ago but haven't visited their website yet.

 

[Lesley]

I just Googled for a lavender cordial recipe and found this one http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Refreshing-Lavender-Cordial-236517. I started it last night but was too tired and instead of straining it and boiling it down I left it in the saucepan overnight......I tasted some at lunchtime and it does taste very lavendery......I might finish it later

[Charlottechicken]

That looks the same as the recipe I found on the new INEBG forum, Lesley. I can manage 50 lavender heads but only from a papillion one at the moment, and i'm not sure it's suitable

[Lesley]

I made double the recipe and can't for the life of me see why you need a 1 pint bottle Mine's still in the saucapan but it's probably about 1 pint.

 

I think I'd be inclined to take the flowers off the stalks next time - mine has an astringent aftertaste, but it's quite nice. Would be good on ice cream, perhaps a lavendr and honey ice cream with lavender flowers in it

[Ygerna]

Is it individual flowers, or 50 whole heads?

[Charlottechicken]

Ooh, not sure! I understood it to be 50 flower heads, for strength I suppose. The recipe I found on INEBG doesn't elaborate either, it's virtually the same as Lesleys

[Lesley]

It is 50 whole heads - only a handful. As I said, I would pick the whole head but then remove all the flowers from the heads so that there are no stalks. I'm sure it was the stalk part which gave it an odd taste At the moment, it is a waste of a bottle

[Ygerna]

Mine didn't have much of a lavender taste to it at all Think perhaps I didnt put enough in, and, needed to boil it to syrupy stage for longer.

 

Better luck next time though.

[sunshinesupernova]

sounds lovely.... pity I hammered back my lavender bush a few months ago. I'm not sure if it's dead or not yet - it could surprise me !

[kinsk]

Might have to check out the motherships lavender bushes this week