Posts tagged culinary
Mustard Pretzel Chicken
I'm currently in a "clean out the pantry" mode. Anyone else read Marie Kondo's book? We are currently in a major purge phase over here. And luckily for you, that means a great new recipe was invented. 

I had a bag of half eaten mustard pretzels and I didn't want to just toss them, but I didn't want them taking up real estate in my somewhat limited pantry space. So Mustard Pretzel Chicken was born. The chicken comes out nice and juice, with a tart and tangy crunch on the outside. 


Ingredients: 
3 large chicken breasts
2 cups mustard pretzels 
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon culinary lavender
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey mustard
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper

Directions: 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. You will need to use a food processor for this recipe. I tried getting around it and just hand smashing my preztels with a rolling pin, but I couldn't get them small enough. So just go ahead and pull out your food processor. Luckily we will use it for 2 steps in this recipe. Pulse your pretzels until they are fairly course chunks. You don't want them to be powdery like a flour, but you don't want huge pieces either. Place them in a bowl and set aside. 

Then with your food processor running, add your oil, lavender, vinegar, both mustards, water, and salt and pepper. Process until well emulsified then add 1/2 of that into a shallow dish. Dredge your chicken with the mustard sauce, then cover each side with pretzel crumbs. Place it on a wire baking rack and place it on the top shelf of your oven. Bake for about 30-40 minutes depending on how large your chicken breasts are. You want to make sure they are cooked through. When you are done you can serve this over lettuce and use the remaining mustard sauce as dressing. 


This chicken manages to be both crunchy and juicy at the same time. If you are a mustard fan, you will certainly love this meal. And the lavender really makes the sauce. I'm always surprised when I can taste subtle hints of lavender in a dish, how well it really elevates the flavor. Let us know what you think!

How to use Lavender Salt
We make a delicious Lavender Salt here on the farm. It's something most people have never seen or thought to use. Lavender Salt actually has many diverse uses. It makes a fragrant rub for lamb or chicken. It adds an unusual and subtle flavor to freshly cooked vegetables. Sprinkle a little lavender salt on any type of fish filet with a little olive oil and garlic and you have a great meal on your hands! 


The salt we use in our Lavender sea salt is from the coast of Brittany in France. it is harvested and sifted using the same traditional celtic methods of long ago. This sea salt is world renowned for it’s superior flavor and quality. We take this salt and infuse our organic Lavender into it and make it even better. We use this salt on everything!


It's so beautiful and unique that it makes a wonderful gift for any friends or family who love to cook as well. Sometimes your every day ordinary recipes just need a little tweak to take them to the next level. Well Lavender Salt can do just that. Everyone at dinner will be wondering what that little extra something is, and only you will and I will know. Its our little culinary secret. 

Order your own Lavender Salt HERE 
Melissa Lavender
Melissa is one variety of lavender we grow here at the Lavender Apple Farm.



Melissa is an english lavender. It's tightly compact pink and white spikes make this a great plant for borders in gardens or for a beautiful contrast in bouquets.  Melissa is our earliest bloomer.  It's delicate slightly lemon scent make it an excellent choice for use in savory dishes.  



The Melissa essential oil is a very sought after and expensive oil.  The oil was written about by Nicolas Culpeper in 1653  " It causeth the mind and heart to become merry, and reviveth the heart, faiting, sleep and driveth away all."



Melissa essential oil is also an important ingredient in Carmelite water (distilled in france in 1611 by the carmelite order).



Well there is your lavender lesson for the month. Let us know if you'd like any of our Melissa Lavender to try in your culinary adventures, or perhaps to compliment a white color scheme in your home decor. We are happy to make custom orders! 

Organic Culinary Lavender
Peggy's years spent living in France obviously inspired her love of lavender. She is a wonderful cook and never tires of hearing how home chefs have utilized our artisanal organic culinary lavender to elevate their dishes. 



Provencal chefs have used lavender in their cooking for centuries. Culinary lavender adds delicate floral and herbal notes to many signature french dishes. Lavender is a mint relative and can enhance the flavor of almost anything from roasted meats to homemade sweets. 

Our fragrant handcut lavender buds are subtly floral with hints of mint and citrus. Lavender is a natural partner for roast chicken or lamb. A tiny pinch of lavender can enhance any sauce or soup you create. Lavender enlivens homemade ice-cream and is perfect for creme brûlée. 

Here are a few of our favorite lavender dishes that have been featured on this blog:

Lavender Apple Tart

Carmel Sauce

Cream of Corn

Herb Butter

Lavender Simple Syrup & Peaches

Lavender Lemonade

Lemon Lavender Macaroons

Our organic culinary lavender is one of our favorite artisanal spices that our family owned farm harvests. What have you made with Lavender? Do you have any recipes you'd like to see Peggy try?