The Lavender Cookbook

Most American cooks limit their culinary herb repertoire to staples like basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme and chives. But if Shipley has anything to say about it, they'll soon be incorporating lavender into their roster. Not just for sachets and bubble baths, lavender can be used (and is widely in France) in everything from iced tea to muffins to veal scaloppine. The author, who owns and directs Mon Cheri Cooking School and Caterers in Sunnyvale, Calif., divides her book by season. Spring's""fresh and enlivening"" dishes include Petite Lavender Scones and Lavender Tropical Fruit Gazpacho.""Sumptuous"" summer fare features California Lavender Pasta Salad and Grilled Lavender Lamb Chops. Among the""earthy and flavorful"" autumn plates are Taos Lavender Potato Soup and Lavender Mulled Wine. And in winter, home cooks might try""warming and hearty"" Lavender Chicken Chili with White Beans. In experimenting with the more than 120 recipes, readers will learn that lavender goes well with red meat and can act as a catalyst to bring out other flavors in many unexpected dishes. Helpful introductory notes lay out the basics for each recipe.