The Lavender Companion: Enjoy the Aroma, Flavor, and Health Benefits of This Classic Herb

This three-in-one home economics, cooking, and gardening guide covers all the uses of Lavandula—its cleansing, calming, and culinary properties—and details which of many varieties is best for each home project. Vesci owns and operates the Pine Creek Lavender Farm and Cooking School in Pine, AZ, but for those who cannot visit Arizona, this companion is the perfect alternative. Vesci provides recipes for using lavender topically on the skin, including a sugar scrub, a wellness soak, and a face wash. These and other recipes make use of lavender’s unique ability to moisturize skin without clogging pores. Lavender’s antimicrobial properties also make it the perfect ingredient for cleaning home surfaces—instructions for a home spray cleaner are included. Most of Vesci’s recipes, however, focus on lavender’s fragrance and taste. A third of the book is devoted to savory and sweet recipes that make use of homemade lavender sugar, jam, and seasoning rubs. In these recipes, lavender is used to flavor sweets, meats, salads, and even lattes. Growing and harvest instructions complete the volume.