From the Garden to the Kitchen: Lavender Simple Syrup Recipe

From Scratch: How to Make Lavender Simple Syrup

Lavender is easiest to love when it is growing right outside the kitchen door.

Every July at Watergrasshill B&B, our lavender plants come into bloom, and every year, we can't resist cutting armfuls of it. It's one of our favorite things to grow, not least because it's a magnet for our bees; the hives on property keep busy all summer working the lavender. Some of what we harvest becomes little sachets tucked into your guest rooms at Watergrasshill. Some gets bundled into dried bouquets you can take home with you. And a good amount of it ends up right here in the kitchen, made into lavender simple syrup to use in lemonade, lattes and baked goods.

We get asked for this lavender simple syrup recipe all the time, so we figured it was finally time to share it. It's simple, it keeps for weeks in the fridge, and it's a lovely way to bring a little bit of the farm home with you. — whether your lavender came from our garden or your local farmers market.

Lavender Simple Syrup Recipe

Makes about 2.5 cups

Ingredients

• 2 cups water

• 2 cups granulated sugar

• 2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender buds

Instructions

1. Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves.

2. Bring just to a simmer, then remove from the heat and stir in the lavender buds. Mash them against the side of the pan to bruise them.

3. Cover and let steep 20-40 minutes. (Use the shorter time for a softer flavor and the longer time for a stronger one).

4. Strain out the buds through a fine mesh sieve into a jar or bottle.

5. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

How we use it

A splash in steamed milk and earl grey tea makes our favorite london fog latte, but it's just as good stirred into lemonade, iced tea, or a glass of sparkling water with a lemon twist.

London Fog Latte with homemade Lavender Simple Syrup

A lavender plant can start as a small garden experiment and become part of your kitchen rhythm. Harvest a few stems in summer, dry them in simple bundles, save the buds, and make one jar of syrup. That first homemade lavender latte has a way of making the whole process feel worth repeating. If you'd like to try lavender grown right here at our B&B, come and stay with us. We have a gift shop with lavender goods avaialble for purchase for overnight guests.

Grown, dried, and steeped at Watergrasshill Bed & Breakfast, Gardiner, NY.