2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
1 300 ml can of sweetened condensed milk
1 Tbsp ground lavender
3 Tbsp melted butter
Combine all ingredients into a double boiler. Sir constantly until chocolate is melted and smooth. Place in a 8×8 ” lined pan and cool overnight in the refrigerator until firm. Cut into pieces and top with fresh lavender, a sprinkle of lavender salt or cocoa powder
Makes 20 small pieces.
Yes, it is that time of year again when we gather round the big screen television to watch the superbowl. Or for those who are not football fans at the least the half time show. This North American tradition has become something more – its a celebration of friendship, family and food. That food is usually pizza, wings and all kinds of snack foods but why not shake it up a bit and try something with a twist of lavender- yes I said lavender. Here’s a recipe that we love with the added zest and herbal flavours of lavender.
Ingredients:
1 cup of pecans
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup Sugar
2 dried red chile peppers
2 tsp lavender
Method:
Combine the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat constantly stirring to avoid the sugar from burning. Add the pecans and return to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Arrange the pecans evenly on a baking sheet. Bake at 250 degrees until the pecans start to lightly brown.
Cool and serve.
We had the pleasure last summer of a visit from The Great Canadian Adventure Tour. We were not only thrilled to host them but we really had a blast showing them around the farm and being a part of the filming. Thanks guys for making us a stop!
Lavender is perhaps nature’s most alluring herb. It has been said to be the herb of love. The Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, certainly knew this! It’s said that she used it to capture the heart of not only Julius Ceasar but Mark Antony as well. Egyptians used lavender not only as a perfume added to their waters and baths but also for embalming their dead. They knew that essential oils beautify the inside of you body as well as the outside.
We introduced the Tour to the many uses of lavender – from culinary to aromatherapy. 
It looks like we got 2 thumbs up as a place to visit. As they put it “its a uniquely tranquil destination experience”, but take a look for yourself!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWV6lSRFJxg
Today was a beautiful sunny day at Serenity Lavender Farm and it reminded me of our recent trip to the Carribean where we saw butterflies that looked like the same beautiful monarchs that flitter about our lavender plants each year. Each year we are blessed to experience the spectacular monarch migration each fall. But we’ve discovered that while we have many photos taken by us and our friends of the beautiful butterflies that allure our visitors to come to the farm, the regal monarch butterfly has always remained illusive to the camera lens. So this year we have made a resolution here at Serenity Lavender Farm and that is to capture that gorgeous monarch butterfly on film ( although its not really film anymore with digital photography). So this year we invite you to come photograph that illusive monarch or to simply enjoy the spectacular show of the flight of the butterflies at our beautiful farm.
At Serenity Lavender Farm we love this time of year. As winter sets in and days get cooler, its hard to imagine not having a delicious bowl of soup. We’ve put a twist on an old time favourite- Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 Tbsp Serenity Lavender culinary lavender
1/4 cup water
3 cups chicken stock
3/4 tsp salt
2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 c chopped onion
1/4 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
Instructions
Bring dried lavender blossoms and water to boiling. Remove from heat and allow mixture to steep 10 minutes. Strain liquid, discarding blossoms. Set lavender infusion aside.
In a saucepan combine chicken stock, onion, garlic, pumpkin, thyme. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, whisk in lavender insfusion and whip cream. Season with salt and ground peppercorns
Ladle soup into warm bowls. Garnish each with a spoonful of sour cream and, if desired, dried lavender.
This recipe yields 4 servings.
A great winter holiday drink take the chill away!
2 quarts apple cider
1 cup of brandy or rum
1/2 cup dried cranberries
12 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon crushed whole cloves
2 Tablespoons whole allspice
1 Tablespoon Serenity’s Culinary Lavender
Instructions
Combine the ciders and spices in a large saucepan. Simmer for about 10 minutes but do not boil.
Strain the spices and discard, preserving the liquid in a pitcher.
Add the brandy/rum. Mix well
Pour the mixture into
cups or mugs garnished with apple, cinnamon sticks or sprigs of dried lavender and a serve.
Makes 12 servings
Serenity Lavender Farm Christmas Open house
We are pleased to announce the opening and dedication of our labyrinth and Binational Peace Garden. The peace garden celebrates not only the 200 years of peace between Canada and the United States but also Rotary International’s goal of Peace in the world.
We hear the word peace every day. We hear it in the news, we use it in conversation, but most of us spend very little time thinking about what peace means to us.
In its simplest level, peace can be defined by what it is not – a state where there is no war, no violence, no hostility, no conflict, no persecution and no fear. But we can also define peace by what it is, and by what it can be. Peace can mean freedom of thought, opinion and choice. It can mean security, stability, and respect. It can simply be the acceptance of the basic humanity. On a more abstract level, peace is a sense of happiness, tranquility – Serenity.
As Canadians many of us have been touched by war. The Serenity Peace Garden is in the form of a 5 circuit Baltic labyrinth. Unlike a maze it is a single path. We welcome you to walk the path and contemplate your meaning of peace and the humanity that binds us all.
Binational Alliance Peace Garden – SerenityLaunch Invitation
As the evenings cool down I start thinking about simple fall time recipes and here is one that takes no time at all and is great to feed a family of 4
Ingredients
potatoesMix the salt, pepper and herbes de provence together. Rub the mixture underneath the skin and the rest on the outside of the chicken. Place the chicken in a roasting pan. Place vegetables around the outside of the pan. Roast at 380°F about 1hr 20 minutes. Serves 4.
Enjoy this refreshing drink with a twist of local seasonal flavours of blueberries and lavender!
Ingredients
10 mint leaves
1 oz. lavender syrup (recipe to follow below)
juice of 1/2 pressed lime or a 1/8 of a cup
20 Blueberries
1 & 1/2 ounces white rum club
soda
In tall glass crush mint leaves, lavender syrup, lime juice, 15 blueberries and rum. Mix just enough to combine flavors and the blueberries are slightly open. Fill shaker with crushed ice pour the syrup mixture overtop and top with Club Soda. Shake until well blended. Garnish with blueberries on a cocktail pick and fresh lavender.
Lavender Syrup
1/4 cup of Serenity Lavender Culinary Lavender
1 Cup of Water
1/2 Cup Sugar
In a small saucepan bring water to a boil add lavender, cover and let steep for 20 minutes. Using a sieve strain the lavender. Return to stove and over medium heat add sugar stirring until it is all dissolved. Place in a container and refrigerate.
This syrup is handy to have around to make other drinks inlcuding lavender lemonade thru the summer! Courtesy of Wine Enthusiast Magazine.