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Harrow Fair Cookbook

Just in time for the Holidays we have signed copies of the award winning Harrow Fair Cookbook available. Quantities are limited so order early to avoid disappointment!

http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=e13505312

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Holiday Hours

Serenity will be open for your holiday shopping convenience on Saturdays and Sundays from 11-5pm until December 11th, 2011. Serenity’s products make great stocking stuffers and house warming gifts.

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Save the Date- Celebrating Homegrown Talent!

Save the dates,  November 25th, 26th and 27th!  Just in time for all that holiday shopping come discover a fantastic  assortment of one-of-a -kind holiday gifts from our local fine arts and fine crafts exhibitors. Serenity Lavender will be there featuring not only our culinary artistry with our culinary lavender, special spice blends including herbes de provence, barbeque, thai and curry rubs but also our every popular lavender jelly and our new line up of jams!  We’ll also be offering a new line of lavender Holiday ornaments.  All handcrafted and made from our locally grown lavender!  Come visit us!

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Lavender Crème Brulee

If you love crème brulee you must try this recipe.  The delicate floral flavor of lavender is heavenly!

YielLavCremeBrulee-smallerds: 6 to 8 servings
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min

 

 

 

Ingredients:

4 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon Serenity Lavender’s Culinary lavender
8 egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, add cream and the lavender flowers; heat just to a simmer. Remove from heat and allow lavender flowers to infuse with the cream for 15 minutes. Strain cream mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove lavender flowers.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until light and creamy. Slowly add the strained cream to the egg mixture, blending well. Divide custard mixture among the custard cups.

Arrange the custard cups in a oven proof roasting or baking pan.  Prepare water for the water bath by bringing enough water to a simmer. Carefully pour the hot water into the baking pan to come half-way up the sides of the custard cups.

Bake 60 minutes or until set around the edges but still loose in the center. The cooking time will depend largely on the size of the custard cups you are using, but begin checking at a half hour and check back regularly. When the center of the custard is just set, it will jiggle a little when shaken, that’s when you can remove it from the oven.

Remove from oven and leave in the water bath until cooled. Remove cups from water bath and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

When ready to serve, sprinkle approximately 2 teaspoons of remaining sugar over each crème brulee and using a small hand-held torch melt the sugar until a golden brown crust is formed.

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Lavender and Pistachio Encrusted Rack of Lamb

Impress your guests with this beautiful pistachio crusted roast rack of lamb using Serenity’s Herbes de Provence and Culinary Lavender.  Sweet, nutty pistachios are added to a traditional Dijon mustard crust, which gives the lamb a great flavor and texture.
Local Lamb is available at Ewe’s Dell Family Farms. Visit their website at http://www.ewedell.ca
Makes 4 Portions Pistachio Crusted Roast Rack of Lamb
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes  

Ingredients:

  • 2 fully trimmed racks of lamb (just under 1 1/2 pounds each)
  • 1 teaspoon Serenity Lavender’s Herbes de Provence, or dried Italian herb blend
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • For the crust:
  • 2/3 cup finely chopped roasted pistachios
  • 2 tablespoon plain bread crumbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon Serenity Lavender’s Culinary Lavender  finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • pinch of salt and fresh ground black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Season the lamb very generously with the fresh black pepper and salt to taste. Sprinkle over and press in the dried herbs. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet, and brown the lamb racks on both sides for a few minutes over high heat. Remove to a roasting pan and reserve.

Use a brush or spoon to spread the Dijon mustard over the surfaces of the lamb. Spread some on the sides and ends, but most should remain on the top surface.

Combine the crust ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Divide between the 2 racks of lamb, and sprinkle over to cover the mustard-spread surface. Once evenly distributed, press gently with your fingers to makes sure it’s adhering to the mustard.

Place in the preheated oven and cook for 25 minutes, or until the internal temp is 125-130 degrees F, for medium-rare. Remove and let rest 10 minutes before slicing between the bones and serving. Garnish with a sprig of Lavender!

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Farm Hiker Tour this Sunday

Well at Serenity Lavender we are busily preparing for this awesome event.  This coming Sunday you can visit six different farms including ours.  At Serenity you will be able to touch see and smell the lavender.  There will be farm tours, pruning demonstrations and of course shopping!  We hope to see you at Serenity this Sunday between 10 am and 5 pm.

To see all the participating farms visit:

http://www.ecfa.ca/main/index.php?page=farmhiker.php

http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2011/08/30/farm-hiker-tour-back-sept-18/

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Poached Lavender Peaches

Peaches, Lavender and  Harrow go hand in hand.  Did you know that varieties such as Harrow Beauty, Harrow Fair,  Harbright and Harrow Diamond, just to name a few, were developed right in our own backyard at the Agriculture  Agri-food Canada Harrow Research Station?  While we no longer celebrate these achievements at the Peach Festival, but we still love our peaches which are bursting with sweet rich ripeness right now and available at your local Harrow fruit stands picked just hours before your purchase.

So this season for something try the  flavours of lavender and peach

Ingredients:

6  -8  peaches

2 cups of water

1 cup of sugar

1 Tablespoon of Serenity’s culinary lavender

1 bay leaf or clove

Preparation

In a medium saucepan combine the sugar and water and over medium heat stir until the sugar is  disolved and the mixture is clear.  Remove from heat and add the lavender and bay leaf and steep for 10-15 minutes.  Strain the herbs from the liquid and return the liquid to the saucepan and bring to a boil.  Add  peaches and cook for 2-3 minutes until the peaches are tender.  I like mine a bit firmer.  Remove peaches from the liquid with a slotted spoon. Let them cool down a bit. Peel the skin, pit and slice in half.   Continue to cook until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup.   Place 2 peach halves on a plate and drizzle with syrup. Serve with ice cream or for something more decadent try it with marscapone cheese or devon cream.  Garnish with a fresh lavender sprigs, mint or bay leaf.

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Fall Hours

Serenity Lavender is happy to announce its fall hours.  We will be open throughout the Fall on Saturdays & Sundays from 11AM-5PM.

Spend a beautiful, Fall weekend with us at Serenity Lavender!

Coming soon: Lavender Christmas ornaments

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Farm Hiker Tour

This is a self-guided driving tour that allows you to pick and choose which farms on the map you would like to visit. The tour provides lots of new things to see and learn for families and friends of all ages. All you need is a car, your hiker map, sturdy footwear and an open mind to truly enjoy the day.

Sunday September 18th 2011

Maps will be available September 1st 2011

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Yoga 4 Hope

Windsor – Essex County’s annual all day outdoor Yoga event created and hosted by the Pajama Angels (local grass roots charity) that raise monies, action & ‘change$’ for our local community as well as support Proactive Breast Health in our community.

Yoga, Exhibitors, Nutrition, Raffles, door prizes & more!

Mats can be rented for $2 but there is a limited quantity.

Location : Vollmer Culture & Recreation Complex

Saturday August 22nd 2011 8AM – 2AM

Classes every hour starting at 8AM

Cost: $50 for the full day

$40 for the headliner only

$15 for any one class

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