Location: John R. Park Homestead
Time: August 7th 2011
Event that promotes buying local by showcasing local food and wine. The homestead also has a craft fair displaying artists performing lost arts such as quilting and weaving. Meet local farmers, try local foods, and enjoy the artistic talent in your community!
If you love peaches, you’ll fall in love with these Honey Roasted lavender peaches.
Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 large ripe peaches, halved and pitted
1/4 cup local honey
2 Sprigs fresh lavender
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons of mascarpone cheese
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Coat a 7×11 pan with butter, arrange the peaches cut half facing upwards. Drizzle honey over peaches, and add lavender and lemon zest.
3. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven, and spoon honey from baking dish over the peaches. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until peaches are softened and golden.
4. Top warm peach halves with 1 teaspoon mascarpone cheese, drizzle with some honey from the baking pan.
Great on the grill or under the broiler!
Ingredients
8 lamb chops
1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
4 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons Serenity’s dried culinary lavender
1 large garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper
Directions:
In a saucepan mix the vinegar, sugar, garlic and lavender and bring to a boil stirring constantly then reduce heat and continue to cook over low until the volume is reduce by half and the mixture thickens. Set asice.
Season the lamb chops with salt and pepper then grill or broil for 4-5 minutes per side or until cooked to your liking. Remove from heat and serve while hot atop of a bed of garlic mashed potatoes and spinach with the balsamic reduction drizzled over top of the chops.
Grilled asparagus is a perfect side to this easy but elegant dish.
Bon Appetit!
A simple delightful herbal tea that’s easy to make and incredibly refreshing! Perfect for a summer garden party or barbeque especially on these hot humid Essex County days.
Ingredients
Directions
Pour the boiling water over mint and lavender leaves. Steep for 10 minutes, then strain. Sweeten with honey refrigerate until chilled. Cool and serve over ice. Garnish with lavender sprigs.
Keeping lavender plants in shape is one of the best ways of maintaining a healthy and vigorous bush. Pruning at Serenity Lavender begins when the plant is still in the greenhouse and continues once or twice a year for the whole life of the plant. The best time to prune is in the fall after bloom. Both the top and sides of the plant need to be pruned to generate new growth and prevent legginess or splitting of the branches. Some varieties have a sprawling habitat and a nice thick bush for a lavender plant is the optimal goal. As a general rule, the lavender plant may be pruned back by one third. Be sure to trim only the soft green branches and not get into the wood of the plant.
In the springtime pruning may be required to regenerate growth after a harsh winter. Cut back any dead wood until you see green in the stems. If there has been a lot of winter damage it may be wise to prune in stages over a number of years to slowly bring the plant back to its vibrant self. Although the plants sold at Serenity Lavender are suitable Zones 4-5 (we are zone 6a), winter survival is influenced by location, plant size, mulch type, plant cover and of course temperature.
Otherwise, pruning your Serenity Lavender plant in the spring should be minimal (only on the sides), if any at all, to allow for a full flowering show in July.
Use Serenity’s Herbes de Provence on your favourite vegetables or potatoes including parsnips, carrots, turnips, sweet potatoes, eggplant and peppers. Prepare your vegetables and coat with olive oiland add a tablespoon of Serenity’s Herbes de Provence. Bake at 375◦ until tender – about 35 – 40 minutes.
Serenity Lavender is pleased to be a part of a 4 year reasearch project to identify lavender varieties suitable for Ontario growing conditions. The project involves seven farm sites, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the University of Guelph. Twenty two lavender varieties are being reviewed. While the project got off to a bit of a slow start with some plants dying while being shipped, an interim report has now been released. The initial results suggest that fabric mulch and sandy soils, such as those found at Serenity Lavender resulted in a larger plant size and better quality plant shape. The French lavadin varieties also had abetter shape and size compared to the English or angustifolia varieties. Winter survival will be assessed in the spring this year and the results across Ontario will be interesting given the large amount of snowfall and cold conditions experienced.
We’re getting a jump on Spring! The Lavender is growing in leaps and bounds in the greenhouse.
Save the dates for our plant sale
Saturday and Sunday, May 21st and 22nd.
Saturday and Sunday May 28th and 29th.
9 am-5 pm
Come early to avoid disappointment some varieties are limited in quantity. A availibility and price list will be posted later in the season.
Discover Historic County Road 50
July 23rd and 24th, 2011
Be sure to stop at Serenity Lavender and take part in our crafter’s and gardening workshops, cooking demonstrations, farm tours and of course shop for your hand crafted lavender home, culinary and bath products.
We look forward to seeing you again this year!
