I am always looking for refreshing summer beverages especially ones that use the fruits and herbs that we grow. When we have an over abundance of watermelon in the garden we make watermelon lemonade or watermelon raspberry lemonade. So with all the culinary lavender we harvest each year, I thought it would be cool to use some of that in our summer beverages. I am sharing several recipes that I have tried. They are all tasty and refreshing but there is something really special about the Lavender Blueberry Lemonade (blueberry, lemon and lavender are meant to be together!) Try them out and see which one you like the best.
Quick and Easy Lavender Lemonade (makes 5- 8ounce servings)
1 cup water
1 teaspoon culinary lavender buds
1 quart of your favorite lemonade
Fresh lemon for garnish and plenty of ice cubes
Add the water and lavender to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let steep for about ten minutes then strain off the lavender buds. Add the lavender infused water and ice cubes to the lemonade, mix, poor into glasses and garnish with fresh lemon.
Simply Lavender Lemonade (makes 6-8 ounce servings)
5 cups water
1 teaspoon culinary lavender buds
1 cup sugar or ½ cup honey
1 cup freshly squeezed (4-5 medium lemons) or bottled lemon juice
Lemon to garnish and plenty of ice cubes
Add 2.5 cups water, the sugar and the lavender to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let steep for ten minutes and strain off the lavender buds. Add 2.5 cups lavender infused sugar water with the remaining 2.5 cups water, the lemon juice and ice in a pitcher, mix, poor into glasses and garnish with fresh lemon. (I have seen recipes that add a cup of vodka. I have never tried it but it sounds really good)
Lavender Blueberry Lemonade (makes 7-8 ounce servings)
5 ½ cups water
1 teaspoon culinary lavender buds
¾ cup sugar or 3/8 cup honey
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4-5 medium lemons) or bottled lemon juice
½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Lemon to garnish and plenty of ice cubes
Add 2.5 cups water, the sugar and the lavender to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let steep for ten minutes then strain off the lavender buds. Puree ½ cup blueberries with ½ cup water in a blender or food processor. Mix together in a large pitcher the lemon juice, blueberry puree, lavender infused sugar water and 2.5 cups remaining water. Poor into ice filled glasses and garnish with fresh lemon.
You can order the lavender used in these recipes on our website.
Kathie Kesterson, Founder of Grandma’s Lavender