Lavender is lovely to look at, and even more stunning to smell. But in the hands of the correct chef, it can be terrific to eat, too.
Seriously.
You can check out that theory at the upcoming 13th Annual Days of Wine and Lavender, being held at Matanzas Creek Winery June 27. From 1 to 4 p.m. The 1,500 acre Bennett Valley estate shows what it can cook with would-be potpourri, harvested from its terraced hillside entry garden flowing in an ocean of brilliant purple lavender bushes.
There will be wine tasting of course, from new and library bottlings, tours of the lavender fields and lavender processing barn, bocce ball, and live music.
Yet chef Constantino “Taki” Laliotitis hopes to distract us from all that with his menu. He gave me an advance peek at the line-up, and it looks delightful, featuring bites like lavender and watermelon gazpacho shooters; fennel and lavender shrimp escabèche; and romaine and radish salad with buttermilk and lavender ranch dressing. There will also be “little lamburgers” with lavender dusted sweet potato fries; and lavender-brined chicken kebabs with white grapes, verjus salsa verde and fines herbs atop pinenut-apricot couscous.
Never had the scented stuff? Lavender is a member of the mint family and is close to rosemary, sage, and thyme, with a sweet, floral flavor accented by lemon and citrus notes. Flowers and leaves can be used fresh, and both buds and stems can be used dried, though keep in mind that the potency of the flowers increases greatly with drying.
The key here, as with any pungent herb, is moderation. I’ve eaten lavender dishes elsewhere that tasted like I was licking a soap dish. The terms to keep in mind are “scented,” “perfumed,” “kissed,” and all those dainty applications. All of this, chef Laliotitis certainly knows very well, so this is an opportunity to taste how it’s expertly done.
If you do want lavender, soap, by the way, that will be available too, in the winery gift shop.
This event sells out every year so buy your tickets now ($95 per person).
Details: Matanzas Creek Winery, 6097 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa, 707-528-6464, matanzascreek.com
