I’ve learned enough to know there’s no agreed standard for this blend, but I have no deep knowledge of what distinguishes or recommends a particular formulation.
Does lavender have a place in yours? Is yours always made from dried leaf? Is there a commercial blend that, IYO, stands tall? What is your replacement schedule?
I ordered some from Amazon. No lavender added. From France.
Great. Let us know what you think, especially if the disclose the %s in the blend.
I’ve read that HdP is shelf stable for a long time, so it sounds like buying premium or superpremium product would work for people on any budget.
I buy mine from Penzey’s, and it does have lavender in it, but a judicious amount IMO. Still, when using, everyone in the house knows they need to use a light hand with it. I love the taste of lavender in extreme moderation. Have never made my own, but would be open to it.
I get treading lightly with lavender.
Ina Garten loathes it, along with cilantro.
I’ll delete this and put it over there on the other thread.
I have had it for months. I like it .
It was the straight from France mix .
8.8 oz . Around fifteen dollars.
I’ve not used it in a goodly while - it just doesnt seem to crop up in recipes any more. But, when I did buy, it was the standard supermarket own label product which always has a good mix of herbs
https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/herbs-and-spices-all/sainsburys-herbs-de-provence-14g
HdP in France doesnt have lavender in French supermarkets and shops where locals shop. It is rosemary, thyme, savory, and marjoram.
It reeks of lavender in tourist shops.
I adore the scent of lavender, but abhor it in my food (and my students in France were aghast that it would be included in HdP)
I buy McCormick Organic HdP…its made by Ducros, their French subsidiary.
I don’t have a bottle of premix dried herbs at home, I have bottles of each herbs seperately, but basically I avoid using dried leaves, maybe only once or twice a year, when either running out of fresh herbs. I don’t like dried herbs, the taste is very different from fresh. But since I always have a bush of rosemary, thyme and bay all your round. Other varieties depending on season if they are available, like savory, oregano, marjoram or tarragon. Some people also include sage and basil.
I guess it’s all about the dish you are cooking, and personal preference in choosing which herbs in the above range. For me the base is always thyme and bay leaves.
No, never lavender in herbes de provence, it’s not a herb, it’s a flower. You can use lavender in desserts.
Easy to make yourself… the basic proportions are:
Lavender is not used normally in cooking in France… except for some fancy recipes, and some desserts.
I brought home a (huge!) 500gr bag from Provence some years ago. I portion it out in a 2 oz jar for kitchen use and keep the reagent bag in the freezer. No deterioration that I notice.
My dictionary defines an herb as: “any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume.”
And aren’t the flowers of many herbs also used to flavor food? https://harvesttotable.com/herbs-edible-flowers/
I bet you are right. Here in France, when they talk about herbes, they don’t include lavender, but flowers of thyme, why not.
I have tried to grow them in pots, not much luck, I was too heavy hand with watering. My neighbour has more sun in her garden and her pots are much bigger than mine, she is successful with it and the smell! Lavender can be used to infused with cream in panna cotta type of dessert, or syrup for ice cream. It’s very strong, so need to dose them well.
Some years back, I made two batches of creme brulee, one meyer lemon, the other lavender. At the end, there wasn’t enough of either for a full serving so I combined the two, Both the lemon and the lavender were superb, but the combo was FABULOUS!
We have a lavender plant in our bathroom; it’s the perfect place for it.
The aroma is amazing.
I don’t understand why people have a tendency to eat these things.
I like Penzeys’ version - theirs includes lavender. Not a lot, but enough for me.
Hand-mixed from: rosemary, cracked fennel, thyme, savory, basil, French tarragon, dill weed, Turkish oregano, lavender, chervil and marjoram.
Interesting mix.
