relaxing lavender latte

Can you believe it is already August?! I feel like this year is flying by at record speed. July was filled with travel and activity and early morning wake-up times, necessitating more caffeine than usual. The combination of stress and little sleep made this lavender latte the perfect weekend treat.

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Lavender bushes are in full bloom right now and they smell like a dream every time I walk by and catch a whiff.  The first time I remember seeing a lavender bush was in France when I was in elementary school.  We were in the south of France during a huge heat wave that melted the roads during the Tour de France that year, and it was scorching hot and very dry everywhere.  During our time in Provence, we visited Sénanque Abbey, which was surrounded by picturesque blooming lavender fields.  We have photos of my siblings and I in the middle of the lavender fields in front of the Abbey with rosy red cheeks from the heat and bleach blonde hair from the sun.  You can almost feel the heat radiating out of the photo when you look at it.  Now, every time I see a lavender bush I think of the lavender fields in the French countryside and that blazing hot, dry heat wave.

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But, I also think of relaxation.  Since lavender was blooming all over the area, lavender goods were all over the markets in Provence.  Large lavender soap cubes, lavender sachets, dried lavender bundles, lavender everywhere.  Just walking through the markets and smelling the lovely calming scent of the pretty purple flower was relaxing.

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While it might seem contradictory to call a caffeinated beverage a relaxing one, that is just what this lavender latte is.  It is for those mornings when you want to get off to a good, low-stress start, but need a little help from your friend, coffee.  Rather than infusing a simple syrup to make your drink ultra sweet, I opted for steeping the lavender directly in the milk that was used for the lattes.  The lavender milk warming on the stove makes your whole home smell like a relaxing retreat.  I loved smelling the wafts of lavender alongside freshly brewed coffee and hot Earl Grey tea in the morning.  It made the morning seem relaxed in the midst of a hectic schedule and set the tone for the rest of the day.  This lavender latte is creamy, calming and a delicious combination of flavors.  The beautiful frothed milk and small lavender buds make me want to sit down with another one now.

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I drink coffee when I need the caffeine, but am more of a tea drinker in general, so I tried to make this with both tea and coffee to see how it would taste.  Both versions were great, but the tea can get drowned out with the lavender milk, without enhancing the lavender, while the lavender flavor seemed stronger and was not at all overpowered by the coffee in that version

Lavender Latte
4 shots of espresso or strong coffee or strongly brewed tea
1-1 ½ cups your choice of milk
1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers

Add the milk and dried lavender to a small saucepan and heat it over low heat until it is warm and barely simmering. Make sure the milk doesn’t boil. This will take a while. Remove the milk from the heat and let the lavender continue to steep for about 5 more minutes (the longer the lavender is in the milk, the more lavender flavor it will provide).

While the lavender steeps, make your espresso, strong coffee or strongly brewed tea.

Pour the lavender milk through a strainer to remove the lavender buds. If you have a milk steamer or frother (we love our little frother!), use it to steam/froth your milk now. If you don’t have a steamer or a frother, you can put the milk in a jar with a tight lid and shake it until it looks frothy enough for your liking.

Divide the coffee between 2 mugs then pour in the milk and scoop any milk foam on top of your drink. Serve with sugar, to taste.

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Comments

  1. Hope,
    The blue and whie dishes look so pretty in your pictures! Enjoy reading your. Blog. It is nice to keep up with what is going on in your life.
    Mimi

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