Lavender - should it be in food?

[Cattermole]

Curious what people think...

Just had some Co Op Blackcurrant and Lemon ice cream.
DH thought it was lush.
The Junior Engineer thought it tasted like soap.

I checked the ingredients and it said "... with a hint of lavender".

Essential oil, soap, room fragrance, candles, linen spray, all of those things.
BUT.
Does it work in food, I ask you?

Lavender ice cream, cupcakes, flapjacks, yes. I cook with lavender.

Lavender is a common ingredient in provencale cooking. And it's quite lovely! My favourite is lavender creme brulee but it's also delicious in ice cream and biscuits.

I had lavender cheesecake at an Italian restaurant when we went to Guernsey. It was unusual but quite nice

Had an amazing lavender cocktail in a super chic Soho bar five years ago. I even took its picture! Never seen that anywhere since (but I don't get out much).

Waitrose do some fab little lavender shortbread hearts, lovely with strawberries and cream.

I’ve had delicious honey and lavender ice cream and a lemon and lavender tart in the south of France, so I’m a fan of lavender.

I’m sure Rick Stein has a braised steak recipe including lavender, I must try it sometime.

I can’t stand it, tastes either too artificial or too soapy.

I love lavender ice cream, but can't find it in the UK. Also the Waitrose biscuits.

Y-u-u-u-u-m!

I once had some lovely buscuits with lavender sugar. But you have to be carful not to overdo it.

It’s lovely in earl grey, really complements the bergamot.

A little in lavender shortbread or creme brulee is lovely but agree with all those saying it needs to be subtle to remain herby

I had lavender in a creamy white fish pasta sauce. Sea bass, cream and lavender flowers. I think there was nutmeg, too.
It was delicious and really lifted the dish to a restaurant level experience.

@lentilbolognese that sounds divine!
I love lavender in food and cocktails but my dh hates it!

Wehn Ryland clark was in mastercheff didn,t he do a trio of Lavender puds? It looked very pretty was very well executed.

Had lamb and lavender as part of a tasting menu many years ago. Foul.

I had lavender creme brulee about 15 years ago and it was so good I still remember it. It wasn’t even my pudding it was just one spoonful of someone else’s.

I am inclining towards the thought that there was just too much (artificial) flavouring in the ice cream. And that it was artificial, too.

I like lavender from the garden in gin.

I had some fab lavender nougat not long ago. I like lavender honey with little Greek cheese pastries too.
I’ll be trying the lavender in gin and in Earl Grey tea too!

I can never get past having lavender in a heated thingy, cuz it smells rank. I dont think I could cope with it in food.

The new forest lavender tea rooms do a few things with lavender in and I'm yet to find one I don't like......scones, cake, shortbread, lemonade......all good!

No it fucking shouldn't. Like eating pot pourri

Lavender cheese is nice. And a very pretty colour

I stayed at a hotel in Sheffield once where the chef made his own ice cream. I had the lavender one, it was gorgeous. Never seen it before or since 😢.

NO! I hate it. A customer brought me some lavender chocolate once and it was awful. I actually had to spit it out when I tried it. Of course I told them I loved it though!

I made lavender ice cream many years ago using 2 heads of lavender, just a subtle taste.