If you're an herbal tea drinker, this one may be a "well duh!" moment for you, but for some of us a whole new world of experiences are opening with this line of blended honey. So if you've never had the pleasure, lets dig in to the taste and benefits of lavender vanilla honey.
How it came about...
First let me say, if you're unsure about spending the money on a jar of honey you may not like, and you live in the Lake City area (or close enough to make a trip), make sure you keep an eye on our Facebook page. We're doing more taste testing booths in the future and we'll have that option at the county fair too!
This honey provides a lovely deep lavender taste backed with smooth vanilla blended into our local Gallberry honey. Just opening the jar gives off an amazing lavender fragrance!
See this gorgeous creature here? This is Amy, and La Vanille is Amy's baby! Which means this flavor holds an extra special place in our hearts. Amy tested jar after jar, adding bits of this spice and that until she had the most epic combination of soothing sweetness! Like with a number of our other flavor blends, Amy just seems to know what will work. We've learned to trust her and get out of her way!
Of course there are benefits...
Just like the other blended varieties, La Vanille has the natural benefits of raw local Gallberry honey. And those are incredible on their own, but lets talk for a sec about what this organic lavender brings too the party.
Lavender provides this honey with natural soothing properties for mucous membranes allowing them to heal. That means your sore throat will feel better that much quicker! In combination with the honey, lavender forms a sort of protective layer the helps to prevent further irritation. It has been used traditionally to treat conditions like gastritis, sore throat, sensitive skin, wounds, scars and burns.
Lavender also aids in relieving tension and pain. Just like a long soak in lavender bath salts or bubbles, the aromatherapy benefits of this honey are remarkable. Deep breaths over a cup of steaming hot tea or coffee are bound to provide a moment of peace even during the most hectic of days.
Additionally, we use organic vanilla to add a deep, rich sweetness that creates an addictive treat that's just as good for you as it is delicious!
And you know there are recipes...
Before we get started though, let set you up for success! Any recipe you find can be adjusted to use honey as a substitute for sugar. Here's a great chart from Bigger Bolder Baking to help with conversions:
Lavender Scones
Ok, first recipe. Close your eyes, imagine sitting on the back porch of a cabin watching steam rise off of the lake in front of you as the sun rises. Wrapped around your shoulders - a soft fluffy blanket, in your hand - a steaming cup of tea or coffee, the sound around you - quiet and peaceful. Just you, your thoughts and nature getting ready to face the day. Now imagine if you had a toasty pile of breakfast scones to nibble on!?!?!
These Lavender Scones from farmflavor.com are easy to whip up and are just as delicious as they look. We're going to use our La Vanille honey so lets adjust the ingredients just a teeny bit:
2 cups AP flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tbs Kae's Line La Vanille Blended Honey
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
additional honey or powder sugar for garnish
Just follow the directions as listed adding the honey in with the wet ingredients.
Or how about...
Lavender Vanilla Cold Brew Coffee
This one us Kayla's recipe, and one of her favorites! A super simple, delicious, shot of caffeine that comes together in minutes and takes the sting out of these balmy summer mornings! You can find the recipe HERE. We like to use cold brew from Daily Cup of Joe in Lake City, but if you're not local, feel free to use your favorite.
Just four simple ingredients and you can have gourmet coffee from your own kitchen and skip the drive thru line at your local Starbucks/Dunkin!
How about a beauty recipe?...
We get so many questions about how to use our honey, we decided to start using this blog to help give ideas and inspire confidence when cooking with honey. But you don't have to just cook with honey!! With its natural healing and calming properties, its a great addition to skin care and pampering. Lets make a luscious sugar scrub using La Vanille to get that perfect accessory to any outfit - soft, glowing, summer skin! Shaken Together has a great recipe, we'll tweak just a teeny bit..
Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil
2-4 tbs Kae's Line La Vanille Blended Honey
4-5 drops Vitamin E oil
additional lavender essential oil if a stronger scent is desired
Directions:
Place sugar in medium sized mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl add Vitamin E oil to coconut oil stir to combine.
Add honey to coconut oil mixture and any additional essential oil if desired.
Add coconut oil mixture to sugar and mix well.
Store in an airtight glass container and store in a cool dry place.
*And because its made with natural ingredients, this recipe is safe to use as a lip scrub too!
I hope you love this blended honey as much as we do! From quite mornings where we prepare our self for the day ahead, to at-home spa treatments to let go of stress from a day gone by...this honey covers all of the bases and leaves your mind and body feeling like a warm snuggly blanket.
I'll sign off today with a quote from the queen...
"Find out who you are and do it on purpose." ~ Dolly Parton
Until next time y'all. XOXO