LET’S HYGGE FEBRUARY 2023

[definition of hygge]

a quality of cosiness and comfortable living that engenders a feeling of contentment and well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture).

Add a little hygge to each month

I hope this little greeting finds you well. Here in Sydney it is summer and my lavender is in full bloom, which means it’s time to make my lavender wands. This is a yearly event that I look forward to and cherish. It’s wonderful to sit quietly and weave silk ribbon around the lavender stems, surrounded by the calming scent of the plant. Just before Christmas, we were in Queenstown, New Zealand, where we visited a lavender farm. I’m sharing with you some images from the visit and a link to the farm in case you should ever be nearby! Below, I have gathered my ideas for things to create, eat, and celebrate with lavender. I hope you find joy in this month’s lavender theme. If it is cold where you are, I hope this summer greeting warms your spirits!

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LAVENDER WANDS

Ever since I was a little girl, I have made lavender wands. My grandmother taught me how to make them and this peaceful activity has become a yearly summer tradition. I always keep some next to my bed as their scent is beautiful and calming. They also make the sweetest little gifts. Beginning the wand can be a bit tricky but don’t worry because as soon as you get the first two or three rows right you will be fine.

ALL YOU NEED:
18 lavender buds/flowers, with long stems. (I weave the lavender stems together in twos, which gives me 9 pairs of double stems for weaving. An uneven number is required for continuous weaving.)
Silk ribbon (I used 7mm wide)
Scissors

STEP BY STEP:
Step 1: Gather the 18 lavender stems as a little bouquet
Step 2: Tie the ribbon tightly around the stems at the base of the flowers with one long length for weaving.
Step 3: Hold on to the flowers with the stems pointing into the air. Bend the stems downwards to form a “cage” around the flowers.
Step 4: Weave the ribbon under and over the lavender stems in pairs of two until you get to the end of the stem with no flowers inside
Step 5: Wrap the ribbon around the base a few times, then tie a knot
Step 6: I cut a 15 cm long ribbon and wrap it around the knot a couple of times to finish

LAVENDER WREATH

ALL YOU NEED:
small bouquets of lavender
a metal ring
florist’s tape to wrap and cover the ring
string to tie the bouquets to the ring

STEP BY STEP:
Step 1: create small bouquets of lavender.
Step 2: wrap the floral tape around the metal ring to prevent the flowers from sliding.
Step 3: Start by tying the first bouquet to the ring. Two rounds of string were enough to keep the bouquet fastened.
Step 4: Continue with the next bouquet, making sure to cover the stems of the previous bouquet.
Step 5: finish by wrapping the string around the ring a few times, then tie a knot.

LAVENDER-INFUSED SUGAR

Making your own lavender sugar is so easy and you might find you always want to keep a jar of it to hand. This homemade sugar blend is made from just two ingredients: raw sugar and dried culinary lavender. It takes just a few minutes to prepare and you’ll be rewarded with a wonderfully scented sugar with a light lavender flavour. Lavender-infused sugar is also wonderful to give as a special food gift. Pour it into small jars and decorate the lid with some fabric or a ribbon for a personal touch. You could add a little note telling the recipient how to use it.

Here are some suggestions.
Sweeten tea or coffee
Stir into lemonade
Sprinkle on fresh fruit
Add it to whipped cream
Mix it into muffin and cookie batter
Sprinkle on pancakes or waffles

This recipe can easily be scaled up or down. If you plan to make a large quantity, it’s easiest to do in small batches in the food processor.

1 tablespoon dried lavender
2 cups raw sugar, divided

Gather the ingredients. Place the dried lavender in the bowl of a food processor and blend it for 10 to 15 seconds to chop into small pieces. Add 1 cup of the granulated sugar to the processor and blend well for 15 to 20 seconds, until the lavender is finely ground and mixed with the sugar. Whisk the lavender sugar together with the remaining cup of sugar until the lavender is well dispersed. Store lavender sugar in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months. Enjoy

COOKIES WITH LAVENDER

150 g butter
175 g of lavender-infused sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
175 g almond flour
a little lavender for decoration

Line a baking tray with baking paper before you start making the dough. Beat the butter until light and creamy, then add the lavender sugar. Beat until the sugar is dissolved. Add the egg and stir together. Sift the flour into the dough little by little. Drop teaspoons of dough onto the lined tray. Dip the teaspoon in a glass of warm water in between so that the dough slips off the spoon easily. Sprinkle a little extra lavender on the cookies and bake them at 200 g for approx. 10 minutes.
Remove the tray from the oven and let the cookies stand for a moment before removing them to a cooling rack with a palette knife so that they best hold their shape. Allow to cool.

This beautiful map is from Wanaka Lavender farm, New Zealand. Below are some photos from our visit. It was such an inspirational visit and gave me new ideas for my own lavender garden. There are 20 acres of beautiful lavender fields, filled with loads of inspiration for garden lovers. Have a look at the website here.