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, summer has settled in, bringing long, sun-warmed days and the kind of heat that gently slows everything down. My lavender is in full bloom, its silvery stems heavy with scent, and it’s time once again to make my lavender wands — a yearly ritual I look forward to and deeply cherish. Sitting quietly, weaving silk ribbon around the stems, I’m surrounded by the gentle perfume of lavender, a moment of calm and stillness in the height of summer.

This month, I’m sharing a simple iced tea, sweetened with a spoonful of lavender sugar, and a delicate lavender-infused panna cotta topped with fresh blackberries — which we have in abundance right now. These small seasonal rituals feel like a celebration of summer, inviting us to slow down and savour what’s growing around us.

I hope you find joy in this month’s lavender theme. I’ve gathered ideas for things to create, eat, and celebrate with lavender — gentle inspirations to bring a little beauty and calm into everyday moments. And if it’s cold where you are, I hope this small taste of summer and lavender-scented days warms your spirits.

Let's Hygge Lindbjerg Graphic Journal Blog

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-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

PANNA COTTA WITH LAVENDER SUGAR

I like my panna cotta made with equal parts cream and full-cream milk. It’s lighter than more traditional versions, with a delicate, silky texture that feels fresh and refreshing — especially welcome in a warm climate. The gentle scent of lavender and vanilla makes it a calm, summery dessert, best enjoyed slowly on a hot day.

INGREDIENTS
Seeds from 1 vanilla pod (reserve the pod)
60 g lavender sugar (or regular sugar for a classic version)
1½ cups cream
1½ cups full-cream milk
4 gelatine sheets (Gelatine sheets vary by country; I used Australian sheets.)

METHOD
Soak the gelatine sheets, one at a time, in a bowl of plenty of cold water until softened.

Place the vanilla seeds, lavender sugar, cream, full-cream milk, and the empty vanilla pod into a saucepan. Heat gently, bringing the mixture to just below boiling point, then remove from the heat.

Squeeze the excess water from the gelatine sheets and add them to the hot cream mixture. Stir well until the gelatine has completely dissolved. Remove the vanilla pod and allow the mixture to cool on the kitchen bench for 30–45 minutes.

Stir gently, then pour into serving glasses. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until set.

Serve chilled, topped with fresh blackberries.

ICED TEA WITH LAVENDER SUGAR

On hot days, we often have tea left over from breakfast, and rather than letting it go to waste, I turn it into a refreshing iced tea. It always brings back memories of the time I lived in Florence, where every good bar seemed to have its own version of iced tea during summer — carefully brewed, lightly sweetened, and served ice-cold as a simple pleasure in the heat of the day.

INGREDIENTS

1 litre brewed black tea (I used French Earl Grey)
1 spoonful lavender sugar
Juice of 1 orange, lemon, or lime
Fresh mint leaves, to serve

METHOD
Brew the tea and, while still warm, stir in the lavender sugar until dissolved. Add the citrus juice and allow the tea to cool completely. Refrigerate until well chilled.

Serve over ice, finished with a few fresh mint leaves — light, fragrant, and wonderfully refreshing on a hot day.

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.

Do you want to catch up on some of the previous months? Please head to my Journal here: https://lindbjerggraphic.com.au/journal/

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I wish you a calm and gentle February with lovely projects and hygge!