Is there anything that says ‘summer’ quite like the sight and smell of a lavender bed in full sunshine, buzzing with bees? It’s one of the season’s true pleasures and surely a contributing factor in its lasting popularity.

Here at the Charterhouse, we’re lucky to have enjoyed swathes of lavender this summer which were planted earlier this year, brightening up the beds next to the stunning rose arch in the Norfolk Garden.

But this lavender is more than simply decorative. Emily from our Horticulture team had a great idea: why not harvest it for our Kitchen? So, working with our fantastic volunteers, she added the flowers to the garden harvest list, along with mulberries, apples, and plums.

 A scent with a royal history

Lavender isn’t just a modern garden favourite; it has a rich history too. A Mediterranean plant, it was first introduced by the Romans. It became popular in medieval times, when it was used as a herb much like rosemary for both culinary and medicinal purposes, as well as for hygiene and even spiritual protection. The Monasteries of the time, perhaps including the Charterhouse, were instrumental in preserving and developing knowledge of herbs, and cultivated herb gardens for self-sufficiency.

Its popularity peaked in the 17th century as one of its biggest fans was none other than Queen Elizabeth I. She used it for bathing, perfume, medicine (including for plague prevention!), as a calming tea and her special favourite, a lavender conserve. As Elizabeth I stayed at the Charterhouse for five days just before her coronation, given her love for it, we think it’s safe to say she almost certainly used and consumed her beloved lavender right here within these walls!

How our chef turns flowers into food

Emily had confirmed that we have culinary grade lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) so with the all-clear, the fragrant harvest was handed over to our Head Chef, Mauricio, to work his magic.

He decided to create a special lavender-infused sugar for cakes and puddings. It’s a delicate process, as Mauricio warns that balance is key. “Too little and you can’t taste it,” he says, “but too much and your cooking might end up tasting a bit like soap!”

Mauricio’s method for lavender sugar

• Prepare: Carefully strip the tiny, aromatic flower buds from their stems into a bowl.
• Infuse: Add the buds to the caster sugar, proportions vary according to taste but an approximate ratio would be to add 40-50g of lavender to 450g of sugar.
• Wait: Ensure the container is closed and airtight and store it in a cool place, letting it infuse for about two months.
• Stir: To make sure the sugar doesn’t solidify and that the flavour spreads evenly, stir it every two weeks.

After two months of patiently waiting, the beautifully scented sugar was finally ready to use.

It’s amazing to think that the lavender in our garden connects us to Roman Britain, a royal court, and now, the delicious creations in our kitchen that are eaten by our residents. When you visit next summer, be sure to take in the scent—and who knows, you might even get to taste it in one of Mauricio’s cakes!

To make the Lavender Cake

Ingredients

225g lavender infused sugar

225g butter

4 eggs

150g of self-raising flour

1 tsp of vanilla essence

Method

• Grease and line a 20 – 22cm cake tin with parchment and pre-heat the oven to 160c;
• Cream butter with the sugar;
• Add eggs one at the time making sure the mix does not split, if it does add a little of the flour to bring it back together again;
• Lastly sieve the flour into the cake batter and fold into the mixture;
• Add the mixture to the tin and bake for about 35-40 min or when a skewer comes out clean;
• Dust to top of the cake with icing sugar;
• Serve with summer fruits, cream or ice-cream.