Saturday, August 8, 2009

Celebrate with Herbs and Edible Flowers!

We like to celebrate with food around this house! Who doesn't! We had The Herbal Husband's famous guacamole with nasturtium flowers yesterday. The flowers add a peppery kick to the guacamole! Then we topped off breakfast today with some lemon verbena bread! A fitting finish! In case you missed my favorite lemon verbena bread recipe before, here it is again.

It comes from the February/March, 1990 The Herb Companion magazine:

Lemon Verbena Bread

1 cup sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh lemon verbena leaves chopped
1-1/2 cup sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
Grated rind of 1 lemon
3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Cream butter with verbena leaves in mixer or food processor. I use my food processor. Add sugar and beat well, then eggs, salt and remaining ingredients. Grease loaf pans: 1 large, 2 small or 4 minis and pour in batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 65 minutes. I usually bake it in one large pan. Bake until bread tests done with a toothpick or cake tester. Meanwhile, prepare glaze. (I usually don't use the glaze.) I'm giving it to you because every person's taste is different. Leave loaf in pan. While it is still hot, pour glaze over it and let sit several hours. Remove loaf from pan. Wrap in foil to ripen overnight before serving, or freeze immediately.

Glaze
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon verbena leaves, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon

Hope you enjoy it! Hope you are celebrating with family and friends! Don't forget to enter our herbal giveaways!

2 comments:

Comfrey Cottages said...

ooo great big herbal hugs for the recipe dear! sounds delicious and i am getting ready to harvest some lemon verbena! thanks for sharing! wish i were there to taste the herbal hubby's nasturium flavored guacuomale! yum!

Lemon Verbena Lady said...

Not quite as elegant as your cake, but I know just as delicious! The avocados have been sweet sooo they are almost better for avocado ice cream and there is such a thing! Thanks as always for your delightful herbal comments, Leslie!