Lavender: After an extensive search for culinary lavender, which was finally located at the classic Upper West Side gourmet store Zabar's, Meredith and I made a Cherry-Lavender cake for Ann's summer garden party. Some previous research on cooking with lavender revealed that we might not be able to just pick lavender stalks from a garden, but that certain types are cultivated and harvested especially for cooking. We indulged in all parts of the making process - zesting the sunshine-yellow lemons, pitting the ripe, dark magenta cherries and sprinkling in the grey-blue lavender buds. Such color, such texture, such aroma and joy! 
The end product was somewhat flatter and more pancake-like than we expected; therefore we will reveal the recipe following some more testing. I have been informed by the food blogger source of the recipe that cake baking is a chemical art and process and thus it must be done exacting and carefully.We were baking very late at night, so another go at the cake is worth it.
Saffron: What is this mysterious and whispy dark-pumpkin colored spice? I still don't know. With it, Trish made a rice with shrimp and chicken sausage. It was delicious, of course, though we were trying really hard to distinguish and appreciate the saffron flavor and aroma from everything else. Going in I knew basic things about saffron: it's expensive, aromatic and lends a distinct golden color to foods. All facts have been checked. It cost Trish $18.00 for a little envelope of the crimson threads, which were locked away in the back room of a store. Saffron is serious business. It comes from the saffron crocus, which yields only three threads per flower. Also true is that it has an international grading system for quality. The chemical composition appears to be very complex and makes up it's flavor, dye qualities and aroma. And this spice has been used medicinally for thousands of years. What we know now is that saffron has a history. We did not know this when eating the rice.
White truffle oil: Unlike saffron, there is no need to look up the history and context of white truffle oil. Its hugely intense, earthy aroma speaks for itself. Alix and I used it to make what we call our most refined dish yet. We almost staggered under the weight of sheer eating pleasure.
Orzo with White Truffle Oil
Orzo, cooked
Marinated sun-dried tomatoes, chopped finely
Pine nuts, toasted
green beans, fresh from garden, trimmed, blanched and cut
1 tsp white truffle oil
Directions: Mix all ingrediants together in proportions to your liking.
A gift from fellow foodie Joe, this truffle oil is part of a 90-ish day recipe challenge, after which the oil is supposedly is no longer fresh.
Specialty Ingredient:
Culinary Lavender
Saffron
White Truffle Oil
What's in Season - June:
Green (string) beans (June - October)
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