(12-18 Months)

Ooh la la lavender makes it lovely! Give toast a French accent with this naturally delicious strawberry spread.

6 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced*

2 cups organic cane sugar

1 medium lemon, juiced and zested

1 tsp. dried lavender, crushed

In a large stock pot, combine strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly until sugar melts, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place a small plate in the freezer. (I promise this will make sense at the end of the recipe.)

With a mortar and pestle, crush dried lavender flowers. (If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, place lavender in plastic bag and crush with hands.) Add lavender to strawberry mixture. Continue to cook on lowest heat for about 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently.

To check for the right consistency, drop a spoonful of strawberry mixture on plate from freezer. If the mixture “gels”, it’s ready. If it still looks runny, continue cooking for a few more minutes on lowest heat, stirring constantly.

Once preserves are cooled, spoon into one pint mason jar and refrigerate. Preserves will stay fresh for about 2 weeks.

Yield: (One) pint jar