Aetheleon, culinary treasures
On cloudy days we deserve a touch of sweetness perhaps a little bit more to help uplift the spirits. Lavender meringues it is: aethereal sweet bites, crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside with an uplifting touch of lavender.
Head straight to the recipe.
London supermarkets have been deprived of not only of toilet rolls but also basic essentials like flour, milk, both fresh and long life, eggs, pasta, even detergents. If you can’t find coffee that’s probably because of me, apologies, I cannot live without it and I count reserves that could possibly last me 6 months.
As for the once super reliable grocery deliveries, these are reserved for the vulnerable of our communities and very rightly so. Nowadays, what you find on the shelves is hit and miss. In our 3rd week of social distancing, shelves start to stoke up a bit as the 2 meter apart queues make the habit even weirder in the country where queues are more prominent than rain.
When I received this little parcel in the post I was oh so happy! It was not just the delectable contents that have travelled from the north of Greece straight to my humble abode. It was this sense of normality in a rapidly changing world that seems that any minute will start spinning out of control. And it’s precisely at this thought that I switch off the news and started thinking about lavender.
Have you ever dreamed of walking through lavender fields on a warm sunny day? With a light breeze whistling gentle aromas on your nostrils and caressing your hair? I think Michalis & Anastasia from Aetheleon have made this little dream come true. They don’t only grow lavender however, they tend fields with a range of Greek herbs using organic agricultural methods. Greek oregano, sage, rosemary as well as lavender which are pressed to distil the purest oils suitable for culinary as well as cosmetic use. You can have a look at aetheleon here.
Lavender water comes in different grades. There is the essential oil that you can use for cosmetic purposes or culinary grade that is safe to use in cooking or any way you like. Organic is always best if you want to enjoy it at its purest form and culinary lavender water will save you the awkward soapy bite into that otherwise delectable cake of yours.
How can you use lavender water? Well, pretty much the same way you would for rosewater or your vanilla extract. Think of cakes, drinks like smoothies or cocktails. It’s all down to our resourcefulness.
I went for meringues. Meringues are my mom’s favourite, one of the few things she doesn’t make but asks me to make for her. What an honour! And here you can make your lavender meringues:
Lavender meringues
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites 75 ml
- 100 gr caster sugar
- 1 tspn white wine vinegar
- 4-5 light sprays of culinary lavender water I used organic lavender water from aetheleon
Instructions
- Separate carefully the egg whites from their yolks and place in a mixing bowl.
- Start whisking the egg whites until frothy.
- Add in the white wine vinegar & lavender water, it's what breaks the unpleasant egg odour.
- For the caster sugar, you will need to add it in slowly, spoonful by spoonful whilst whisking.
- To bake the meringues, put your oven on 120C for 15 minutes or gas mark 2 for 15-20 minutes (do keep an eye on the meringues. After the baking time elapses, switch off the oven and leave the meringues in. Make sure they have a nice crust on top otherwise they will ‘deflate’.
I hope you enjoy your meringues in really good company.
Meanwhile, how are you keeping up? Do you cook a bit more? There was this idea that sprouted in my head: to start sharing your culinary experiences and stories whilst we are all in quarantine here, on Eat Yourself Greek. Focus is on comfort food and the little things that keep us going. If you feel like it, drop me a line here.
Meanwhile, keep well, keep your distance and stay safe.
From London with love,
Eugenia
PS: This is not a sponsored post! Every now and again I share products that I love to use and support. Aetheleon is just one of these guys I absolutely love!
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