NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 20:  Chef Ina Garten arrives at EAT (RED) Food & Film Fest! at Bryant Park on June 20, 2017 in New York City.  (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for (Red))
Food - Drink
The Trendy Herb That Has No Place In Ina Garten's Kitchen
By JENNIFER SWEENIE
Ina Garten is known for sharing delicious, foolproof recipes in her cookbooks and on her ever-popular Food Network show, "Barefoot Contessa." While Garten's tastes are both classic and modern, the celeb chef has revealed that she just says "no" to a certain trendy botanical that's popping in many avant-garde dishes: lavender.
On Garten's show "Be My Guest," the chef shares her strong opinion about this aromatic herb, stating, "I hate lavender in cooking." She calls lavender ice cream, a rather trendy flavor, the most outrageous application of this herb; however, lavender has been used in the kitchen far before it became a go-to flavor at quirky dessert shops.
Lavender has been used as a culinary ingredient for over 2,500 years, and was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I of England, who demanded lavender marmalade on the table at all times and took the flower in her tea. Nowadays, lavender's floral flavor is found in desserts, drinks, and even meat dishes, but certainly not in Ina Garten’s kitchen.