Fields of Lavender

I've always wanted to visit Carousel Farm in Bucks County. It's a lavender farm that not many people have heard of (www.carouselfarmlavender.com). I finally got the chance to go there a few weeks ago with my husband for our anniversary. The farm is breathtaking! It is designed to replicate the rolling hills and lavender fields of the Provence countryside. It's an ideal location for a romantic picnic for two! We walked around, visiting the llamas, donkeys, and honey bees, then ventured into the adorable little gift shop. I bought lavender honey (made on the premises) and culinary lavender. I'm hoping to make little tea cookies with the dried lavender. I was given the idea for this recipe by the woman in the gift shop and thought it would make a great mid-afternoon snack! 

Lavender Honey & Goat Cheese Toasts


Ingredients:


Extra Virgin olive oil
Crusty Italian bread
Fresh goat cheese
Lavender honey (or regular honey)


Directions:


1. Preheat broiler in oven.
2. Slice Italian bread and drizzle one side with olive oil. Place bread, oiled side up, under broiler with oven rack in middle of oven. Watch closely and remove from oven once bread is toasted and browned.
3. Spread goat cheese over warm toast and drizzle with honey. Serve immediately.




Goat cheese and I have a weird relationship. I definitely think it's an acquired taste, kind of like sushi. The first time I tried it, I hated it! Now, it's starting to grow on me and I like it a little more each time. I still think it tastes like a hairy goat sometimes, and had to laugh when the man at the Wegman's cheese counter and I had a short discussion about goat cheese. I told him I was looking for a really good goat cheese and he asked me "Do you like it really 'goaty'?" I had to laugh when I told him "no" because that is exactly how I would describe goat cheese- "goaty"! So if you're new to goat cheese and trying it for the first time, I recommend going to Wegman's since they have a large selection and the "cheese gurus" can help you find the perfect one! 


Here are a few more pictures from Carousel Farm! The peak lavender season is July, so we just missed it. I'm already planning to return next summer when the fields are full of purple!