Drying lavender absolutely alters its fundamental taste characteristics. It's not just a change in potency, but a shift in the balance and intensity of its flavor compounds.
Here's how drying affects lavender's taste:
1. Concentration of Flavor: The most significant change is concentration. When lavender is fresh, it contains a high percentage of water. As it dries, this water evaporates, leaving behind a more concentrated form of the essential oils and flavor compounds. This means that dried lavender is significantly more potent than fresh lavender. You'll need much less dried lavender to achieve the same or even a stronger flavor profile than fresh. For example, a recipe might call for 3-4 times more fresh lavender than dried lavender to get a comparable taste.
2. Intensification of Specific Notes: Drying tends to intensify the inherent floral and herbaceous notes. The sweet, delicate, and often citrusy nuances found in fresh culinary lavender become more pronounced. However, this also means that any less desirable notes, such as the slightly camphoraceous or bitter undertones (which are minimal in good culinary varieties like Lavandula angustifolia), can also become more noticeable if the lavender isn't of high quality or if too much is used.
3. Mellowing of "Green" or Fresh Notes: Fresh lavender has a vibrant, almost "green" or "bright" quality that is lost during the drying process. This fresh quality is replaced by a deeper, more mature, and sometimes slightly earthier profile in dried lavender. Think of the difference between fresh rosemary and dried rosemary – the fresh has a crispness that the dried version doesn't.
4. Changes in Volatile Compound Balance: The process of drying can subtly alter the balance of the volatile aromatic compounds. While the goal of proper curing is to preserve these compounds, some may evaporate or undergo slight chemical changes during the moisture removal process. This can result in a slightly different overall aromatic profile compared to the fresh plant. Studies have shown that while the main components like linalool and linalyl acetate remain, their proportions can shift.
5. Texture and Release of Flavor: The physical change from soft, pliable fresh buds to brittle, crumbly dried buds also impacts flavor release. Dried lavender often needs to be crushed or finely ground to fully release its flavor, whereas fresh lavender can release its aromas more readily.
In summary:
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Fresh Lavender: Milder, brighter, more subtle, with distinct "green" notes. You'll need more of it.
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Dried Lavender: More concentrated, potent, and intense in its floral and herbaceous characteristics. Less is definitely more.
For culinary purposes, both forms have their place, but their potency and flavor nuances require different approaches in recipes. It's crucial to always use culinary-grade lavender, as improper drying or using non-culinary varieties can exacerbate any undesirable flavor components.
Lavender Farm in Door County Wisconsin. You can buy lavender products online at islandlavender.com
