This gently soothing herb goes by the grandiose name of Lavandula angustifolia, or Lavandula officinalis, originating from the Latin lavare – to wash. Lavender is not only a fragrant plant with beautiful flowers and striking foliage, but also provides gentle balm for soul and body. Long used as a perfume, especially in toiletries such as soaps and shampoos, lavender also offers medicinal and culinary benefits. Indeed, its application as a means of reducing tension and stress is legendary. Perhaps less well known are lavender’s antispasmodic and antiseptic qualities – would you ordinarily think of using this herb as a mouth-wash or breath-freshener?

Lavender oil should be used externally only and acts as a disinfectant for wounds and insect stings; eases aching muscles and swollen joints; and tempers bruising and migraines. Even the stems of the plant, stripped and dried, can be burnt as an aromatic incense.

In the kitchen, use lavender as you would a sprig of rosemary to flavour bread, meat (anything grilled, but especially chicken), fish and, of course, vinegar. It makes flavoursome jam, tea and pastries. Or you could try some cooling lavender lemonade. The flowers make an exquisite garnish and add intrigue to a salad. But be careful. It is a pungent herb and a little goes a long way.

The Rozendal Story

“Sour makes happy” (German expression) – By Kurt Ammann 

In 1995, Rolf Saxer visited me on our small family wine farm, Rozendal, in Stellenbosch, South Africa. We had started farming organically in 1994 and he was looking for red wine made without sulphur. He described the healing potential of certain vinegars, explaining the intricacies of producing such elixirs – a process taking two to three years, after which various herbs are individually macerated in the vinegar, in separate barrels, for another two to five years. With the 1988 vintage (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc) still in the barrels, we ventured into vinegar production – naturally made to enhance health and food.

We started farming biodynamically in 2001 and I began drinking our vinegar several times per day. I measured my pH (the balance between alkalinity and acidity) up to 10 times daily to ascertain how different emotional, mental and physical states, together with the raw vinegar, affected my body. I learned that naturally-made raw vinegar is an excellent pH balancer and that the macerated herb ingredients are better utilized by the body.

When stressed by exercise, injury or emotional pressure, the body produces more acid. This is illustrated by damage appearing after a burn or muscular stiffness following excessive exercise (a build-up of lactic acid). However, if pH levels are maintained, the body suffers no additional damage beyond the initial injury. Drinking raw vinegar during/immediately after stress helps maintain the body’s optimum pH level, neutralizing harmful acidic build-up. When my wife broke three ribs, I gave her a large shot of this vinegar immediately. Healing was accelerated by four-to-six weeks and after a fortnight, she had no pain in the affected area. A body not under stress produces fewer acids (the blood should measure between 7.3 and 7.45 pH when pH is balanced). I have been in the food and wine industry since 1957 and have noticed that circumstances affect the taste experience. Under positive circumstances, where people feel rested/happy (for example, on holiday), their pH is balanced. They may enjoy a particular wine, buy a bottle and store it. Later, when daily stresses exacerbate, the ‘delicious’ wine is sampled and they wonder who changed it! Their bodies’ pH has changed because of accumulated acids which now oppose the acid in the wine and alter the taste.

Naturally-made raw vinegar assists in neutralizing excessive acid, never producing it.  I was once told “Sour makes happy” – when negative emotions, such as anger, produce acid, one should drink a naturally-made vinegar/lemon juice immediately to restore the body’s pH balance. Read up on pH and the best ways to optimize health. At Rozendal, we make different blends of vinegar using our farm ingredients: wine, chillies, elderflower, carob, lavender, wild rosemary, rose geranium, wild olive, bay leaf (the kelp, green tea, rose hip, hibiscus, honey bush tea, buchu are obtained elsewhere). We served Rozendal vinegar to our restaurant customers for years, then started bottling and selling it. Rozendal Red Wine Vinegar tastes good, drinks beautifully and definitely makes people happy.