Lavender Design + Cuisine

Sunday, June 7, 2026

The Provence-Marrakech Intersection

Provençal Finishing Salt &

Moroccan Preserved Meyer Lemons

Greetings Gourmet Food Lovers,

My handcrafted pantry staples bring together the sun-kissed herbs of Provence and the aromatic traditions of Morocco. This is the heart of La Table Rebelle—where French technique meets raw, soil-first intuition.

These artisan essentials are only locally available for purchase at two amazing local boutiques:

Salvage Hut | Downtown Soquel
Shop Another Banger | Aptos Village

Bring these flavor-packed staples into your kitchen:

Provençal Finishing Salt: A bright blend of garden herbs and Meyer lemon zest. Perfect for avocado toast, roasted root vegetables, and dark chocolate desserts.
Moroccan Preserved Meyer Lemons: Tangy, aromatic, and exploding with umami. Level up your roasted veggies, homemade focaccia, or craft cocktails.

Grab a jar to elevate your everyday meals into an avant-garde experience—they make great culinary gifts, too! Support local and start your culinary rebellion today!

Bon Appétit!
Ellie Lavender
Space Curator & Avant Garde Chef
Lavender Design + Cuisine
Let's connect: Instagram | Facebook

Copyright © 2026 Lavender Design + Cuisine, All rights reserved.

Saturday, June 6, 2026

Curating High-Energy Spaces

Bringing the garden inside: Fresh lavender in a rustic terracotta vase creates a vibrant, high-energy corner in my kitchen studio.

Curating High-Energy Spaces

As a space curator, I look at every surface as an opportunity to invite vitality, abundance, and harmony into the home. This is the perfect time to shift our interior energy to match the vibrant, thriving world outside. Here are the simple, intentional shifts I make in my own space to keep good energy flowing through the season:
Curating Living Tablescapes: Instead of traditional floral centerpieces, I style dining tables with potted herbs like basil, rosemary, and mint. Bringing these living, edible plants indoors instantly grounds the room, clears stagnant air, and fills the space with a fresh, invigorating scent.
Balancing the Light: Summer days are intense, so evening energy should be soft and grounding. I bypass harsh overhead fixtures and place low, warm candlelight or small, cordless lamps directly on tables to cultivate an intimate, sophisticated lounge atmosphere that promotes relaxation.
Layering Organic Textures: I pack away heavy fabrics and introduce crisp linens in earthy terracotta, soft olive, and lemon tones. These colors mirror the ripening garden outside, creating a seamless visual flow between nature and your sanctuary.
Get creative in your home!

Plant-Based Recipe: Garden Cherry Tomato & Herbs de Provence Gâteau Salé

Straight from the garden to the baking pan. Fresh herbs and ripe tomatoes make this savory gâteau absolutely spectacular.

While we usually think of a gâteau as a sweet dessert, this savory style—known in France as a gâteau salé or cake salé—has a wonderful culinary history. It rose to fame in French home kitchens as a relaxed, rustic alternative to formal dining. Instead of capping off a meal, it is traditionally sliced into small cubes or wedges and served during l'apéro (the pre-dinner drinks and social hour) as the perfect savory aperitif to enjoy with guests. Pour yourself a glass of crisp white wine or rosé, and dive into a slice of summer!

So let's start with the recipe!

Prep Time & Yield
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 45–50 minutes
Yield: One 9x5 inch loaf (about 8–10 slices)
Ingredients
The Pure Plant & Olive Oil Liquid Base:
½ cup premium extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup unsweetened oat milk
The Dry Ingredients:
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
The Fresh Garden Star Elements:
2 cups fresh garden cherry tomatoes (divided)
2 tablespoons fresh herbs de Provence, finely chopped
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prep the Oven and Pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease your 9x5 inch loaf pan with olive oil, then line it with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides for easy lifting later.
2. Prepare the Tomatoes
Wash and thoroughly dry your cherry tomatoes. Set aside ¾ cup of the prettiest ones to press onto the top. Take the remaining 1 ¼ cups of tomatoes and toss them in a tiny pinch of flour (this keeps them from sinking straight to the bottom of your loaf).
3. Whisk the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 ¼ cups of flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir in your finely chopped fresh herbs de Provence until distributed evenly.
4. Mix the Wet Ingredients
In a separate bowl, simply whisk together your ½ cup of olive oil and 1 cup of oat milk until combined.
5. Mix the Batter
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a spatula to gently fold the mixture together. Stop mixing the very second the flour streaks disappear. Gently fold in the flour-dusted cherry tomatoes.
6. Assemble the Loaf
Spoon the thick batter into your prepared 9x5 inch loaf pan and smooth out the top. Take your reserved ¾ cup of whole cherry tomatoes and press them elegantly into the surface of the batter, burying them about halfway so they look beautiful when baked.
7. Bake to Golden Perfection
Bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes. The gâteau salé is done when the top is a deep golden brown, the tomatoes on top are blistered, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Cool and Slice
Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment paper handles. Let it cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes before slicing so the juicy tomatoes settle.
Bon Appétit!
Ellie Lavender
Space Curator & Avant Garde Chef
Lavender Design + Cuisine
Let's connect: Instagram | Facebook

Copyright © 2026 Lavender Design + Cuisine, All rights reserved.