used in Thai and Vietnamese cooking. Hyssop
contributes to the flavors of several alcohols,
including Pernod, Ricard, and Chartreuse.
Lavender Lavender is a Mediterranean plant
long and widely valued for its tenacious
floral-woody perfume (from a mix of flowery
linalyl acetate and linalool, plus eucalyptus-
like cineole), but more familiar in soaps and
candles than in foods; its name comes from
the Latin for “wash.” Still, the dried blossoms
o f Lavandula dentata are a traditional
ingredient in the mixture herbes de provence
(along with basil, rosemary, marjoram, thyme,
and fennel). They and the blossoms of English
lavender, L. angustifolia, are also useful alone
when used discreetly as a garnish or to infuse
their qualities in sauces and sweets. Spanish
lavender (L. stoechas) has a complex scent
reminiscent of Indian chutneys.
Lemon Balm Lemon or bee balm is an Old
World species, Melissa officinalis,