Establish time, date, place. Add generous mix of people who sustain various corners of food community. Embellish with potluck selections to create an amazing dish array. That’s how it came together Sunday in Austin. If you were among the participants and guests at this potluck at Penny’s, may we concur that the meal was paradise on a plate? Regrets that The Cookery doesn’t have recipes for everything at this table of plenty. I brought along a basket of lavender bread. A little lavender sweetens up this recipe. Bake it and break it.

Lavender Bread

1/2 ounce quick-rise fast acting dry yeast

2 cups hot water (85-100 degrees)

1/4 cup dark honey

5 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons crushed lavender (flowers or leaves)

extra virgin olive oil

 In mixing bowl, mix yeast and water. Add honey and stir thoroughly. Add dry ingredients. Mix completely and work dough with hands. Knead 5 minutes. Cover bowl with cloth and set aside for 30 minutes. Work dough once more and let rise again 30 minutes. Lightly oil baguette baking pans. Stretch dough into pans and dust tops of dough with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees 25 minutes until tops appear golden.

Yield: 2 loaves