Lemon Lavender Shortbread

From the first time I saw a recipe for lemon lavender shortbread, I was excited to try it out. The combination of lemon and lavender sounded like a refreshing, warm-weather take on classic shortbread.   I had never baked with flowers before and was a bit wary of how it would taste, especially if I was to be sharing these with others. I was concerned that the aromatics of lavender would overpower the delicate cookie. But I picked up a bag of dried culinary English lavender from Lavender By the Bay, which has a stand in Union Square three days a week, and made my first batch at the beginning of July. I cautiously submitted them for the approval of my taste-testers, my entire family, at the Montclair 4th of July parade. The verdict? Hey, Mikey! They like them! My mom even recently dubbed them her favorite cookies... ever. These little, buttery treats turned out to be the runaway hit of the summer.