We love trying other locally manufactured and handmade products, and we know we’re not the only ones who love lavender! We’re continually amazed by all the amazing (and delicious) applications people find for lavender.
As we continue to grow our farm and build a thriving botanical enterprise here in Appalachia, we look forward to tasting and trying all the incredible creations people are making with our favorite purple plant! Here are our favorite locally manufactured and handmade lavender products, and here’s to sharing some lavender love and supporting small businesses in our community!
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Lavender Ice Cream: Ellen’s Ice Cream Shop – Charleston, WV
Ellen’s Ice Cream Shop is always scooping up something delicious. Lavender-lemon sorbet and creamy lavender ice cream have made an appearance among their year-round fan-favorite flavors, like coffee and chocolate. As soon as the weather turns warm, I crave ice cream – especially with flavors like this! Check them out on Facebook to keep track of their weekly flavors so you can get a chance to try their next lavender creation. -
Butterfly Blend Tea: Appalachian Tea – Charleston, WV
Appalachian Tea makes the perfect blend to help wind-down with at the end of the day. Their butterfly blend is an herbal non-caffeinated tea with a rooibos base, chamomile, a hint of cherry flavoring, and our favorite, lavender. For now, they’ve closed their seating area, but they offer pickup, delivery, and shipping so you can sip on some lovely lavender tea while staying cozy in bed! -
Lavender Martini: Boyd & Blair – Pittsburgh, PA
Did you know that Appalachian Botanical Co’s “team lavender” has roots in Pittsburgh? That’s right, many of our team members live in and around the city of bridges. That’s why we’re excited to share a local vodka distillery’s latest grab-and-go cocktail, the Lavender Martini. Since our living rooms are the new happy-hour venue, we love that all you need to make a delicious cocktail at home is contained in a single bottle. They’re locally grown, locally manufactured, and locally bottled in PA. Check out Boyd & Blair’s story and send some lavender love to our neighbors in the north! -
Lavender Labradoodle Cocktail: The BARk – Charleston, WV
What’s better than lavender and booze? Lavender, booze, and your dog. The BARk is West Virginia’s first dog-friendly bar that serves up some pretty amazing cocktails and “bark bites”. If it’s warm and safe to go out, we highly recommend supporting local restaurants and bars, especially this one! Ask for the “lavender labradoodle” and get some water for your pup! -
Hibiscus Lavender Ginger Beer: Ginger’s Revenge – Asheville, NC
Ginger’s Revenge makes some incredible hard ginger beer. Our favorite flavor (no surprises here) is their Hibiscus Lavender. It’s tart, bright, and channels just the right amount of lavender and vanilla. Ginger’s Revenge is a bit of a hike away (literally) in Asheville, North Carolina. Cheers from one Appalachian lavender-lover to another! -
Lemon Lavender Bundt Cake: Bucha Brewhouse and Bistro – Princeton, WV
If you’re ever in Princeton and need some good made-from-scratch baking, Bucha Brewhouse is the place! Their lemon lavender bundt cake is beautiful, incredibly balanced, and perfectly moist. Need it bite-sized? They also make Lemon Lavender Vanilla Cupcakes! Be sure to pair it with an item from their seasonal locally-sourced menu and wash it down with their homemade kombucha. This place is well worth a trip! -
Lavender Macarons: Sugar Pie Bakery – Charleston, WV
Of course, we had to end our list with something sweet. The art of macaron making is no joke. Getting that perfect texture, well-balanced sweetness, and beautiful little shape is no easy feat. Sugar Pie Bakery located here in Charleston does it perfectly! They master delicate flavors like almond and pistachio, but lavender is one of our favorites. They’re pretty photogenic too, so visit them on Instagram for a little serotonin boost!
This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the amazing small businesses and locally manufactured products coming out of Appalachia, but they are some of our favorites. Most of the products can be ordered for delivery or pickup but if you want to make your own lavender creations from home, we’ve got you covered.
If you’re more of a self-care specialist, we created easy to follow manuals for making your own bath bombs and soaps. If you’re a whiz in the kitchen, we covered all our bases from salty to sweet with lavender vinaigrette, mocktails, and dessert recipes using our 100% organic lavender honey, salt, and dried buds. We know just how versatile lavender can be and we’re not the only ones! Please continue to support your local businesses whether with a purchase or a “like” to keep us all going, creating, and sharing!
MEET THE AUTHOR / ELIZA TALVOLA is a writer from Pittsburgh, PA who considers herself to be a conscious consumer and traveler, slow fashion advocate, and devoted foodie. She is a firm believer in creative reuse and putting people over profits, and is a long time lavender enthusiast. Her favorite product: Lavender Hand Sanitizer Spray