How I Develop Recipes at The Lavender Apron
People often ask how my recipes are created, tested, and refined. The short answer is: slowly, thoughtfully, and in a real home kitchen.
The longer answer is shaped by growing up in a Latvian household, living in France for fifteen years, learning from my French mother-in-law, and cooking daily for a busy family. These are experiences you can read more about on my About me page. Every recipe on The Lavender Apron is designed to actually work, taste good, and fit into a meal where everyone can sit down and eat together.
Where My Recipe Ideas Come From
Most of my recipes start in one of three places.
Latvian family cooking
I grew up eating Latvian food at home, cooked by my parents and grandmother. I still have handwritten notes, old notebooks, and well-used cookbooks filled with recipes that were never meant to be fancy, just satisfying. Dishes like koteletes, potato salads, soups with dill, and savory breakfasts are part of my food memory, and many of them appear throughout my Baltic recipes section.
French home kitchens and markets
Living in France taught me how meals are structured and why that matters. I learned from my mother-in-law’s recipe notes, from cooking alongside family, and from market vendors who explained how they actually cooked the food they sold.
That influence shows up clearly in French recipes like French quiche Lorraine, roast chicken with chestnuts, and simple soups where good ingredients do most of the work. These are not restaurant dishes. They are meals meant to be cooked ahead, brought to the table, and enjoyed without the cook jumping up and down every five minutes.
Cookbooks, magazines, and quiet experimenting
I read a lot of cookbooks and old food magazines, especially French ones, that I picked up at various “braderies” (flea markets in French). I rarely follow a recipe exactly. I cook, taste, adjust, and cook again. Some ideas work straight away. Others go back to the notebook for another round.
How I Test Recipes in a Real Home Kitchen
Every recipe on this site is cooked and tested in my own kitchen.
I usually start with a basic version, then refine it over several cooks. My family tastes everything and they are honest. If something is bland, too sweet, or just not worth making again, it doesn’t get published.
I test for:
- clear instructions
- ingredients that are easy to find
- flavors that hold up when served as part of a full meal
- recipes that don’t require constant attention once everyone sits down
If a dish keeps me running back and forth during dinner, it needs rethinking.
My Approach to Flavor (and Sugar)
I always cook for flavor first.
I am not vegetarian, but many of my meals and sides are vegetable-focused, because that’s how I grew up eating. Vegetables are treated as part of the meal, not an afterthought. You’ll see this across my side dishes and soups, from asparagus soup with dill to grated carrot salads with seeds.
When it comes to baking, I prefer balanced sweetness. This is not a diet decision. It is a taste decision.
European desserts traditionally use less sugar so you can taste the fruit, nuts, and chocolate. I use what I learned through my Le Cordon Bleu training to rely on good ingredients and technique rather than extra sugar. That approach shows up in my European-style desserts, not-too-sweet cookies, like these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and cottage cheese-based bakes.
If something tastes overly sugary or artificial, it simply doesn’t interest me enough to publish.
Technique, Shortcuts, and Making Things Easier
Most of my technique comes from watching my grandmother and my mother-in-law cook, not from professional kitchens.
I use simple shortcuts consistently, because they make recipes more reliable and less stressful. Things like rolling dough between parchment instead of flour, measuring shortbread for even baking, or choosing a drizzle instead of frosting when it makes more sense.
I do the thinking and testing ahead of time so that when you make a recipe, you can focus on cooking and eating, not fixing problems.
Recipes That Fit a Calm, Shared Meal
Many of my recipes are influenced by the French idea of staying at the table. Meals are planned so everything is ready before people sit down. Everyone eats together. Conversation matters.
That philosophy runs through my French, Baltic, and everyday dinner recipes. These are dishes meant to be part of a meal, not the reason you miss it.
Who These Recipes Are For
The Lavender Apron is for home cooks who want:
- European home cooking that actually works
- French and Baltic flavors without restaurant fuss
- desserts that taste like food, not sugar
- recipes that can be made and enjoyed in real life
If you enjoy thoughtful, unfussy food and meals that bring people together, you’re in the right place.