1 cup Late Harvest Chardonnay or other sweet white wine
2 Tblsp. dried lavender
1 1/2 lbs. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup + 2 Tblsp. sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
Crystallized Rose Petals (recipe to follow)
silver pearls (edible kind, of course)
In a small saucepan, combine the wine and lavender. Bring to a boil and reduce to the consistency of marmalade. Strain and reserve the liquid. Chop the lavender finely if you wish to add it, otherwise it can be discarded. In a mixer, combine the cream cheese and 1/2 cup of the sugar at low speed. Add the lavender liquid (and the lavender if you choose). Mix until smooth. Pour into a buttered 9" springform pan and bake at 325º for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Combine the sour cream and 2 Tblsp. sugar, or more to taste, and spread over the cheesecake. Bake at 400º for 4 minutes. Chill at least 3 hours. Garnish with crystallized rose petals and silver pearls.

Crystallized Rose Petals

1 egg white
Rose Petals
sugar

Beat the egg white until frothy and brush it lightly onto each rose petal. Sprinkle with sugar and let dry.