Is it rude to bring your own lavender to a baking swap? My friend thinks so

A few months back at a group bake exchange, I brought a little bag of dried lavender from my garden to add to the lemon shortbread we were all making. One woman there said it was 'cheating' because the recipe was supposed to be standard and my addition made hers look plain next to mine. I thought swaps were about sharing tips and flavor ideas, but she acted like I broke some unspoken rule. So which side are you on, is adding your own twist part of the fun or is sticking to the recipe the only respectful move here?

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the_patricia23d ago

I get what you're saying about 'unspoken rules,' but honestly, swaps are for sharing ideas, and your lavender sounds like a fun twist, not a cheat. Baking is supposed to be creative, and if she felt plain, that's on her recipe, not your flowers.