For Gabe and I cocktail making is often a collaborative process. Usually I start with a base idea and then he takes that and works it out until he has ounces and grams scribbled out all over his well-loved Field Notes. Where I would have probably called it, “delicious!” Gabe likes to fiddle and fuss until sweet and sour sing together like the masterful harmonies of Simon and Garfunkel’s.  We make a good team.

For our house warming party we wanted a cocktail that didn’t require constant shaking and stirring, particularly because I knew I’d be in the kitchen fussing with the food and needed Gabe to play host. We wanted something that could be poured from a pitcher and yet had the sort of flavor that seems to only come from a finely tuned cocktail that is mixed to order.

What we ended up with is a sparkling pink rum punch that is perfect for a party and what we affectionately call the Rum-Riguez. It can be mixed well in advance and is a real easy drinker. A perfect match for a late summer party where twinkle lights hang above and new and old friends hang around a table filled with corn dip (add sharp cheddar and don’t be afraid of using far more lime juice than called for), platters of figs and shaved ham, and cookies. It’s also perfectly suitable for a Wednesday evening that demands a cocktail or perhaps to celebrate the kids returning to school.

Peach puree adds a floral freshness and pairs beautifully with Orgeat – a sweet, almond flavored syrup that has a whisper of Orange blossom. Ginger soda swoops in with spice and freshly grated nutmeg brings a pleasant warmth. We also used a touch of bitters, this one to be precise.

Because this cocktail was for a very special occasion I used it as a chance to try my hand at homemade Orgeat. This recipe became my map, although I toasted my almonds until deeply golden and used dark brown sugar in place of the white. Also, I made the ginger soda. There’s a very lovely recipe in my book, Date Night In, for such a thing. But if Gabe and I were to simply make this recipe for the two of us you can be sure there would be a trip to the store for those ingredients.

Here’s to a few more summer nights and days worthy of punch.

Ginger Peach Rum Punch

Use the following ratio to make as much or as little rum punch as you'd like. The peach puree can be made up to three days in advance. It's starts to change color quickly but still tastes great. Add a good bit of lime or lemon to preserve the color - just adjust the recipe if you do that.

Serves 2

1 1/2 ounce peach puree (simply blend pitted peaches in a blender until completely smooth)

1/2 ounce Orgeat

1/2 ounce lime juice (about 1 small)

2 1/2 ounces Rum (Our favorite is the Plantation 5 year)

4 ounces ginger beer

Freshly ground nutmeg

Tiki bitters or some other spiced bitters

2 pieces lemon peel

Combine the peach, orgeat, lime juice, and rum into a glass. Give it a good stir then pour into two glasses filled with ice.

Top with the ginger beer and give a light stir. Finish with a bit of freshly grated nutmeg, a twist of lemon peel, and a few drops of bitters.

If you are making this for a crowd you can add the nutmeg and bitters to the pitcher.

Add the ginger beer to the pitcher just before your guests arrive to limit the amount of bubbles that you lose.

Cheers!

It’s interesting to me how we all respond differently to recipes. For me there’s a physical reaction when I come across a recipe that I can’t wait to try. Something inside me jumps as if to say, “yes!” I’ll respond by creasing the corner of the page to remind myself to head right to that recipe the next time I pick up the book. Sometimes, and I love this when it happens, I’m so inspired by a recipe I’ll tuck the book under my arm and carry it with me right into the kitchen and immediately get started. For this reason butter always sits on the counter at the ready in case a perfectly softened stick is needed and my excitement can’t bear to wait.

Three words, “hot ginger tea” was all it took to get me straight into the kitchen. The other motivator could have been the fact that I immediately imagined this spicy tea with a splash of bourbon to transform the tea to a toddy and with that our evening’s cocktail was made.

The original recipe comes from David Tanis’ new book, One Good Dish. The book is filled with simple, inspiring and beautiful food. This recipe acts more of a guide and has only four ingredients, including the water. It’s tea in its most basic form. Sliced ginger; woody and hot, dance around a pot of boiling water until the water is deeply spiced. A bit of honey swirls in the pot to sweeten the mix and then for me – a lot of lemon. One its own it is the perfect tea for soothing, warming and healing the sickness that is rampant this time of year. With a splash of bourbon it warms more thoroughly, is suddenly festive and becomes the perfect accessory for drinking on the couch right next to the Christmas tree.

Before you head right into the kitchen I have a few things to tell you about. First of all, my husband and I are teaching a 2-day Food Photography workshop at Aran’s (Cannelle et Vanille) beautiful new studio. It’s just a few blocks away from Pike Place so we will spend some time shopping and shooting there. I’ll take you to a few of my favorite places in the market and we’ll gather some supplies for shooting and eating. I will walk you through my process, we’ll talk about editing, lighting (natural and inexpensive ways to shoot with artificial light) and Gabe – who is the tech genius – will be there to explain technical things better than I can. Where I tend to focus on composition and emotion, he balances me with his numbers and ability to explain things without using my Ritz cracker illustration which no one seems to ever get. The perfect team. I’d love to see you there! You can purchase the workshop here.

Next thing. I’m speaking at The Big Traveling Potluck!! I’m so honored to have been asked and I can’t wait to spend the weekend with many of you. Check out the line up – some of my favorite people will be there.

And finally, (this one gives me butterflies) I’m opening up a pop-up shop this Sunday (12/22) from 2-4 pm! The best slice and bake cookies you can imagine (chocolate chip with sea salt and white chocolate peppermint with vanilla salt) will be available. Right now I’m getting pounds and pounds of Valrhona chocolate and enough butter to make me happy for quite a while. Each package of dough will easily make 1 dozen cookies – enough for you AND Santa. If you are still looking for the perfect hostess gift, this is it. Come by early to make sure you snag yours! You’ll find me and my cookie dough at 1405 NW 70th St 98117 on Sunday. For those of you who aren’t in Seattle, be patient. I’m thinking about how I can get dough to you in 2014.

Hot Ginger Toddy

Recipe from, One Good Dish by David Tanis

Serves 4- 6

4 cups water

3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons honey

lemon

bourbon

In a small saucepan bring the water and ginger to a boil. Reduce the heat then simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the honey, taste and add more if you'd like.

Strain out the ginger. Pour 6 ounces or so in a cup, add 1/2 - 1 ounce of bourbon to the cup and finish with a good squeeze of lemon. Taste and add more bourbon or lemon. Garnish with a piece of lemon and enjoy while warm.

The tea keeps covered in the fridge for 2 weeks.

We’re nearing the end of our time in California but before we left I had to share with you a bit of the citrus-inspired cocktails we’ve been sipping while here.

First there’s the perfected Whiskey Sour that my dad has been working on ever since they came to Palm Desert and became the proud owners of a booming lemon tree. The branches hang heavy with large fruit so, in order to ease their load, I pluck the biggest lemons and walk a few feet from the trunk into the kitchen. One of these lemons provides more than enough juice for one Sour. This classic cocktail goes down easy when mixed with smokey whiskey and a bit of simple syrup.

The next cocktail comes from the grapefruit tree resting comfortably in between the neighbor’s house and my parent’s. Being from Washington I’m used to seeing trees loaded with apples but for me citrus is only available in the grocery store. I will buy the little oranges with their leaves still attached just to feel more connected to its origin. Now I find myself contemplating leaving my clothes and stuffing my suitcase with all the citrus I’ve picked. The first to get tucked into the case would be the grapefruit. I had little hope for them as I reached to grab one from the tree and felt a tough skin with little give. But as I cut into the bright yellow exterior the inside glowed a soft pink, the juice ran freely and the sweetness overwhelmed. I take it as a sign that I’ve reached adulthood now that I now longer take my grapefruit with sugar covering its entire surface. Or maybe I just needed to have great grapefruit. My next thought was tequila and then the grapefruit margarita was born.

In two short days we’ll be back to the rain and cold and back to driving to the store for my citrus fix but I think I’ve consumed enough vitamin C (and tequila) to keep me satisfied for quite some time.

Whiskey Sour and Grapefruit Margarita

This is the recipe my dad came up with after trying many variations. He doesn't use the best whiskey, the sugar in his simple syrup isn't fully dissolved and he rarely measures and yet, it's one of the best cocktails I've had. Nice work, dad. 

1 part whiskey

1 part simple syrup

1/2 part fresh lemon juice

Combine this all in a martini glass with crushed ice. Garnish with sliced lemon or a twirl of the peel.

My dad thinks they are best served with a good cigar (or a cheap one, he adds).

Grapefruit Margarita

1 part grapefruit juice

1 part tequila

1/2 part Cointreau

Salt the rim of a margarita glass and add the ingredients. Stir and then add ice. Garnish with a thin slice of grapefruit.

The calendar marches on with great force even though I’m continually urging it to slow down. Unfortunately my pleas go unnoticed but I assure you you still have time to gift your family, friends or yourself with homemade bitters.

Last week I taught a room full of eager students how to make bitters. We all hudled around a table cluttered with little jars of infusions and with droppers in hand, each descended on various ingredients to create a custom blend of herbs and spices for the purpose of elevating their cocktails. There was cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Citrus, in all its various shades, sat next to dried cherry and raisin. Wormwood and Orris root provided some bitterness while vanilla, coffee and cocoa nib rounded it out. They smelled and tasted, added a few more ingredients and tasted again until they thought it perfect. They tested their final concoction with a simple champagne cocktail in which a sugar cube is drenched in bitters – classically Angostura, but tonight their own – then topped with champagne.

So let’s get right down to it because like I said, there’s not much time.

A bitters is essentially an alcoholic liquid flavored with different herb, spice and dried fruit infusions. Bitters are used in cocktail making as a way of creating a lovely, subtle additional layer of flavor. I once heard them described as “the salt of the cocktail” which I think helps to understand their value in a great cocktail.

The first step in making bitters at home is to make a variety of infusions. I like to make the infusions separately as opposed to mixing all the ingredients in one container of vodka (use a high-proof and odorless alcohol – I used a 100 proof vodka) because different ingredients take longer or shorter to infuse with the alcohol. Plus, I like feeling like a chemist and having a the fun of making dozens of different types of bitters. This is great for making gifts for the holidays or would make a great activity for a cocktail party.

So gather a variety of herbs, spices, dried fruit, etc. Most ingredients can be found at the grocery store – particularly in the bulk section. Some of the more exotic roots I ordered from a company called Mountain Rose Herbs. The roots are used to give the bitters – as the name suggests – a bitter taste. Dried citrus peel also adds bitterness so if you are wanting this for the holiday and don’t have time to order the roots, or simply don’t want to deal with it, just be sure to infuse some dried citrus peel so you’ll have that bitter component.

Add about a teaspoon of your ingredient to 4 ounces of vodka. If you are pressed for time you can add more of the spice or herb to speed up the process although this will taste different than a longer infusion would.

Cover the infusion tightly and set aside.

Knowing when the infusion is ready is really a job for your nose. You’ll notice a color change in the vodka almost immediately. As the days move on continually open the container and smell your infusion. When fully infused the vodka will smell strongly of the herb or spice and will taste heavily of that ingredient. For herbs and spices this will take about 7-10 days. If you are using dried fruit expect to let it sit for 2-3 weeks.

Once the infusions taste as you want them too you are ready to make bitters. Simply strain out the infused ingredients using a clean fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth. Replace the strained infusions back into their jars and begin mixing. Make sure everything you use in this process is very clean and sterilized.

Fill ⅓ of a small dropper bottle with distilled water. Using a pipet choose a selection of several infusions. If you want your bitters to be heavy in one infusion then add a whole pipet or two (roughly 1 tablespoon). The lesser flavors you want should only be added by a few drops.

I think it works best if you have a certain type of alcohol or cocktail in mind when creating the bitters. For example, my first adventure into bittering (pretty sure that’s not a word but it quite possibly should be) I had pear brandy on my mind so I created a bitters that was heavy in cinnamon, rosemary, nutmeg and juniper. There were other ingredients in there as well, as most bitters have somewhere between 10 – 30 different ingredients, but they were less pronounced.

And since we are making an accessory for cocktails I thought I’d also share with you a cocktail that needs some accessorizing.

Happy Bittering!

Champagne Cocktail
from the Metropolitan Hotel, New York City circa 1935

1 cube sugar
bitters (classically Angostura)
chilled champagne

Soak sugar cube with a couple of good splashes of bitters and set in the bottom of a large champagne flute.

Fill slowly with sparkling wine.

Garnish with a lemon twist.

.

Check out these other great resources on making your own bitters:

Adventures in Cooking: DIY Bitters

Bitters and Twisted

Food and Wine: How to Make Bitters

Reclaiming Provencial: Homemade Bitters

And if you find yourself with time in Portland take a class from Mark Bitterman at The Meadow – seriously.

.

A complete list the infusions I made:

Cinnamon, nutmeg, rosemary, coriander, cardamom, coffee, cocoa nib, vanilla, wormwood, orris root, qassia bark, ginger, juniper, allspice, red chile, black pepper, celery seed, dried orange peel, dried lemon peel, dried lime peel, raisin, dried cherry,

And a few supplies:

Pipettes 3ml, Gradulated, Pack of 100

Amber Glass Bottle 4oz W/glass Dropper

Ball Quilted Jelly Canning Jar 4 Oz., Case of 12

Homemade Bitters

The first step in making bitters at home is to make a variety of infusions. I like to make the infusions separately as opposed to mixing all the ingredients in one container of vodka (use a high-proof and odorless alcohol - I used a 100 proof vodka) because different ingredients take longer or shorter to infuse with the alcohol. Plus, I like feeling like a chemist and having a the fun of making dozens of different types of bitters. This is great for making gifts for the holidays or would make a great activity for a cocktail party.

So gather a variety of herbs, spices, dried fruit, etc. Most ingredients can be found at the grocery store - particularly in the bulk section. Some of the more exotic roots I ordered from a company called Mountain Rose Herbs. The roots are used to give the bitters - as the name suggests - a bitter taste. Dried citrus peel also adds bitterness so if you are wanting this for the holiday and don't have time to order the roots, or simply don't want to deal with it, just be sure to infuse some dried citrus peel so you'll have that bitter component.

Add about a teaspoon of your ingredient to 4 ounces of vodka. If you are pressed for time you can add more of the spice or herb to speed up the process although this will taste different than a longer infusion would.

Cover the infusion tightly and set aside.

Knowing when the infusion is ready is really a job for your nose. You’ll notice a color change in the vodka almost immediately. As the days move on continually open the container and smell your infusion. When fully infused the vodka will smell strongly of the herb or spice and will taste heavily of that ingredient. For herbs and spices this will take about 7-10 days. If you are using dried fruit expect to let it sit for 2-3 weeks.

Once the infusions taste as you want them too you are ready to make bitters. Simply strain out the infused ingredients using a clean fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth. Replace the strained infusions back into their jars and begin mixing. Make sure everything you use in this process is very clean and sterilized.

Fill ⅓ of a small dropper bottle with distilled water. Using a pipet choose a selection of several infusions. If you want your bitters to be heavy in one infusion then add a whole pipet or two (roughly 1 tablespoon). The lesser flavors you want should only be added by a few drops.

I think it works best if you have a certain type of alcohol or cocktail in mind when creating the bitters. For example, my first adventure into bittering (pretty sure that's not a word but it quite possibly should be) I had pear brandy on my mind so I created a bitters that was heavy in cinnamon, rosemary, nutmeg and juniper. There were other ingredients in there as well, as most bitters have somewhere between 10 - 30 different ingredients, but they were less pronounced.

And since we are making an accessory for cocktails I thought I'd also share with you a cocktail that needs some accessorizing.

Happy Bittering!

I’m filled with an eager excitement thinking on all the things I want to do, see and accomplish this time of year: Twinkling lights of red, green, blue and yellow to be seen while drinking hot chocolate. Gifts to be bought and gifts to be made. Cookies to be enjoyed and vegetables eaten to balance it all. Then there’s the great responsibility and joy of trying to teach the kids that even though there are lists to be made and there will be gifts for them that that is not really what this time of year is about. So we bring cookies to the neighbors, read stories, build tradition and try the best we can.

All of this in the midst of teaching classes, creating cookie recipes, and putting dinner on the table. It’s busy – particularly last week, which is why you didn’t see much of me around here.

In the midst of all the chaos there have been little pockets of quiet and rest – moments that mark this season as my favorite. Nestled next to a blazing fire, a towering pine scented tree casts a gentle shadow on the book I’m reading (Jane Eyre – so perfect for this season). I sit across from a dear friend as she pushes fabric through the sewing machine casting perfectly lined up stitches as she works on a present for a friend. I put my book down and cut out a stocking pattern from soft flannel in red, black and gold lines intersecting throughout. We each take warming sips of Hot Buttered Rum in between stitches and cuts.

Before we set out to work on our projects she creamed butter and brown sugar together along with a few spices that are no stranger to this time of year. I tried not to notice the amount of butter and sugar actually going into the recipe. This was my first Hot Buttered Rum and nothing was going to spoil it.

Once combined a spoonful of the mixture went into our mugs. Rum covered, then hot water poured on top releasing the scent of cinnamon and nutmeg under its heat. The butter melted and the sugar dissolved as we stirred briskly.

Since then there have been more Hot Buttered Rum, in fact in my freezer there is a roll of the butter, sugar and spice mixture should the craving suddenly hit for this comforting cocktail – after an evening of viewing Christmas lights, perhaps? Or while wrapping gifts, opening up another window on the advent calendar or while eagerly anticipating the season’s first snow. I’m sure I’ll manage to think of many more reasons to pull out that sweet, spiced butter and start the kettle boiling throughout the season.

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Hot Buttered Rum

Hot Buttered Rum

adapted from Emeril Lagasse

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 stick unsalted butter, soft

2 cup dark brown sugar

Cream together the butter, spices and sugar. At this point you can roll up the mixture with parchment into a log. Cover well and refrigerate or freeze for later use. In the fridge the mixture will keep for two weeks, in the freezer a couple of months.

In a mug add a tablespoon of the butter and sugar mixture (the original recipe called for 2 tablespoons but we found 1 was great). Top with a couple ounces of rum and roughly 1/2 cup of hot water. The ratio of the ingredients is really preference.

If possible, enjoy this cocktail near an open fire.

I have one last suggestion for you to complete your Thanksgiving meal. And I do believe it’s a good one, dare I say I saved the best for last?

It’s time we talk about your Thanksgiving cocktail. Now there are a couple ways you can go about this: If your family is like mine Thanksgiving beverages are nearly as traditional as the marshmallow topped sweet potatoes – red wine with my family, while sparkling cider is the drink of choice with Gabe’s family. With the meal drinks set this could be the cocktail that greets your guests as they pluck a few baby carrots off the vegetable platter or (and this is my favorite idea) this is the cocktail you enjoy while sliding the turkey into the oven. It’s the cocktail you sip in between stirrings of the mashed potatoes or tastes of the gravy. It’s what you are drinking as you set the last fork and stand back to marvel the scene. This is the cook’s cocktail.

Cider punch is the ideal cocktail for the busy cook as there are only two ingredients plus a couple flourishes if you so desire (and I do). While the turkey roasts and the potatoes boil pour an ounce or two of rum into a glass. Top that with apple cider (I like one part rum to four parts apple cider). You could have it over ice or warm the cider – the choice is left to the cook. Top with a touch a of cinnamon and nutmeg. If you happen to have some bitters a few drops really makes the cook quite happy, especially if your bitters, like mine are heady with cinnamon and rosemary and little wisps of clove, cardamom and orange.

If you don’t have bitters and are interested in making your own I just so happen to be teaching at class in Seattle, December 6. We will be making an assortment of gifts from the kitchen including homemade bitters. In fact today I made nearly 20 different infusions for class. (Pretty slick how I just slid that class plug right in there, huh? Sorry, I really do not like that sort of thing but I promised I would and I’m quite excited about this class.

If you aren’t in Seattle I’m thinking I just may put a post up here about the process so you won’t miss out on all the fun. I don’t claim to be a bitters expert but I do claim to be pretty darn excited to have a collection of my own bitters and I’m even more excited to be teaching you all how make your own.

Cheers and happy cooking!

*This simple cocktail was inspired by something I drank at Skillet Diner. Go there. Really.

Cider Punch

Cider punch is the ideal cocktail for the busy cook as there are only two ingredients plus a couple flourishes if you so desire (and I do). While the turkey roasts and the potatoes boil pour an ounce or two of rum into a glass. Top that with apple cider (I like one part rum to four parts apple cider). You could have it over ice or warm the cider - the choice is left to the cook. Top with a touch a of cinnamon and nutmeg. If you happen to have some bitters a few drops really makes the cook quite happy, especially if your bitters, like mine are heady with cinnamon and rosemary and little wisps of clove, cardamom and orange.

We were driving home late Saturday night from Portland, having just finished our week long road trip in Oregon and relished in the quiet as the kidlets slept in the back of the van.

“Did you have fun?” I asked Gabe. Which seems such a simple question and one that I probably should have asked along the way rather than waiting until we were driving home. I sort of feared his response. I had had a great time but it wasn’t until I thought to ask him that I realized I really had no idea how he was going to respond.

“I did.” He said.

Relief.

“I just don’t feel like we connected at all.” He finished.

Instantly defensiveness flooded through me and I really had no idea why. Perhaps I felt responsible for this trip and everyone’s enjoyment of it.
“Well, what did you expect? We were with three kids for the week. We never had a moment to ourselves.” I responded with a tone that simmered with frustration. If the person I love most in the world was discontent then suddenly my satisfaction was not so.

I had to stop a moment to see the kindness in his comment. It’s not that he didn’t have a great time – he assured me he did – he simply wanted to enjoy it with me. We missed the opportunity to connect and really share the experience together.

My focus was on surviving. This was the first time we had done a trip like this. I had visions of hours of shrills and shrieks in the car with nowhere to run. When that didn’t happen I was relieved. I had no idea how the kids would react to the mostly adult-focused events so when they enjoyed themselves AND we enjoyed ourselves it felt a great triumph.

At the end of the day I sighed a deep breath of relief. We survived the day. Then I went directly into planning the next day trying to make that one a success too.

I didn’t expect this trip to be one where Gabe and I would really connect and grow together. We’d find another time to do that.

This trip isn’t unlike how I’ve come to exist while raising three young kids. Each day, to some extent, feels like a victory when we’ve all made it. The kids are tucked in at the end of the day, the house is finally quiet – a success. Then it’s time to gear up for the next day.

Where will our marriage be with expectations like that? When will I make the time if I’m content with our misconnections. It’s not enough for me just to survive, I want us to thrive. I’ve always thought that and meant it. I can’t go long in our marriage with feeling as if Gabe and I are simply roommates and not teammates. That’s why it was so convicting when I realized that somehow I had become content with just surviving. Somehow I had decided that surviving was a success but in the case of marriage that’s a lie. Well, I suppose one could maintain a marriage by simply surviving but that’s never been enough me. It’s not what we want to model to our children and it’s not what we want for ourselves.

I’m so thankful for a husband to remind me to strive for more. And that he too desires connection. It’s a gift I can easily take for granted.
I can’t fix those misconnections from the trip but I can strive to not make that mistake again.

We gave ourselves a day to settle back into life at home. Then we pushed up our usual date night a couple days not wanting another minute to pass before we made intentional time to connect. We also pushed back our “post-vacation healthy eating plan” as I prepared Cider glazed pork chop using the cider we picked up in Oregon. There were pan-fried potatoes tossed in a bright, seedy mustard and sauteed spinach with plump golden raisins and walnuts.

That was all well and fine but it was the cocktail and dessert that stood out that evening.

Using my newly aquired Pear eau-de vie I made us a Pear sidecar. I proudly dotted the top of our cocktail with my own homemade bitters specifically crafted with this pear brandy in mind. I had made the bitters while in Portland taking a class from Mark Bitterman, which was part of Feast Portland. In class Mark had over 30 infusions available to us to create our own bitters. With prominent flavors of cinnamon, rosemary, juniper the bitters was a perfect match for the pear cocktail. A garnish of fresh rosemary helped to pull out the fragrant bitters.

For dessert a simple crisp was quickly thrown together using a few random ingredients I found in the cupboard. Sort of unintentionally it was made gluten-free with oats, almond meal, chopped hazelnuts and raw sugar. There was quite a bit of butter as it was for dessert after all and Gabe is right – it really is best with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

We shared it straight from the pan it was baked in, which to me is the perfect way to end the meal.

At the end of the date I mourned the missed opportunities for connecting with my husband during our trip but more importantly I celebrated our efforts to not let another day pass without sitting down together and lingering over a nice meal with the purpose of just being together. It’s so easy to make excuses and to put off our relationship but I also know that when we do put forth the effort we are rewarded with deeper intimacy and a thriving relationship that makes these busy and exhausting days so much more joyful. My husband not a mere roommate, he is my teammate, my best friend and my partner in whatever this life holds for us.

Pear Sidecar // Apple Crisp

Pear Sidecar
adapted from oregonlive.com 
serves 1
2 oz Pear eau de vie
1 oz Cointreau
¾ oz fresh lemon juice
bitters (optional)

Combine the pear eau de vie, Cointreau and lemon juice and shake with ice. Pour into a martini glass or if you’re like us and don’t like to drink out of martini glasses a highball would do just fine. Add a few drops of bitters if desired and garnish with a sprig of rosemary. You can sugar the rim to add a touch more sweetness if you’d like.

Apple Crisp

I've been having great fun playing around with different grains and nut flours lately. This is a result of that. This crisp came together so quickly yet held a earthy, deep flavor that hid the ease of preparation. Feel free to play around with this simple recipe - add different spices, change up the nuts just as long as you agree to eat it straight from the pan with a loved one.

2 lbs apples peeled and roughly sliced
½ cup oats
¾ cup almond meal
¼ cup Turbinado sugar (raw sugar, regular sugar works fine too)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup chopped hazelnuts
5 Tablespoons butter, melted
pinch nutmeg
Place the apples in a baking dish (8” works well here). In a bowl combine the remaining ingredients until well mixed. Add this mixture to the top of the apples and bake in a 375* oven until the top is deep golden and the apple juices are bubbling, about 45 - 60 minutes.
Let cool slightly then serve with vanilla ice cream.

It’s nearly impossible to return from the market without baskets and baskets of berries in various forms this time of year. I’m not the only shopper in the family who falls for their brilliant hues and sweet perfume that lures you in from yards away, my husband is easily wooed too – I adore that about him.

Last week it was blueberries. He had just returned home from the store when I spotted a heap of large, tight-skinned berries on my counter. My immediate thought was cake. No, wait – pie! No. A crumble! Yes. A crumble. Hmm. But a cobbler would be nice too. Then I ate one thinking it may further help seal their fate. It did, but not in the way I was expecting. I stood there in the kitchen eating those berries until there were only a few left, stopping for the sake of my berry-loving children.

It is often my instinct to see something like a pint of fresh berries and to immediately concoct an elaborate plan. Most likely these plans involve butter, a lot of butter. But as I stood there in my kitchen shoving blueberries into my mouth I couldn’t have imagined a better way of enjoying them. Covered in a smooth, firm skin, crowded with little leaves and soft stems, still warm in a just picked sort of a way with an endearing tartness that I adore.  Sure, a pie would have been nice but often simplicity has a way of showing off one’s true character. It’s honest, unpretentious and gratifying. There will still be cakes, pie, crumbles and crisps but it is great to be reminded that sometimes eating berries straight out of their green composite container is really the best recipe.

Days later a large wooden crate of cherries arrived at my doorstep (a gift from a local farm). I’m not (too) embarrassed to say that I took the crate in its entirety with me to the couch where I sat there and stopped just shy of eating its entire contents. This time is was the fear of not sharing these beauties with you people that caused the cherry feasting to end. I didn’t think you’d be satisfied with a recipe that instructed you to eat cherries alone on a couch (or in bed – I ate them there too). But I couldn’t bring myself to poach, roast, bake or even pickle these berries. They were far too perfect in shape, flavor and color. The best way to enjoy them was just out of the crate.

That is until I decided to give them a bit of a dip in melted white chocolate blended with a fragrant vanilla bean. Still simple but dressed up enough to be called dessert. Everything I loved about these cherries remained intact – a crisp bite of a pinkish skin that yielded to a bright, tart interior. As a young girl in a dress suddenly stands up taller with a bit more confidence and grace as she instantly feels more like a princess so were these cherries in their sweet, vanilla scented dress. A gentle and subtle addition to accentuate their honest beauty and simplicity.

Classic Amaretto Sour

Newly married, Amaretto Sour was our drink of choice. I think it made us feel grown up then. Now we drink them because they taste so darn good. We’ve matured in many ways over the years with one of them being the banishment of pre-made sweet and sour. With only two ingredients this cocktail mixes together (a little too) quickly and easily. These vanilla and white chocolate cherries add a layer of sweetness and invade your senses before you even taste the cocktail. Each drink really should have two – one for eating immediately and the other for lingering until the last sip.

1 ounce Amaretto

juice from 1/2 a lemon

2 white chocolate dipped cherries

Rim an old fashioned glass with lemon and dip into sugar. Shake the amaretto and lemon juice then pour over ice. Garnish with cherries.

White Chocolate Covered Cherries

White Chocolate Dipped Cherries with Vanilla Bean

The cherries I dipped were a rare type called Orondo. Darker and sweeter than a Rainier, lighter and tangier than a Bing. Really, the perfect cherry. If you can't get a hold of these beauties I'd take Rainier over Bing any day. 

This recipe is quite rough. Essentially you melt white chocolate, stir in vanilla seeds and dip cherries. I gave rough numbers for those who like them.

6 ounces white chocolate, chopped

1 vanilla bean, split with seeds scraped

1 pound cherries

In a small bowl melt chopped chocolate in a microwave or over a bowl of simmering water. If using the microwave only heat for 20 second intervals, stirring in between each. Once melted, stir in vanilla seeds. Reserve the bean to add to you sugar jar or simmer in simple syrup for cocktail or lemonade making.

Dip the clean cherries into the melted white chocolate. Place on a parchment covered tray and refrigerate until firm or ready to eat.

Sometimes you take baby steps and sometimes you leap.

There are times when a task feels like a mountain and other times you jump over them like molehills.

There are mornings when getting out of bed seems impossible and others where you are so excited for the day you can’t sleep.

At times it rains and others when the sun warms your face casting a rosy tint to your cheeks.

Sometimes the words are plentiful and eloquent, other times they are bulky and incoherent.

There is a time to selflessly serve and a time to humbly ask for help.

There are seasons of planting and pruning and times when the harvest is fruitful.

The challenge lies in finding the purpose and joy in it all. Every season tucks away lessons and occasions for growing and bettering. It’s our duty to seek the truth whatever the season.

This is a lesson that I’m currently learning or I should say re-learning. I hold firmly to the truth that everything is made beautiful in its time. In this I find hope.

Then there are the days when you stop taking yourself too seriously and realize that a cocktail and a bit of retail therapy goes a long way. Which is why I’m here today.

This pleasantly pink brew is the perfect accessory for spring. A gentle touch of cinnamon and nutmeg blended with rum leans towards a tropical punch but the heady scent of mint wins out giving this cocktail the title of “mojito”. The rhubarb flavor isn’t overly intense but rather lends a floral sweetness that is too light for summer but perfect for the gentle warmth of spring.

Today I come bearing more than just a cocktail. I’ve recently been introduced to Noonday Collection – a company that carries a stunning array of jewelry, gifts and accessories with a bold mission behind the brand.

“Our passion at Noonday Collection is to connect you with the lives of artisans struggling for a better future while styling you along the way. Fashion and design are a vehicle for opportunity and change. You, too, can be a voice for the oppressed!”

image from noondaycollection.com

The products sold by Noonday Collection are created by artisans from around the world. The money goes to the artists and back to their community as well as helping to fund costly adoptions for loving families.

For one of my dear readers, Noonday Collection has offered to give a $50 gift card. If you’d like to enter just leave a comment below. To increase your chances become a fan on Facebook or give a follow on Twitter. Comment below and let me know if you have done either of those.

It is a joy to tell you about this great company and I hope you love their products and their mission as much as I do.

Now go make a cocktail and start shopping.

*I am hosting this contest because I believe in this company and am eager to share it with you all. I wasn’t given anything in return – well, except the excitement of being able to share it.

You have until noon on Monday 4/30/12 to enter . At which point I will randomly select a winner.

Rhubarb Mojito

makes 1 small cocktail

1 oz white rum
2 oz rhubarb syrup (recipe below)
5 (or so) mint leaves
1 Tablespoon lime juice
lime zest
nutmeg

In the bottom of a glass add a bit of nutmeg, lime zest, mint leaves and the lime juice. Using a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon muddle the ingredients. You want to really bruise and break up the mint leaves. Add the rum and syrup, give a light stir then top with ice. Garnish with mint and a thin slice of rhubarb.

Rhubarb Syrup
This is enough syrup to make plenty of cocktails. If alcohol isn't for you a couple ounces of this syrup added to sparkling water and a squeeze of lime makes a delightful non-alcoholic version of this drink.

8 oz chopped rhubarb (2-3 small stalks)
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ vanilla bean (optional)

Combine all the ingredients in a small pot. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 5-7 minutes. Let cool completely.
Strain the ingredients. Reserve the rhubarb to top yogurt, ice cream or oatmeal.
The syrup will keep covered in the fridge for two weeks.