Seattle Restaurateur Tom Douglas

Tom Douglas is a man on fire (figuratively) in the world of cooking–he won the coveted James Beard Award this year for Best Restauranteur, battled (and defeated) culinary giants on Iron Chef America and has a plethora of restaurants in Seattle that draw loyal patrons from all across the country.

We excitedly anticipate Marcus’ arrival for his Yes, Chef stop in the Emerald City as he prepares to join Tom for a special guest chef dinner at the Palace Ballroom. If you can’t join these two masters of the kitchen in person, you can toast to them in spirit with Tom’s recipe for a Basil Kamikaze. Dive head first into this refreshing summer cocktail.

For an indulgent dessert pairing, try out this easy No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake Recipe.

Photo courtesy of Tom Douglas

Photo: Emma Laperruque

For many dads, there’s almost nothing better than an icy bottle of beer (or two) on a sunny weekend afternoon. But with the upcoming Father’s Day, this Sunday calls for something even better.

How to make the best day for dad? While everyone else rushes to the mall trying to find the perfect gift, head to the supermarket and get ingredients for his new favorite meal.

For dinner, fry up a fresh take on fish and chips, Guinness-Battered Cod. It’s pub grub at home—as easy as it is delicious. And, to go with it: refreshing Beer-Spiked Lemonade. Making lemonade from scratch takes even less time than it would to defrost lemonade concentrate. Just some simple syrup, fresh lemon juice and ice. Vodka is then added and, for the ultimate finishing touch, cold and fizzy beer is poured on top.

Photo: Kevin O’Mara

If cosmopolitans and bellinis are “girl drinks,” whiskey definitely classifies as masculine territory. That’s why, for this Father’s Day, Red Rooster and Ginny’s Supper Club are serving up a whiskey cocktail for brunch. Not just any old mimosa, an Ole’ Grand Dad’s Lemonade is our new favorite way to start the holiday and toast to Dad and Grandpa.

To pair with the cocktail, both Red Rooster and Ginny’s have prepared Father’s Day Brunch menus, including items like French Toast with Nutella Whip and Steak and Eggs. Served from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., walk-ins are welcome for Red Rooster and reservations are now being taken for Ginny’s. Stop by if you want to start the day with something special and, of course, delicious. And if Dad wants a repeat of the Red Rooster cocktail, check out the recipe below!

Photo: Kevin O’Mara

When served a cold glass of Horchata, we instantly think of hot summer days in Mexico, where most people think Horchata originated. But would you be surprised to know that the milky drink originally came from Valencia, Spain? First served to Jaime El Conquistador, the drink has evolved from being made with chufas (tiger nuts), to a drink that each Latin American country now calls their own with the addition of seeds, spices, fruits, and herbs.

Most countries like Mexico and Guatemala make Horchata by soaking rice in cool water and sometimes adding almonds. Others, like Puerto Rico, typically make the drink by using sesame seeds as their base. El Salvador is another place where Horchata is made mostly from seeds and nuts, using cashews, peanuts and almonds.

Here’s a rice and almond Horchata that can help keep you cool while temperatures start to rise. Read More

Photo: Experiment 33

Lingonberries to Swedes are like blueberries to Americans. Here we use them for a Swedish twist to a classic summer cocktail, the Cosmo. We used vodka for this Lingonberry Cosmo, but feel free to substitute it with Aquavit for an extra-Swedish version.

You can even make your own Aquavit, click here to read how.

Photo: Experiment 33 

Photo: wine me up

As spring sets in and the wind blows a little warmer are you envisioning yourself somewhere beachside? If so, you might want to reconsider your brunch drink of choice and try a Michelada.

South of the border, some would consider it to be superior to the Bloody Mary while still being a true variation. Micheladas are, traditionally speaking, beer, tomato or clamato juice with hot sauce, lime, and salt. Like in a Bloody Mary, tomato juice serves the purpose as the mixer, truly blending well with the carbonation of beer, the acid of lime juice and the brine of salt. Not to mention, tomatoes naturally lend themselves kindly to the introduction of heat of any kind making it not just a beer cocktail, but one that is balanced by all the basic elements: sour, spicy and savory.

Some believe the name Michelada comes from the Mexican slang phrase, “Mi chela helada” which translates to “my cold beer.” Different parts of Mexico will prepare the drink differently, each region having their own version on the classic. Some places specifically serve Cheladas, which omit the tomato juice.

Like the Bloody Mary, and the Red Eye (consisting of beer, tomato juice and an egg,) the Michelada is known for lessening the symptoms of a hangover. Though it may not be a proven fact, you will be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t believe in its hair-of-the-dog-like abilities. Despite its morning rescues, the Michelada makes appearances all day long when you’re visiting Mexico as it is just as delicious in the afternoon with good torta or in the evening with a fantastic mole.

Photo: Whitneyinchicago

For centuries, London folk have been sipping on a cocktail that epitomizes summer, sunshine and spending time outdoors. That cocktail my friends, is called Pimm’s Cup, a liqueur of sorts that alongside lemonade sells over 80,000 pints each year to spectators.

The main ingredient in a Pimm’s Cup is Pimm’s No.1, created by James Pimm in the 1840s. While working at Oyster Bar in Poultry Street in London, Pimm’s extracted the ‘house cup’ flavored with fruit extracts and spices. The original recipe is still a secret (it has been said only six people know exactly how its made) Read More

Photo: Quinn Dombrowski

Cucumber water is perhaps one of the most refreshing drinks out there and is incredibly simple to make. It also is the base for this perfect spring cocktail. Cucumbers are currently in season and with the unseasonably warm spring we’ve been having, they’re the perfect veggie to throw in salads, stir-frys and now, cocktails.

Eating one serving of cucumbers will give you vitamin A, C, and K along with plenty of calcium, iron, zinc and potassium. Because cucumbers are so high in water content, they help rid your body of toxins and reduce under-eye swelling and skin inflammation. Cucumbers are also proven to help soothe sunburn relief, which is a great thing to keep in mind before the sweltering summer comes around.

The first step in making this cocktail is preparing the cucumber water. There are two basic ways to do this, one giving you a much more heavier dose of cucumber. For a stronger cucumber flavor, blend a cucumber in a food processor or blender and pour the mixture through a very fine strainer (or line a sieve with a cheesecloth) and let the mixture drip through in the fridge overnight. Then, mix the resulting cucumber juice with a pitcher of water and voila! – cucumber water.

A more traditional route just calls to cut a cucumber into small chunks, cover in the amount of water you want to drink and let the mixture soak in the fridge overnight. In the morning, strain the mixture and discard the cucumber slices. To make things even more simple, just add cucumber slices to any water filter to spice up that plain, tap water you’ve been drinking. Finally, feel free to add some lemon slices or chopped mint to the cucumber water for an added burst of flavor and punch!

Photo: Quinn Dombrowski 

Photo: Adam Macchia

KITCHEN DAILY VIDEO

Can’t wait for the heat to be over? When the  summer heat lingers into September, a frozen drink will help to ward off the thirst. This wonderful limeade is the ultimate in refreshment.

Serve this fun drink with my chili lime shrimp in pita pockets. Watch the video here. Read More

Photo: Anna Barsan

The inspiration for this granita came to me during the heat wave, which gripped New York in mid-July. Unbearably hot. Too hot to bake and too hot to think about chocolate, but I wanted something sweet, cool and refreshing, and big on flavor. Read More