Northwest chef Becky Selengut knows a thing or two about fish and in her new book GOOD FISH, she shares some of that wisdom with more than a little light-hearted humor and lots of insightful anecdotes. Selengut cares as much about the delicately balanced flavors in her recipes as she does about the denizens of the deep and being a thoughtful steward of them and their home. Addressing everything from seasonality, raising and harvesting methods to buying tips and questions buyers should ask their seafood seller, Selengut is handing the home cook the ultimate guide to sustainable seafood cooking.

Continue reading on Amazon’s Al Dente Blog.

Nightclub & Bar magazine’s associate editor Robert Plotkin and I share our tips for making/developing a great non-alcoholic beverage program. You can read more here.

Spot prawns tend to be very flexible no matter how you cook them and works well with a myriad of fresh ingredients. Check out The Weekly Herald for my Spot Prawn Pasta with Lemon Cream recipe!

The Frantic Foodie Keren Brown shares the inside scoop in the Food Lovers’ Guide to Seattle. With delectable recipes from Seattle’s iconic eateries, this is the ultimate resource for food lovers to use and savor!

A bounty of mouthwatering delights is in this engagingly written tome, as well as a rich array of other, indispensable food-related information including:

• Favorite restaurants and landmark eateries
• Specialty food stores and markets
• Farmers’ markets
• Food festivals and culinary events
• Recipes from top Seattle chefs

To commemorate Keren’s book, she will be hosting a faboo book launch and signing on July 25, 2011 from 7:00-9:00 pm at the Shilshole Bay Beach Club. A bevy of bites will be provided by Apulent Events & Catering as well as a wide range by local establishments from restaurants to specialty shops. Make sure to mark your calendars!

Tickets for this event must be purchased in advanced and are available through Brown Paper Tickets. With the exception of the ticket processing fee, all proceeds will go to FareStart.

Hope to see you there! – Kathy

The Fourth of July is just around the corner! Just featured in GalTime.com are some faboo patriotic desserts, including my recipe for a Red, White and Blue Cherry-Berry Trifle!

because:
1. You’re spicy yet dry.
2. You’re edgy and assertive.
3. You blend congenially in cocktails but keep your distinctive grainy flavor.

I just had a chance to work with the new Bulleit Rye — it’s made with 95% rye… wow! Absolutely love it!

Bulleit makes for a great Manhattan with a dash of my Liquid Kitchen^™ Golden Era Bitters. There are so many amazing bitters available now it’s fun to experiment with different types. One of my other favorite bitters that pairs nicely with the rye in this drink is Fee Brothers Old Fashioned Aromatic Bitters.  Soaking maraschino cherries in red vermouth with orange zest adds a nice twist to the classic cherry garnish.

This is the perfect sip to celebrate Father’s Day. Cheers! – Kathy

Bulleit Rye Manhattan with Vermouth Cherries
Makes 1 cocktail

2 oz Bulleit Rye Whiskey
1 oz sweet red vermouth
1 dash  Liquid Kitchen™ Golden Era Bitters or Fee Brothers Old Fashioned Aromatic Bitters
Garnish: 1 Vermouth & Orange Infused Maraschino Cherry (recipe follows)

Measure whiskey, vermouth and bitters into a cocktail mixing glass. Fill three quarters with ice. Stir with a bar spoon for 20 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.

Vermouth & Orange Infused Maraschino Cherries
Makes 1 small jar

16 oz jar maraschino cherries, drained
4 strips orange zest
1/2 cup red vermouth

Place drained cherries and orange peel in a heat proof jar or container.

In a small pan bring vermouth to a simmer, immediately remove from heat and pour over drained maraschinos. Let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate. Let infuse for a minimum of 48 hours before using.

© Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen™

My good friend Gaz Regan has spent his fair share of time behind a bar, so he knows a good cocktail when he sees one. Luckily for us, he’s compiled his top picks from bartenders the world over into Gaz Regan’s Annual Manual for Bartenders 2011. Part bar-tested philosophy, part recipe book, the Annual Manual will not only give you an idea of what some of the world’s top mixologists are making, it’ll keep you well entertained with Gaz’s quirky ruminations and insights into the world of libations.

Continue reading on Amazon’s Al Dente Blog.

As the restaurant celebrates yet another successful year in June, owner Takao Kikuchi has planned a week of delicious festivities and a special Japanese whiskey tasting benefit for tsunmai victims in Ishinomaki, Miyagi, Japan—the hometown of his wife, Yuko.

So from June 6 to 11, make Dragonfish your delicious destination and get to know the restaurant all over again!

June 4-11: $14 Anniversary Menus. Enjoy mini three-course meals whose featured items include Dragonfish favorites, meat, seafood and vegetarian options. Three signature cocktails accompany the menu with a percentage of proceeds donated to the Ishinomaki Chamber of Commerce.

While there, enter to win one of 14 pairs of tickets to the 5th Avenue Theatre’s Aladdin: The New Stage Musical, (playing July 7-31). Enter to win June 6-11 for the June 11 drawing. No purchase or presence during the draw is needed.

June 11, 5 p.m.: Japanese Whiskey Tasting. Start with Dragonfish’s Yamazaki Yacht Club Cocktail followed by a sampling of three Japanese whiskeys paired with Asian bites. A percentage of the $35 per person admission will benefit the Ishinomaki Chamber of Commerce. Celebrated mixologist Andrew Bohrer from Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen™ will discuss the history of Japanese whiskey and demonstrate how to make Japanese ice spheres for the rocks. Featured whiskeys include: Hibiki 12-year blend, Yamazaki 12-year single malt, and the Yamazaki 18-year single malt. RSVP and pre-payment required; reservations made at 206-467-7777 or eat@dragonfishcafe.com.