The Menu:
Passion Fruit Rum Punch
Avacado & Pineapple Salsa with Taro Root Chips or White Corn Tortilla Chips
Bib Lettuce Salad with Toasted Macadamia Nuts, Papaya, and Lychee Vinaigrette
Grilled Baby Back Ribs with Mango Ginger Glaze
Coconut Scallion Rice
Make Your Own Ice Cream Sundae

“Tropical” is such a fun theme for a summertime deck or patio party. Bright colors, flowers, tikis, lanterns, tall iced drinks are festive all on their own, but add a delicious warm-weather menu and you’ll be hula-ing on the terrace in no time.

Those that read me often know, my whole entertaining philosophy is, “do as much as you can in advance,” and this is a perfect example of a menu that lets you do just that. (Be sure to read through the recipes to see what you can do a few days in advance)

The nice thing about this menu is that everything can be prepped ahead of time and then just assembled. The cocktail premixed; salsa ingredients chopped and then mixed right before serving. Salad dressing and greens prepared ahead and then just tossed to combine. Rice can be made the day before and reheated; ribs just heated and glazed on the q. And dessert couldn’t be easier – or more delicious.

For libations, we started with a delightful drink, Lilikoi Rum Punch—a blend of passion fruit nectar, fresh lime juice, pineapple juice and spiced rum served over ice. You can stir up a tasty non-alcoholic version as well, omitting the rum and mixing in a splash of soda water. To accompany the punch whip up a quick and easy a pineapple avocado fruit salsa served with Taro Root Chips or with white corn tortilla chip for scooping.

While your guests are nibbling head for the grill to start finishing off the Grilled Baby Back Ribs with Mango Ginger Glaze which are pre-prepped by marinating for a day, slow-roasting till tender, and then chilled. A glaze is made by reducing the flavorful mango marinade; the precooked ribs are reheated on the grill while being basted with the glaze till golden and sticky! Serve the ribs up with Coconut Scallion Rice and a tender lettuce salad dressed with toasted macadamia nuts, fresh papaya, and lychee vinaigrette. Yum!

And for dessert – pick up a couple of pints of tropical-flavor ice cream such as Häagen- Dazs pineapple coconut and mango ice creams, some good caramel and chocolate sauces as well as Trader Joe’s Dark Roasted Pistachio Toffee, some candied ginger and a few edible flowers to let guests create their own ice cream sundae with toppings.

A phrase I learned on a tour bus in Hawaii when I was eight years old has stuck in my head for ever!: wiki wiki. It means quick quick. With all this meal readied in advance, that’s what it will be when you serve your guests. So put on your tackiest and brightest alohawear, grab some friends and neighbors, put on some Don Ho and have a tropical party of your own this summer! ©2009 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Passion Fruit Rum Punch
Makes 10 – 12 servings

3 cups Looza passion fruit nectar
1 cup fresh lime juice
2 cups pineapple juice
1 bottle spiced rum
soda water as needed
Garnish: lime wedges, edible flowers, or drink parasols

In a large pitcher, combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve: Fill rocks or tall glasses with ice and pour in rum punch. I like to add a little splash of soda water to lighten the drink a bit. Garnish and serve. ©2009 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

 Avocado & Pineapple Salsa
Note: you can mix in tiny bay shrimp or chopped cooked large prawns to make a shrimp salsa variation- just up the amount of lime juice and sweet thai chili sauce.
Makes about 8 servings

3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
3 -4 Tbsp. thai sweet chili sauce*
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup minced red onion
3 cups finely chopped, ripe fresh pineapple
1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
2 large ripe but firm avocados
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
For dipping: crostini, corn tortilla chips, taro root chips or other fun dipables

* Available from well-stocked supermarkets and Asian grocers. Have all ingredients except avocados cut up and measured before assembling. In a large bowl, combine the lime juice, thai sweet chili sauce and salt till well mixed. Add the onion, pineapple and bell pepper.

Quarter and peel avocados, then cut into small dice and add to the salsa along with the cilantro. Lightly and gently fold all ingredients together till well combined. Refrigerate for up to 30 minutes before serving or serve immediately. Serve in a bowl with a spoon on a platter surrounded by chips and/or other dipables. ©2009 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

 Bibb Lettuce Salad with Toasted Macadamia Nuts, Papaya, and Lychee Vinaigrette
Makes about 8 servings

2 -3 large heads Bibb or other butter lettuce
1 (20-ounce) can lychees in syrup*
1/2 cup canola oil
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 large ripe papayas, peeled, seeded and cut in cubes
1 cup macadamia nuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped (be sure to get the salted nuts!)
 * Available from well-stocked supermarkets and Asian grocers.

To prepare the greens: Cut off the root ends of the lettuce and remove any bruised outside leaves. Rinse lettuce and spin dry. Tear larger leaves into pieces. Wrap prepared lettuce in paper towels, place in a large zip-style plastic bag and refrigerate. You can do this up to 2 days ahead.

To make the vinaigrette: Drain the lychees and reserve the syrup. Cut or tear the lychees into quarters and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, lime juice, cayenne and salt. Stir in 2 Tbsp.s of the reserved lychee syrup and the lychees. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days before serving. (Extra lychee juice is great mixed with soda water for a refreshing non-alcoholic drink.)

To serve the salad: Whisk the dressing to remix well. Place the greens in a very large bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the greens and gently toss, coating leaves well. Lay out half the greens on a large platter, being sure to get some of the lychees evenly distributed. Then scatter with half of the papaya and nuts. Lay out remaining greens, distributing lychees, and scatter with remaining papaya and nuts. ©2009 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

 Coconut Scallion Rice
Makes about 8 servings

2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and drained well
1 Tbsp. oil
3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 cups water
1 can (13 – 14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk*
2 tsp.s kosher salt
small pinch cayenne pepper
Garnish: thinly sliced green onions
* Available from well-stocked supermarkets and Asian grocers.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Put the very well-drained rice in a 2-quart baking dish, and set aside.A
Heat the oil in a nonstick or heavy saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the green onion lightly, about 1 minute. Add the water and coconut milk and bring to just barely a simmer; do not boil.

Stir the hot mixture into the rice; stir in the salt and cayenne. Seal tightly with foil and bake in preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed. Remove from oven and fluff with a fork. Serve immediately or serve at room temperature. If making the morning or day before serving, refrigerate and then reheat in a microwave in a microwavable bowl covered with plastic wrap. Garnish with green onions. ©2009 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

 Grilled Baby Back Ribs with Mango Ginger Glaze
Prep the ribs at least one day in advance or up to 3 days ahead. Be sure to read through the recipe before starting
Makes about 8 servings

3 cups mango juice or nectar
3 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup oyster sauce
1 Tbsp ancho chile powder*
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
4 racks pork baby back ribs (1 3/4 – 2 pounds each, about 8 pounds total)
1/2 cup spiced rum
2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp water

* Available from well-stocked supermarkets and Mexican grocers
In a bowl, whisk together the mango juice, ginger, garlic, sherry, oyster sauce, chile powder, soy sauce, brown sugar and salt.
Cut rib slabs in half and divide meat between 3 very large zip-style plastic bags. Re-whisk marinade and divide between bags. Press air out of bags and seal. Move marinade around to get all over ribs. Refrigerate ribs overnight or up to 24 hours, turning whenever you think about it.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a large roasting pan or 2 rimmed baking sheets liberally with cooking spray. Remove ribs from marinade (save marinade to make glaze) and lay ribs out in a single layer in pan(s). Sprinkle meat with rum, cover pan(s) tightly with foil, and roast ribs in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours or until very tender. When ribs are done, drain off fat, cool and refrigerate ribs, covered, overnight or for up to 3 days.

Meanwhile, transfer marinade to a medium saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer marinade for about 45 minutes or until reduced to about 2 cups. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water, then drizzle into the simmering sauce while whisking continuously. Cook for 1 minute until thickened and remove from heat. Cool and refrigerate until ready to grill ribs.

To grill and serve ribs: Cut each rib section in half—you should now have 16 pieces. Preheat grill to medium and place ribs, bone side down. Brush each rib portion with a little sauce. Cover grill and cook ribs for about 8 to 10 minutes, until that side gets some nice color. Turn ribs over and brush with sauce, cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until browned. (If using a gas grill, adjust heat so as to heat and brown ribs but not burn them; if using a charcoal grill, move ribs around as needed.) Turn ribs over one more time and brush again with sauce, cooking for another 8 to 10 minutes until ribs are hot through and nicely browned and glaze is cooked on and sticky. Serve immediately. ©2009 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Check out this article by Gary Regan in the San Francisco Chronicle featuring Sips & Apps and my Green-Eyed Daiquiri!

Smitten

The perfect summer drink…made with fresh juicy watermelon, Sauza Hornitos Plata Tequila, agave, fresh lime and a dash of hot sauce for a little spice!
Makes 1 cocktail

1/3 cup fresh ripe watermelon (large 1” cubes)
2 oz Sauza Hornitos Plata Tequila
3/4 oz Monin Organic Agave Syrup or other agave nectar
(or sub simple syrup)
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
2 dashes Tapatìo hot sauce
Garnish: half rim :“one” scallop of kosher salt

Muddle/press watermelon in pint glass with a muddler being sure to press the melon well to release the juices.
Measure in Hornitos Plata Tequila, Organic Agave Syrup, lime juice.
Shake in hot sauce – do not over do it! Fill with ice.
Cap and shake vigorously.Strain into a martini glass with a partial salt rim (scalloped).

My prediction is that in the near future, you will be seeing hibiscus flavor popping up everywhere. Let’s just say: Hibiscus is the new black! Until recently, hibiscus has most commonly been used in the culinary field as a tea. However, there are a lot of fun ways to use this elegant flavor in drinks, desserts and entrees as well. Available in most latin markets, you can buy it dried and make some fantastic infusions. Or to make some fun drinks, I recommend Monin’s Hibiscus flavored syrup; try a new twist on a flavored lemonade or Italian soda! Hibiscus flavor can also be a great accompaniment to savory dishes as well, check out my recipe below for a great crostini with brie and hibiscus flowers in syrup and chicken skewers.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Hibiscus flavor, when boiled down into a syrup it gives a sweet, rhubarb-raspberry flavor. The color is an inviting magenta that adds that chicness to any drink or dish.

One product I really like is Wild Hibiscus flowers in syrup. They are 100% natural from Australia and are super fun as a garnish to a drink or atop a cheesecake to make an elegant dessert, or even in a salad. Check out the Wild Hibiscus website for some more information about these beautiful and tasty treats. Telephone 800-499-8490 or email bubbles@wildhibiscus.com

Hibiscus is popping up in all kinds of products too, even in tequila! We just received a hot new product called Gran Centinario Roseangel. It is a respesado tequila aged in port barrels that are rubbed with hibiscus. This is only available in certain states at this time so be on the look out for it!

Hibiscus Rum Punch

Makes about 10 cups, enough for 12 to 14 servings

6 cups boiling water

1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers

1 cup honey

2 cups white or spiced rum

1 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon Angostura bitters (optional)

For garnishing

Lime wheels or edible flowers

In a medium nonreactive saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the hibiscus flowers. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain the hibiscus tea into a large heat-proof container or pitcher and discard the solids. Stir in the honey. Place in refrigerator to chill. When mixture is cold, stir in the rum, lime juice, and bitters, if using. The punch keeps, covered and refrigerated, for up to 4 days.

To serve, fill tall or old-fashioned glasses to the top with ice. Pour in about 3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces) of punch. Garnish as desired.

Recipe from Sips & Apps, © 2009 by Kathy Casey, reprinted by permission of Chronicle Book

Hibiscus, Warm Brie & Almond Crostini

Makes 20 to 24 pieces

1 jar (250g) Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup

1 small (8-oz) wheel brie cheese

20 to 24 1/4-inch-thick diagonal slices baguette (about 1 baguette)

3/4 cup sliced almonds, with skin

Garnish: fresh thyme or snipped chives

Preheat oven to 450° F. Drain hibiscus flowers and reserve syrup. Cut each flower in half.

Cut the brie into 1/4-inch-thick slices sized to cover about three quarters of a baguette slice. Spread the almonds in a flat dish. Press the brie firmly onto the bread slices then, facedown, into the almonds. Place on a baking sheet. Bake until the brie is soft, bread is crispy, and nuts are lightly toasted, about 4 to 6 minutes. Top each one with a piece of hibiscus and drizzle lightly with the reserved syrup* as desired. Garnish with herbs. Serve immediately.

*To thicken the syrup, put it in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Then reduce the heat to medium and cook until syrup is reduced by 1/3 or coats the back of a spoon. Syrup will thicken more as it cools.

Note: for a tasty variation try this recipe with Cambozola – a mild brie-like blue cheese.

Recipe by Kathy Casey for Wild Hibiscus ©2009

Grilled Chicken & Hibiscus Skewers with Sassy Ginger Dipping Sauce

Makes 4 skewers

1 jar (250g) Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup

1 Tbsp. finely minced or grated fresh ginger

1/2 to 1 tsp. hot sauce

3 green onions (scallions)

1 to1 1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 32 pieces

vegetable oil as needed

salt and pepper

4 metal skewers or 10″ heavy wood skewers soaked in water

Drain hibiscus flowers, reserving syrup in a small bowl.

To make the dipping sauce: Mix ginger and hot sauce into the reserved syrup.

Trim and cut each green onion into 4 pieces. Thread each skewer as follows: 2 pieces of chicken, 1 piece of green onion, then 1 hibiscus flower*; repeat twice; then finish with 2 pieces of chicken. Lightly brush skewers with oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat grill to medium-high. Cook skewers until chicken is cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Drizzle skewers with dipping sauce and serve extra on the side.

*Cut one flower in half if needed; jars contain approximately 11–12 flowers.

Recipe by Kathy Casey for Wild Hibiscus ©2009

Check out this fun article from Seattle Metropolitan magazine featuring tales from the Tales of the Cocktail conference, and all the fun SWAG we scored!

G’day, fans of Kathy Casey.  My name is Keith Waldbauer.  I’m the new guy, her recently brought-on Associate Mixologist.  Really nice to meet you.  I’ll be contributing to this blog from time-to-time, and I thought it might be a good idea to take a minute to introduce myself and let you know not only who the heck I am, but, also, what we’re up to here at Liquid Kitchen.

I’ve been bartending in Seattle for several years now, most recently having helped open Barrio, the new Mexican restaurant/cocktail bar on Capital Hill.  Prior to that, I manned the bar at Union, the flagship restaurant in the Ethan Stowell empire.  Through that time, I’ve been featured in the Seattle Times, the Seattle Weekly, the Seattle Post Intelligencer, the Stranger and Imbibe Magazine.  Last year I was nominated for a Rising Star Mixologist Award from StarChefs.com.  The man I lost to, Jim Romdall, is the bar manager at the current bar I work at, Vessel.  Vessel, if you have not been, is widely considered to be one of the best cocktail lounges in Seattle, if not the world.  If you’re ever downtown and feeling thirsty, hit us up on 5th Avenue right next door to the Fifth Avenue Theatre…. we’re pretty good at scratching that itch.

So, okay, that’s me.  It’s nice to meet you.  Now that we’re all caught up,  let’s talk about what we’re up to at Liquid Kitchen.

It’s currently 9:15 a.m. in New Orleans, 7:15 a.m. in Seattle, and I’m sitting in the lobby of the Hotel Monteleone, epicenter for the Tales of the Cocktail event held here annually.  The people walking around me are the luminaries of our tiny little piece of the culinary world;  world-famous bartenders and bar impresarios, cocktail book writers, spirit representatives and enthusiasts.  In short, the entire galaxy of the world cocktail culture/revolution gathered together within a single hotel.  And Liquid Kitchen is smack dab in the middle of it.

So, while Kathy Casey, Cameo McRoberts and I wait for drinks at the understandably understaffed hotel bar (the world-famous Carousel Bar, home of the classic Vieux Carre cocktail, recipe to follow), we’ll be filing posts on at least 20 percent of the shenanigans, seminars and events.  If you were here with us, you’d know that 20 percent is a rather generous number… but let’s not get into that just yet.  Instead, let’s talk about the events and seminars we’re partaking in.

Yesterday, actually, was a busy day for us.  Kathy was an integral part of two panels, one regarding managing the rising costs of goods, the other involving beverage consultation.  Kathy is, as you know, uniquely qualified to speak on these topics.  Her background as both chef and bartending consultant gave the audience a perspective unlike anybody else here at the conference and she was magnificent.  Outside of the conference, Kathy, Cameo and I have eaten very very well;  it’s New Orleans, after all.  Yesterday was lunch at the world famous Napolean House with muffulettas and Pimm’s Cups.  Dinner last night should be its own epic blog posting, but let’s just say I’ve been looking forward to returning to Cochon for a year now and it DID NOT disappoint.  We were accompanied by Liza Zimmerman of Cheers magazine and her wonderful and hilarious posse. 

The week ahead has days chock-full of events and laughter and good times just like yesterday.  I love this time of year.  Keep track of us on Kathy’s Twitter if you get a chance…. it’s not quite like being here, but it’s close enough.

As promised, the recipe for the Vieux Carre cocktail, invented here at the Hotel Monteleone by a bartender named Walter Bergeron sometime in the 1930’s.  It has all the hallmarks of New Orleans and, chances are, if you mix one RIGHT NOW, Kathy, Cameo and I will be sampling one at the same moment in New Orleans.

The Vieux Carre Cocktail
3/4 oz rye
3/4 oz cognac
3/4 oz sweet vermouth
1/4 oz Benedictine
dash Angostura bitters
dash Peychauds bitters

Stir in a mixing glass with ice, strain into your best old-fashioned glass with fresh ice, then zest and garnish with a lemon twist.  And, finally, raise your glass in the direction of New Orleans.  If you do it right now, Kathy, Cameo and I will likely be raising our own glasses in the direction of Seattle.

– Keith

Follow my cocktail adventures on my blog or catch my tweets at KathyCaseyChef
and LiquidKtchn … I’ll be posting often.

And check out my Facebook Fan-Page the Liquid Kitchen — there will be lots of posts and photos there, too. Sign up to be a fan and follow the buzz……..

And wish me luck on Sunday at the Bitters Challenge — I have 3 bitters that made it into the finals!

Each year Tales of the Cocktail offers a spirited series of dinners, demos, tastings, competitions, seminars, book signings, tours, and parties, all perfectly paired with some of the best cocktails ever made. Follow the buzz!!!

Photo credited to E. Jane Armstrong, from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table, Chronicle Books

This week we welcome the first of this summer’s local cherries at the farmer’s markets and grocery stores. We have a cherry tree behind the Food Studios here in Ballard and all of a sudden it was crammed with deliciously ripe cherries! With the wonderful weather the Northwest has been having they seemed to have just ripened overnight!  At the produce stand you’ll generally see all the dark sweet cherries labeled as Bing cherries, which many consider the benchmark favorite, although other varieties, such as Chelan, Lambert, or Van may be mixed in. And then of course there are the light, sweet, Queen Annes and big, blushing Rainiers.

I have been known to just eat a big bowl of cherries for dinner. Once in awhile you just need to gorge yourself, and why not on something juicy, delicious and healthy! Cherries are low fat, sodium free and a great source of fiber and vitamin C. One cup of cherries has only 90 calories–that’s about 5 calories each.

The one drawback to cooking with cherries is getting the seeds out, and this can sometimes be the pits! The best way to accomplish this task if you are pitting a lot of cherries is to get a large volume pitter. I like the one they have at Sur la Table. It clamps easily onto the side of a picnic table–outdoors is the ideal place to do this messy chore. You stem the cherries, then load up the hopper and start punching the plunger down like mad. The only hitch is that by the time you are finished you are usually freckled with pink dots! So wear an old shirt–cherry stains are hard to get out.
Frozen cherries make fun ice cubes for cold summer drinks. Just wash, dry and freeze the whole fruit. Or you can pit them, place each one in an ice cube tray compartment, then fill with water (or lemonade!) and freeze. Or the drink itself can feature the rosy globes. Try my Cherry Mojitos for a Crowd, it’s unbelievably good!

Cherries also show up in the main course—I love a fresh cherry salsa on grilled salmon – or, for an easy entree, try my Almond Chicken with Sassy Bing Cherry Salsa. You quickly sauté the chicken, then let the oven finish cooking it while you toss a big green salad. Deglaze the pan with a little wine, and you’re all done.

Have a cherrilicious summer!

Almond Chicken with Sassy Bing Cherry Salsa

Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup (2 ounces) sliced almonds
1/4 cup dry white wine
Sassy Bing Cherry Salsa (recipe follows)
Cilantro sprigs for garnishing

Preheat an oven to 375°F.

In a shallow bowl, mix the flour, salt, coriander, and cayenne. Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess. Set aside.

In a large, ovenproof nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken lightly on each side for about 1 minute. Lay the chicken in the pan, sprinkle with the almonds, and place the pan in the oven. Cook the chicken until the juices run clear, about 6 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. Transfer the chicken and almonds to a warm platter and keep warm. (Reserve the pan for next step.)

Return the pan to medium-high heat, add the wine, and bring to a simmer, stirring to scrape up all the browned bits in the pan. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and whisk until slightly reduced and thickened.

Spoon the sauce over the chicken and top with the cherry salsa. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Sassy Bing Cherry Salsa

Makes about 2 cups

2 cups pitted sliced Bing cherries (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup minced Walla Walla Sweet onion or other sweet white onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoons very finely minced peeled fresh ginger
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like it)

In a small bowl, gently mix all the ingredients. The salsa is best if made right before serving but can be made up to 2 hours in advance.
Recipe from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table, Chronicle Books, San Francisco. Copyright © 2006 by Kathy Casey.

Cherry Mojitos for a Crowd

Makes about 10 servings

1 bunch fresh mint (about 1 1/2 cups sprigs)
3 cups Bacardi Limón rum
2 cups sugar
2 cups fresh lime juice
1/4 cup clear cherry liqueur, such as Maraska maraschino
3 cups pitted fresh sweet cherries (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Loads of ice for serving
Two 10-ounce bottles soda water

Garnishes
Fresh mint sprigs
Fresh cherries on the stem

In a large nonreactive container, such as a glass pitcher, combine the mint, rum, sugar, lime juice, liqueur, and pitted cherries. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

For each serving, fill a large rocks glass or tumbler with ice and measure in 6 ounces (3/4 cup) of the rum mixture (I like to use a ladle to do this), being sure to get some of the cherries into each glass. Top with 2 ounces (1/4 cup) of soda. Stir, then garnish with a mint sprig and a cherry.

Chef’s Note: You can make the cherry-rum mixture up to 3 days in advance and keep it refrigerated—the flavors will just get better and better.
Recipe from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table, Chronicle Books, San Francisco. Copyright © 2006 by Kathy Casey.