Great article in In The Mix Magazine covering one of my fave hospitality industry events: the Hospitality Executive Exchange! Held on both the east and west coasts, these events are a great balance of educational seminars, networking, fun, and fundraising – like Cutthroat Cocktails at the East Coast event benefiting Children of Restaurant Employees (CORE).

Beam Suntory’s Philip Raimondo and I were sabotaged (No Talking – duct tape covering our mouths) while making up a blended 50 Shades of Pink’olada!

I remember when I ate my first pomegranate as a kid….seated in a chair with a TV tray. Yes, it occupied my little hands for hours! Take note moms: it’s fun for kids. And yes, it will make their hands bright pink, but only for a day.

Juicy pomegranate seeds!

Pomegranate’s brilliant tart-sweet seeds are prized for their distinctive flavor and are high in antioxidants. I love the texture and how they pop in your mouth.

They are so great sprinkled on a winter salad of arugula, slices of orange, and fennel or endive, tossed with a champagne vinaigrette. Or finishing a dish of roasted Brussel sprouts and toasted walnuts adding their tart crunch.

Try them on ice cream or yogurt or even shaken into your favorite cocktail.

And I have a great tip to make de-seeding simple:

•Cut the pomegranate in half, then holding a half firmly over a large bowl.
•Hit it with a heavy wooden spoon and watch the seeds come tumbling out.
•Repeat – then eat.

PS. This is also a great holiday stress reliever. And be sure you put on a bib apron, the pink speckles will be flying! –Kathy

We all have our dessert traditions: those sweet treats that have been passed down the generations, shared from friends and family.

Maybe its Mom’s Ice Box Sugar Cookies, rolled out with love and cut from Great-Great Grandma’s cutters. You know: the reindeer, Christmas tree, festive snowman, and star. Then decorated with lots of icing, silver balls, and sprinkles. Or boxes of homemade fudge wrapped in wax paper and delivered in that special holiday tin.

How cool that these days you can just hop online and see what other’s sweet traditions are. Blogs, newsletters, Facebook pages, Pinterest, and Instagram – all bring us new and d’lish inspiration these days. It’s like having a recipe file at your fingertips!

And there is something to be said of that. Mom’s tattered and stained recipe card, with hand-written notes has that special love on it that is sure to come through in the final dish. So it’s important that these holiday traditions be passed on. Here’s a link to my Mom’s Gumdrop Cookies that I grew up with!

I like to preserve these well-worn recipes. Why not create a little digital book with your most cherished family and friends recipes to pass to those you love this holiday season.

Who wants a slice of my Over 21 “Real Fruit” Cakes made with Maker’s Mark?

My Grandma always baked amazing fruitcake – I took her recipe and have now given it my own spin by soaking dried fruits in Maker’s Mark bourbon, then mixing it with spiced batter and lots of toasted nuts. You can get my Over 21 “Real Fruit” Cakes while supplies last (available online or at my Food Studios in Ballard).

My tradition is to have a slice toasted on Christmas morning with a big cup of coffee! –Kathy

My dear friend, genius gluten-free guru Jeanne Sauvage, has released an inspiring new cookbook – the Gluten-Free Wish List, filled with delicious and craveable sweet and savory dishes for celiacs and the health conscious alike.

Living a gluten-free lifestyle can sometimes lead to feeling like you’re missing out on your favorite comfort foods, but Jeanne, who is gluten-intolerant herself, refuses to let this notion dictate her life and her diet. Jeanne’s book will fulfill all your cravings! After much trial and error, she has built a delicious and diverse collection of recipes that even I, as a non-celiac, have been drooling over.

From Challah to crispy Fried Chicken to chewy Bagels, Jeanne has managed to transform seemingly unattainable wheat staples into scrumptious celiac-friendly treats. Standout recipes include Potato Gnocchi with Tomato-Porcini Mushroom Sauce, Chicken and Dumpling Soup, Old-Fashioned Doughnuts, and her helpful and informative instructions for Laminated Doughs – hello Croissants! And if the idea of Pop Tarts brings back fond memories from your childhood, then check out her sophisticated and delightful take on Toaster Tarts.

Personally, I can’t resist a good tiramisu and her version is as luscious and satisfying as any recipe out there. It’s safe to say that the recipes in Gluten-Free Wish List don’t just ‘taste good for gluten-free’, they taste d’lish period!

Jeanne’s book is available locally in Seattle at Book Larder – stop on by to support Small Independent Book Stores.

#TurkeyHack! Okay, you roasted the beautiful bird, enjoyed all the trimmings, and stuffed yourself silly. Now what do you do with the leftover turkey? Don’t just leave it on the counter while you start playing games or watching a game on TV.

Get ready to do a #TurkeyHack Turkey Stock!
First things first: remove all the meat from the turkey. Slice up the breast and use for sandwiches – you know that you’ll want one later! Save the dark meat for soup and other yummy dishes, which we will get to in a minute. And make sure to remove any string, from the bird or leg ties – you don’t need those anymore!

Next, whack and/or break up the turkey carcass; yes, use your hands! Put it all in a big pot, and cover with water (if you have them, add in big chunks of onion, celery tops and carrots). Now put the whole thing on the stove and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 2 hours (make sure to set a timer!) while you enjoy some post-dinner fun.

Now, strain out the solids reserving the delicious turkey stock. Put stock back in the pot and reduce by half on a low simmer. (You need about 5 cups for the gravy recipe – and if your short stretch it out with a little chicken broth).

When it’s reduced and tasty delicious, cool and then refrigerate for soup. Or make a big pot of gravy using my #TurkeyHack Gravy Simple Recipe for leftovers or open-faced hot turkey sandwiches. Yum! -Kathy

#TurkeyHack Simple Gravy
Makes about 5 cups

6 Tbsps. butter
2 Tbsp minced onion AND/OR 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup flour
5 cups homemade turkey stock (see above for method using your leftover turkey carcass)
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan. Add the onions (and mushrooms if using) and sauté over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add the flour and stir vigorously until combined and smooth. Cook for about 1 minute. Add the stock all at once and whisk vigorously so as to eliminate any lumps. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the gravy is nicely thickened. Season with salt and white pepper.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios®. – www.KathyCasey.com

‘Tis the season once again where the Food Studios elves will be busy chopping nuts and soaking loads of fruit in bourbon … to make our annual holiday-inspired “Over 21” Real Fruit Cake made with Maker’s Mark!

These REAL fruit cakes are full of Maker’s Mark-soaked dried fruits, including apricots, cranberries, tart cherries and golden raisins as well as loads of nuts from toasted hazelnuts to rich pecans – all bound with my signature spiced batter. Baked then brushed hot out of the oven with a Maker’s Mark bourbon- brown sugar glaze.

Who’s ready for a slice of “Over 21” Real Fruit Cakes made with Maker’s Mark?

“This is not your grandma’s fruitcake and has over the years now gained a cult following. Chock full of Maker’s Mark bourbon-soaked real fruits and toasted nuts it’s sure to convert any fruitcake naysayers. It’s hard not to eat the whole thing!” commented Kathy Casey.

• Starting November 23rd Real Fruit Cakes can be picked up at Kathy Casey Food Studios,
Monday thru Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm.

• Order from our website starting November 23rd while supplies last.

• Our festive loaves are priced at $11.95 this holiday season – supplies are limited, as they sell out fast!

Watch our YouTube video to see deliciousness in the making!

Kathy Casey Food Studios is located at 5130 Ballard Ave. NW and is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. (We suggest calling ahead to be sure that cakes are available). During Food Studios hours, there is available parking in the back lot. For more information, contact: call (206) 784-7840, email dishing@kathycasey.com or check out our website www.kathycasey.com.

Often the trick to a d’lish dish is the sauce, but sometimes making one can be a bit daunting.

Seattle author Susan Volland’s new book Mastering Sauces: The Home Cook’s Guide to New Techniques for Fresh Flavors will help take the mystery out of making a great sauce. So you can easily splash, slather, drizzle or douse!

From basic recipes for stock (the building block of sauces) to creative and unique takes on classic recipes, this book has sauces covered from A to Z.

From quick and easy Stir-Together Peanut Butter-Hoisin Dipping Sauce to her recipe for a Vegan Corn “Hollandaise” – there are a lot of ideas to finish off your favorite dish.

Here are some of my favorite tips from her book:

Susan is an amazing chef and has wanted to write this book for years. It is one of the most comprehensive sauce books of all times and destined to become an eternal classic. Her recipes are always well written and precision tested.

So crack open a copy of Mastering Sauces and get saucy!

P.S. – And It’s never too early to think about holiday gifts for your favorite foodie. –Kathy

Stir-Together Peanut Butter-Hoisin Dipping Sauce
Susan says: “This sauce is nutty, sweet, and slightly exotic, and, it can be whipped up in less time than the quick-cooking dishes I like to dunk in it: grilled chicken skewers, Vietnamese spring rolls, or pot stickers. Double or triple the recipe, and you can use it to simmer chicken or as a sauce for chewy stir-fried noodles. It keeps well.”

Yield: 1/2 cup

1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup water, coconut water, or Really Good Chicken Stock
2 Tbsp. all-natural peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
1 Tbsp. fish sauce (or substitute 2 tsp. light soy sauce or tamari)
2 tsp. sambal oelek or Sriracha, or to taste
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice, Tamarind Water, or rice vinegar

Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the sauce at room temperature or lightly warmed.

If storing, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe from Susan Volland’s Mastering Sauces: The Home Cook’s Guide to New Techniques for Fresh Flavors, W. W. Norton & Co.

Vegan Corn “Hollandaise”
Susan says: “The friends and I have introduced this sauce to—even die-hard carnivores and butter lovers—claim to prefer this vegan version to classic hollandaise. The creamy yellow sauce mimics the texture of hollandaise without relying on eggs and butter. It is not as cloying, it’s heat stable, it’s tasty enough to be slurped up by the spoonful, and there is little or no guilt afterward. You will need a few specialty ingredients: miso, nutritional yeast flakes, and arrowroot. These are available at some supermarkets and at natural foods markets. Arrowroot is added for stability and gentle thickening; kudzu root (available at health foods markets) can also be used.”

Yield: about 1 1/2 cups

1 1/2 cups water, Corn Stock, or Corncob Mock Stock
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen yellow corn kernels
1/3 cup whole raw cashews
1 Tbsp. white (shiro) miso
1 tsp. nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 tsp arrowroot
1 – 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper or dash of Tabasco

Combine the water, corn kernels, and cashews in a saucepan, cover, and simmer until the cashews are tender and the corn is very soft, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly.

Transfer the cashew mixture to a blender, add the miso, yeast, and arrowroot, and puree until very smooth. Strain back into the saucepan, pressing the solids against the sides of the strainer to extract as much smooth pupl and liquid as possible. Heat the sauce over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is just simmering and has thickened. Season with the lemon juice, salt, and cayenne. Serve warm.

Unlike hollandaise, this sauce can be refrigerated and reheated. Cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Recipe from Susan Volland’s Mastering Sauces: The Home Cook’s Guide to New Techniques for Fresh Flavors, W. W. Norton & Co.

Earlier this summer the Fairmont Global mixology team visited Liquid Kitchen for a drink development workshop to create a new global cocktail menu – launching later this November. Check out Cheers Magazine for full coverage of the R&D session the Classics, Perfected menu, meet the Fairmont Tastemakers, and recipes for the Right Word and Pomegranate Paloma.