Conferences

Chasing Wild Mushrooms: Remembering Patrice benson

Why do I wish for rain every fall? Because as soon as it begins, our Northwest grounds moisten and the magic begins. Local wild mushrooms start to pop up! Chanterelles, the fragrant matsutake, cauliflower mushroom (its genus name is Sparassis but it does look like a big cauliflower), angel wings, hedgehog, oyster … the Pacific Northwest has a bounty of edibles yours for the finding. Wild mushroom foraging is one of my favorite activities during the fall season.

Matsutake
Tasty matsutake mushrooms – nom nom nom!

I have been a huge foraging enthusiast for years. It’s how I met fellow mycophagist (mushroom eater/lover) Patrice Benson, who let me tag along through the years to her secret mushroom-picking spots. Of course, I never know exactly where we are going because, like any good mushroom hunter, Patrice would never tell me exactly where we were.  Lucky for her, I’m so directionally challenged that I wouldn’t be able to find my way back if I tried!

For over 20 years, Patrice shared her amazing mushroom knowledge with local enthusiasts and chefs, teaching everyone the ins and outs of seeking wild mushrooms. Patrice passed on recently but I know she will be with us in spirit this year as we seek out the first of the season’s mushrooms.

Patrice Benson
Dear friend Patrice Benson with a bounty of mushrooms! Look at all those Chanterelles!
Thank you, Patrice, for sharing your wonderful knowledge with me and so many others.

If you’re curious about foraging but have never been before, I highly recommend checking out the Puget Sound Mycological Society.  They have scores of info for wild mushroom lovers of all backgrounds. From budding beginners to seasoned professionals, the PSMS has all sorts of activities and programs to keep you hunting!

Speaking of activities, this weekend is the annual Puget Sound Wild Mushroom Show held at the Mountaineers Club (located in Seattle’s Magnusson Park), where there will be hundreds of species exhibited. The PSMS has put on a wild mushroom festival every year since 1964. Their two-day fair is one of the largest in North America.

There’ll be guest speakers, program/membership info, an art contest and of course cooking demos! I’ll be cooking up some wild mushroom fun on Sunday (Oct.14) from 2-4 pm — and sharing my “When I Found the Mother Load” story. General Admission is $10 and fun for all ages!

Don’t fret if you can’t make out to the show! There is another great opportunity for wild mushroom foragers – the 27th Annual Breitenbush Mushroom Gathering! Held at the Breitenbush Hot Springs on October 18th – 21st, attendees will focus on the diversity of the wild mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest and the many functions that mushrooms have for both humans and the natural world.

Whether it’s in the woods or from your favorite farmers market, use up this season’s chanterelles in my Savory Chanterelle Bread Pudding one of my favorite wild mushroom recipes.

If you do get a chance to go mushroom hunting, pack up some extra ingredients (as well as rustic breads and a bottle of wine!), a cast iron skillet, a few other staple ingredients and a portable burner – then try making my Wild Mushroom Ragout after pulling in your day’s bounty of mushrooms. So yummy slathered over thick slices of rustic bread and a glass of vino after an exhilarating day roaming the woods for the big find.

So to all you mycophagists out there, here’s to a fun and fruitful season of wild mushroom foraging! -Kathy

Savory Chanterelle Bread Pudding
It is important to use a rustic-style bread for this recipe—not airy bread.

Mushroom Bread Pudding
(Photo from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table, Chronicle Books)

Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 Tbsp olive oil or butter
2 cups cleaned and sliced chanterelles (about 10 ounces)
1/2 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced celery
1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic
4 cups 1-inch-cubed firm, rustic French- or Italian-style bread
1 1/2 Tbsps minced fresh sage
1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme or lemon thyme
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 egg yolks

Preheat an oven to 325°F. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the chanterelles and onion for 3 to 4 minutes, or until three-quarters done. Add the celery and sauté for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes more. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more, taking care not to burn the garlic. Remove from the heat.

Combine the bread cubes, herbs, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix in the cooked mushroom mixture and set aside.

Butter a 6-cup glass or ceramic baking dish or spray with vegetable-oil cooking spray.

Whisk the half-and-half, milk, eggs, and egg yolks in a medium bowl. Pour the egg mixture into the bread mixture and mix gently and thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and level out the surface, lightly pressing the bread down into the dish.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the custard is just set in the center. Do not overbake or the custard will scramble.

Recipe from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table, Chronicle Books

Wild Mushroom Ragout
My Wild Mushroom Ragout – that’s a 12-inch cast iron skillet…making that Boletus huge!
This is from my first book Pacific Northwest the Beautiful in 1993. Patrice picked these mushrooms for the photo shoot!

Wild Mushroom Ragout
From my first cook book – this recipe is still one of my favorites to enjoy after a long day of foraging. For a very rich flavor soak a few dried wild mushrooms such as Morels or Boletous (Cepes) in the brandy or sherry, then add to simmering ragout. Serve ragout in a big cast iron skillet and spread it on toasted rustic bread, or serve it over grilled fish or roasted chicken or pork.

For making out on your foraging trip take some butter or olive oil, some fresh herbs, onion, garlic, a half pint of heavy cream and a little jar of sherry brandy and white wine mixed together, a lemon and some seasoning — delete the stock. Pack a portable burner, cast iron skillet, a spoon, small cutting board, knife and a loaf of rustic bread. And wish for lot’s of mushrooms.

Makes about 6 servings

4 Tbsps butter
1 cup thinly sliced white onion
2 pounds mushrooms, quartered or sliced (a mixture of local fresh wild mushrooms, if available)
1 Tbsp fresh garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh thyme
1 1/2 tsp minced fresh rosemary or fresh mixed herbs such as thyme, chives and basil
1/4 cup chicken, or mushroom stock, (more or less as needed)
3 Tbsps sherry
2 Tbsps brandy (optional)
1 cup heavy cream
2-3 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 Tbsps chopped fresh parsley (optional)

In a large heavy bottomed skillet or small brazing pan. Melt butter over moderately high heat, add onions, mushrooms and garlic. Cook mixture, stirring often till mushrooms and onions are softened about 3-4 minutes. Add herbs, stock, sherry and brandy. Reduce till only a little liquid remains about 5 minutes or more depending upon if your mushrooms have a lot of moisture in them.

Add whipping cream and cook till mixture is a nice lightly thickened about 3-5 minutes. Add lemon juice. Cook for a couple more minutes. Season and stir in parsley.

Recipe © Kathy Casey Food Studios

Posted by Kathy Casey on October 13th, 2012  |  Comments Off on Chasing Wild Mushrooms: Remembering Patrice benson |  Posted in Conferences, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Foodie News, KOMO Radio, Lifestyle, other, Recipes, sides

Dishing with Kathy Casey: The Newsletter

Farewell Summer; Hello Fall!

Things have been busy, busy here at the Food Studios & Liquid Kitchen! It’s been non-stop action with things like huge recipe development (pizzas and cupcakes and burgers – oh my!). And when I wasn’t up to the gills in pizza toppings and dough, I was traveling from Miami to New Orleans to Newport Beach!

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Tasty Travels

Happy 10th Anniversary Tales of the Cocktail!
Can you believe that it’s been 10 years since the first Tales? Neither can I! Towards the last week of July, cocktail professionals and enthusiasts of all levels flocked towards New Orleans for the booziest week ever. Full of libatious parties, informative seminars and lots of tastings, it is the place to be in late July!

Ladies NightRemy Cointreau USA’s Karlyn Monroe, myself and Speed Rack co-founder Lynnette Marrero out on the town in between industry parties doing some tequila shooters!

After days filled with seminars and tastings, it was time for party central! First off, I headed to the fun-filled first-ever Macallan Ice Ball Plunge! Bartenders from the world over came for this fundraiser to support the Museum of the American Cocktail. Party attendees got to watch industry leaders take a bone chilling plunge into an icy pool, inspired by the Macallan Ice Ball. Don’t worry…everyone got to warm up and stay toasty afterwards with a fun drink to sip on!

Macallan
Looks chilly!

(Photo courtesy of Drink of the Week)

Then it was off to the Employees Only (an international renowned cocktail bar in New York) party in New Orleans where
they took over New Orleans’ One Eyed Jacks. The gang behind Employees Only made it a night to remember, especially with in-party fun like an EO Tattoo Bar – industry professionals who received an EO tattoo were guaranteed a first drink for free
for life when visiting the New York Bar! Yowza!

EO
The Employees Only gang holdin’ it down!

Then there were special tastings like “Brunch with an Italian Twist.” Lead by fellow mixologist Francesco Lafranconi, this
particular brunch featured amazing Italian liqueurs, amaros, and aperitifs to try, in-between delectable bites. Two of the most memorable tastes were of Zabov Liqueur (an egg yolk liqueur) similar in style/texture to a zabaione and Toschi’s Fragoli Wild Strawberry Liqueur, which I am totally in love with now.

Mixologists
(Photo from The Tasting Panel magazine)

Liquor
One of the seminar tastings that I attended on liquors…that was a lot to sip!

In between the wild parties and tastings, I got to sneak away for a special lunch at Hotel Monteleone’s Criollo Restaurant & Lounge – which by the way, the hotel has totally redone their bar and restaurant and it is fantastic! Open for breakfast and lunch, they just recently added a dinner menu! Led by Chef de Cuisine Joseph Maynard and Executive Chef Randolph Buck, Criollo’s (Spanish for “Creole”) dishes are infused with traditional Creole flavors and spices.

Criollo
A Softshell Crab BLT…one of the many tasty dishes served at Criollo!

Tales is also about celebrating the rich and vibrant cocktail culture worldwide and awarding those who should be best recognized for their excellence. During the Spirited Awards, I was more than happy to cheer for all the winners whom I am all big fans of: Liquor.com for Best Cocktail Writing – Non-Book, David Wondrich for Best Cocktail Writing – Author, Jim Meehan for his The PDT Cocktail Book for Best New Cocktail/Bartending Book, and so many more. And congrats to the always fabulous Gaz Regan for receiving the Helen Davis Lifetime Achievement Award. It was definitely a great Tales and I am looking forward to next year’s!

The Ultimate Flavor Experience in Newport Beach
Every year at the Flavor Experience, culinary experts, corporate taste makers and restaurant owners come together to discuss and taste the emerging flavor trends and ideas in the culinary world. Hosted in Newport Beach, California, associates Heather Jones, Danny Ronen and I presented during opening night the Monin BYOC (Build Your Own Cocktail) bar where we featured my Honey Lemon Collins and my Agave Lime Margarita! BYOC attendees could add in any sorts of flavors like Citrus Blood Orange, Bella (red and yellow bell peppers, Ginger Syrup, and a Habanero Lime Syrup), and so on!

Flavor 1
The Monin Build-Your-Own-Cocktail Bar at Flavor!

The second night we shook up drinks at our Flowers & Herbs Bar – featuring Garden Inspired Cocktails! From cocktails like my Rose Tequila Sage, Picking Flowers Champagne Cocktail, Zen Blossom and Strawberry Lavender Shag, tasters had a garden variety of drinks to sample.

Flavor 2

Flavor 3
Gardening for my bar display!

Flavor 4
The Liquid Kitchen team keeping things HOT in Newport Beach!

(Our silly chili pepper photo!)

Then I headed home…
…to judge the 3rd Annual Foster Farms Fresh Chicken Cooking Competition – Washington Regional Finals held at my Food Studios. Out of thousands of Washington entrée recipes, contest organizers narrowed it down to the 5 lucky contestants to battle it out at my Food Studios. It was a tight competition – all the dishes were super tasty – but only two could be picked to move on to the next round. So congratulations to Washington’s own Sandra Gray and Rebecca Cameron! They move on to the grand finale held in Napa Valley for the grand prize of $10,000 and a year’s worth of fresh Foster Farms’ chicken! Good luck, we’ll be rooting for you both! Make sure to visit Foster Farms’ website for the final winning recipe. Check out blogger Traca Savadogo’s fantastic recap of the event of the Washington finals.

Judges
Guest Judges Jamie Peha, myself and Cynthia Nims… and a lil’ Foster Farm’s Chicken!

Serious Sippin’ with the Liquid KitchenTM

Season 3 of Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen is airing weekly. This season started off with great summer cocktail videos and recipes like my Bloody Good Balsamic Mary (perfect for using that garden produce) and Housemade Bitter Lemon with Gin as well as cocktails for a crowd like Metaxa Sangria. Upcoming episodes like Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned (bourbon, REAL maple syrup, and bitters) and Fair Isle (scotch, Cocchi aperitif, fresh grapefruit juice and bitters) will be great to toast the fall weather. And if you’re an oyster lover then stay tuned for my video on Citrus Splashed Taylor Shellfish Oysters on the Half Shell served alongside an aquavit-based Citrus Scandi cocktail. New episodes air every Tuesday on Small Screen Network or catch them on YouTube.

Bloody Good Balsamic Mary
Get creative with your garnishes for brunch in a glass.

Makes 1 drink

1 1/2 – 2 ounces Bloody Good Vodka (recipe follows) or your favorite vodka

4 ounces Balsamic Mary Mix (recipe follows)
Garnish ideas: assorted olives, sliced salumi, cheese, fun pickled veggies, rosemary sprigs

Fill a large Old Fashioned or tall glass with ice. Measure in the infused vodka and Mary mix. Stir. Garnish with an assortment of tasty garnishes on a pick.

Bloody Good Vodka
Makes 1 1/2 cups, enough for about 8 drinks

1 1/2 cups vodka
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1 small sprig fresh basil
1 small sprig fresh thyme
5 peppercorns crushed
1 small dried red chili (if you like it hot)
2 cloves garlic

Combine all ingredients in a 4-cup glass jar. Cover and let infuse at room temperature for 24 – 36 hours. Strain the vodka, pressing out as much liquid as possible, and discard the solids. Store in a bottle, tightly capped, for up to 6 months.

Balsamic Mary Mix
Makes about 4 cups, enough for about 8 drinks

1 vine ripe tomato
1/2 ea red bell pepper, halved and seeded
1/4 ea English cucumber
1 cloves garlic
3 cups tomato juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish (or use fresh grated done on a micro plainer)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground or coarse black pepper
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. celery seed

Combine all ingredients in a Vita Mix Bar Boss Advance blender cup. Blend on setting #3. Mixture should be almost smooth – but a few particulates are remaining for texture. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid KitchenTM

Tasty & Libatious Reads

Sip Northwest
If you live in the Pacific Northwest, make sure you pick up the latest issue of Sip Northwest Magazine! The fall Harvest Issue covers posh tailgating, farmer’s markets, d’lish pumpkin ales and more. Make sure to check out my column Shake Swizzle & Stir where I share a quick recap of who represented the Northwest at this year’s Tales of the Cocktail, as well as share some of my tasty cocktail recipes. How about a P-Town Martini (Imbue Bittersweet Vermouth and Aviation Gin) to whet your whistle?

Sip NW Logo

UrbanSpoon
UrbanSpoon
recently launched their Urban Guides, a fun new way of finding all the hotspots in town. When they approached me for my fave eateries and bars, I was more than happy to share! I cover some of my d’lish destinations in Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Washington, D.C. Make sure to check it out!

Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History
Ever wondered why absinthe was banned in several countries? Or how gin almost ruined the British empire? Author, wine and spirits guru, and NPR radio host Mark Spivak answers those questions and more in his new book Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History. Writing about the elusive history of the cocktail culture, he guides readers in a fun adventure covering twelve iconic
spirits. To top it all off, he shares lots of d’lish cocktail recipes, including my Rye’Invention and Rosemary Mandarin Sparkle! You can pre-order now so make sure you save yourself a copy!

Iconic

Food & Wine Cocktails 2012
For all you cocktail enthusiasts, make sure you pick up the annual Food & Wine Cocktails 2012! This book covers all the classic cocktails, including inspired sips. I contributed this year with my take on the classic French 75! Make sure you pick up a copy today.

New Restaurant Hot Spot and New Cocktails!

Good friends Michelle Quisenberry and Chef Don Curtiss have opened their 2nd location of the popular Ballard’s Volterra Restaurant, featuring Tuscan-inspired cuisine in Kirkland, Washington! I was more than honored to be part of the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.

Volterra
(Photo courtesy of the Seattle PI blog)

Volterra Kirkland is open nightly for dinner service from 5:00 – 11:00pm and beginning in October 1st, will be available for lunch service and happy hour as well as their famous Sunday Brunches! Don’t forget to check out Kirkland’s new cocktail menu, featuring Italian-inspired sipping like my Asti Cucumber Collins (vodka, fresh lemon juice, simple, Cocchi Americano and soda bubbles, topped with cucumber foam)!

Volterra Logo

Where’s Kathy?

Sip for SIFF
Earlier this month my team and I were thrilled to make the signature cocktail for the annual Sip for SIFF event, supporting Seattle International Film Festival. Attendees sipped on my Liquid Kitchen Ultimate Champagne Cocktail with Honey Lemon Cointreau Foam.! This year the event raised over $90,000! Way to go!

KCLK team
Jason, Heather, Me and Erwin at Sip for SIFF

Come see me at – Battle of the Chefs
Thursday, October 11th from 6:00 – 9:00pm @ Bradlee Distributors

Luxe Interiors + Design & Bradlee Distributors in Seattle is hosting the second annual Battle of the Chefs event. This “Iron Chef” style competition will pit six teams against each other in a one-hour cook-off! I’ve been asked to be a celebrity judge and am looking forward to tasting all the dishes. Make sure you buy your tickets for this fun event!

Battle

I’m a model at – Ruby Room’s Annual Fashion Show
Saturday, October 13th at 5:30pm @ Seattle Center Fisher Pavillion

The Ruby Room is a wonderful nonprofit organization that helps provide formal gowns to high school girls who are unable to purchase their own dance attire. Their Annual Fashion Show & Auction is an exciting evening where local designers create and show-off some fun designs. There’ll be a DJ to spin fun music, tasty food and more. Yours truly will be modeling Not Your Mama’s Aprons down the runway! Make sure you get your tickets soon!

I hope that you’ve enjoyed reading our summer adventures and here’s wishing you a delicious Fall! – Cheers, Kathy


Follow on Twitter @KathyCaseyChef. Blogging: Dishing with Kathy Casey.
Like on Facebook: Sips & Apps and Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen.
Watch: www.LiquidKitchen.tv.

If you haven’t signed up for my Newsletter, you can sign up here.

Posted by Kathy Casey on September 28th, 2012  |  Comments Off on Dishing with Kathy Casey: The Newsletter |  Posted in Restaurants, Books to Cook, Cocktails, Conferences, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Foodie News, Lifestyle, Newsletter, Recent Posts, Recipes, Small Screen Network, Tasty Travels

Dishing with Kathy Casey: The Newsletter

Hello Sunshine!

After a busy winter and spring we are happy to welcome some summer sunshine and have lots of exciting projects and trips on the horizon. Here is a little of what we have been up to since our last newsletter.

Kissy Face Logo

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Tasty Travels

Since my trip back from Ukraine, I had about a week to relax at home before heading out again. This time my travels lead me to Ocean Shores, Washington to host the 6th Annual Razor Clam Festival! Ocean Shores is a small beach town on the coast of Washington; about a 3-hour drive away from the hustle and bustle of Seattle. Every year they celebrate this illustrious clam with a fun and tasty festival, from Blood Mary and beer booths, to arts and crafts, and of course a clam chowder cook-off. My team and I judged both the amateur and professional chowder cook-offs and seriously tasted over 45 chowders to choose the grand prize winners. Needless to say we were stuffed to the gills with chowder by the end of the day!

Clam Chowder judges
Heather, Erwin and I tasting the first group of chowders!

Then it was off to California’s Napa Valley with teammates Heather and new sous-chef Jason for the Flavor Summit! Held at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, this industry-only event brings in the top leaders in the culinary world to discuss and taste their way through flavor-related topics. The campus is amazing and the seminars were enlightening! I attended with my client Paramount Citrus. We participated in the lunch, cooking up a Sweet Orange, Fennel and Arugula Salad with Citrus Grilled Shrimp and my Market Fresh Lime Agua Fresca with Berries (see below for the recipe). For the ending reception we crafted Liquid Kitchen Ultimate G & T’s (Gin and Tonics), topped with a Cucumber Lime Foam and a grating of lime zest.

Limes
Squeezing out some Paramount Limes for my Ultimate G & T!

Then it was off to Los Angeles again. This time for business meetings mixed in with some fun. While in LA, we checked out concepts and visited restaurants, including Bottega Louie where I was drooling over their amazing pastries and cupcakes. Check out the Macaron Tree below! The weekend was full of glitterati sightings at the SLS hotel in Beverly Hills where party goers for JJ McKay’s (Seattle party host extraordinaire) party were staying. JJ’s parties always bring in the who’s who of crowds and lead to the best networking ever. Guests flew in from all over the US, including partiers from Miami and NY to Dallas, San Francisco and Seattle.

Macaron Tree
Bottega Louie’s Macaron Tree!

JJ, Joe
The always faboo JJ McKay, myself, and producer Joe Gressis from Secret Handshake

Next stops: I’m off to Vancouver, British Columbia this week for work with the Fairmont Hotels and then New Orleans, Louisiana and Washington, D.C. Stay tuned for more tasty travel round up’s on my blog.

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Serious Sippin’ with the Liquid Kitchen

Filming for the 3rd Season of Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen™ just wrapped up with Small Screen Network. We filmed 18 episodes in two days! Vitamix was our main sponsor this season and so expect lots of amazing, blended summer drink episodes, like my Liquid Indulgence (vanilla ice cream, espresso and salted caramel incorporated together and topped with a float of mezcal!) and a Blended Peach Whisky Sour! A Seattle LUPEC member was the top bidder to be a guest on Liquid Kitchen at a recent breast cancer fundraising event. So in honor of the ladies who love to imbibe I created the Green Goddess for an episode – Green Chartreuse, egg whites, fresh pineapple, silver rum, a touch of lemon and Bitter Truth Celery Bitters – yum! Stay tuned for these new episodes to be posted soon!

Lynn Becker
Special Guest and LUPEC Seattle member Lynn Becker and I shaking up a Green Goddess Cocktail!

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Tasty & Libatious Reads – and Cooking up a New Cookbook

If you follow me on Twitter, then you may have caught wind that I just finished the recipes and am now shooting the photography for my 10th cookbook… all on deviled eggs! Stay updated with Twitter on my book’s progress as I tweet more behind the scenes of our photo shoots.

The new Food & Wine Cocktails 2012 book is out! This year I share my creative versions of the ever classic French 75. This cocktail book covers an extensive array of classic cocktails with featured mixologists’ personal variations. How about a Salted Maple (a Pisco Sour variation) or a Lord Bullingdon’s Revenge (a Sazerac spin)? There are also non-alcoholic options too! Make sure you get your copy today!

Food and Wine 2012

If you’re a frequent flyer, check out this special promo from Amazon.com. Free Wi-Fi access to Amazon.com on most Delta flights. Click here for more info. Faboo!

And don’t forget to check out Sip Northwest magazine for all you Pacific Northwest imbibers, including bars to sip, recipes to make, and new spirits to taste. Here’s a sneak peak on one of my articles. You can also pick up a complimentary copy at my Dish D’Lish cafés at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

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New Restaurant Fave!

New restaurants are popping up everywhere, but one of my new faves is Chef Greg Atknison’s Restaurant Marché located on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Greg is one of my all-time favorite chefs and I am so happy for him and his wife Betsy. The restaurant and menu totally embodies Greg’s signature style and flair. I enjoyed my recent birthday dinner there with the hubby and friends and was swooning by the time I left from total culinary bliss. If you have a trip planned to the Pacific Northwest or are a local be sure to make reservations and check it out. It’s a quick ferry ride across the Puget Sound and is close to the ferry terminal. Marché is open for lunch and dinner on Tuesdays – Saturdays. The menu changes with the seasons, featuring northwest cuisine and island goods (think amazing wild greens, crisp oysters, smooth-as-silk-chicken liver pate you want to rub on yourself!). Take a peek at this season’s menu items.

Restaurant Marche
Bainbridge Island’s newest hot spot!

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Where to Catch Kathy Next:

Tales of the Cocktail – July 25-29, 2012 – New Orleans, Louisiana

The Flavor Experience – August 6-8, 2012 – Newport Beach, California

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Cook Up Some Fun with Paramount Citrus!

Agua Fresca

Market Fresh Lime Agua Fresca
Makes 1 drink

1 1/2 oz fresh-squeezed Paramount Citrus lime juice
2 oz Zesty Lime Syrup (recipe follows)
3 oz chilled soda water
1 oz Market Fruit Berry Topping (recipe follows)
Garnish: long fresh lime zest twist or lime wedge

Fill a large tall glass with ice. Add the citrus juices and the Zesty Lime Syrup. Add soda water and stir. Top with Market Fruit Topping. Garnish with lime zest.

Zesty Lime Syrup
Makes 2 1/4 cups

3 Tbsp finely minced lime zest (with no white pith)
2 cups sugar
2 cups water

Combine the zest, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a quick boil over high heat. Boil for 1 minute then remove from heat and let cool. Store refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.

Market-Fruit Berry Topping
Makes 2 1/4 cups

1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup small diced strawberries
1/4 cup raspberry puree

Mix ingredients together. Store refrigerated.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid KitchenTM

I hope you enjoyed my quick recap of what’s been going on lately. Make sure you join me on the weekends at Dishing with Kathy Casey on KOMO News Radio and check my corresponding blog with all the corresponding recipes and tips. –Kathy

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Follow on Twitter @KathyCaseyChef. Blogging: Dishing with Kathy Casey. Like on Facebook: Sips & Apps and Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen. Watch: www.LiquidKitchen.tv.

If you haven’t signed up for my Newsletter, you can sign up here.

Posted by Kathy Casey on June 6th, 2012  |  Comments Off on Dishing with Kathy Casey: The Newsletter |  Posted in Restaurants, Amazon, Cocktails, Conferences, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Foodie News, Fruit, KOMO Radio, Lifestyle, Newsletter, other, Recent Posts, Recipes, Small Screen Network, Tasty Travels

Dishing with Kathy Casey: The Newsletter

More tasty travels and D’lish events!

The New Year has just been flying by, and so have I… from New Orleans, Chicago and the Ukraine, to Las Vegas most recently. I have been traveling everywhere, sharing my passion for great food and d’lish cocktails (all the while earning lots of flyer miles!). Here’s a quick recap of what my team and I have been up to!

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Tasty Travels

Congratulations to the Fairmont Hotels!
The new year started out with a trip to New Orleans, where I attended the annual Cheers Beverage Conference. Living up to its name, it was quite the libatious celebration all around – from tastings and seminars, to celebrity mixologist parties. But most exciting was the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts winning the Cheers 2012 Best Chain Hotel Beverage Program for the FAME (Fairmont Artistic Mixology Experience) Program that we manage and helped create – from individual hotel trainings to building a master recipe manual and individual bar culture, as well as producing a nine-part online training series. We are thrilled to continue to keep FAME fresh! Congrats Fairmont!!

Dobrý Deň! (It Means “Good Day” in Ukrainian!)
Speaking of Fairmont… my next stop was Kyiv, Ukraine to train the team there on all things spirited! Senior Liquid Kitchen Mixologist Keith Waldbauer and I landed in snowy and COLD Kyiv (or Kiev and pronounced kEEv) where it was straight to work.

keith_and_drinks
Keith testing Liquid Kitchen Fairmont cocktails!

We trained the new staff for all the new bars and restaurants, and created lots of new cocktail creations using local products. We made birch syrup out of birch juice, which was amazing in an Old-Fashioned cocktail. And can I say how much I’m in love with Monin’s Tarragon syrup? (Don’t get too excited, it’s only available in Europe for now.) It’s d’lish in a non-alcoholic drink I made with clementines and fresh sparkling lemon soda!

herbal_liqueur
Our beloved Green Chartreuse was not available, so I made my own herbal liquor – it turned out delicious! Those are little bottles of 97% grain alcohol, and yes, you can ignite it!

Ingredients were sometimes hard to get, but you make do with what you have. I pulled out my chef bag of tricks here and there, and we ended up with some pretty exciting cocktails! Drinks were shaken up with our house-made Black Tea and Pomegranate Elixer, house-made herbal liquor and grapefruit spice bitters.

grated_salt
Ingredients were sometimes challenging – yes, I’m grating my own salt!

kathy_and_crew
The Fairmont Kyiv bar staff taking a photo break – after learning how to make house-made bitters.

In between work sessions, we did have some time to check out the scenery, shops and of course bars! Yes, the crew took us out in local style and tried to out drink us with shots of Honey Pepper Vodka, chased with local unpasteurized beer – ‘til the wee hours of the morning – but we held our own!

honey_pepper_vodkabeercrew
Honey Pepper Vodka + Local Beer = Fun with the Crew!

keith_churchchurch_2
On our excursion day, we visited some beautiful churches in Kyiv. I can still hear the bells ringing.

meat_facecream_puff
They like faces on their foods too… LOL! Not sure why, but I got in a LOT of trouble at a store for taking this photo of sliced meat with funny faces! And the cream puffs were cute, too!

I found a little time to zip out to the store where it was fun to see all the local dried fish and pickled goodies. Of course, I was in heaven because I love all things pickled. The whole, pickled tomatoes were amazing!

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Local dried fish and pickled everything in Kyiv.

There sure were a lot (and I mean a LOT) of potatoes, pickles beets, and cabbage… so I was inspired to create the Kyiv Martini! It featured local vodka (which, by the way, is fantastic and has a very complex character) shaken with a slice of fresh beet and served in a glass lined with a piece of fresh, shaved cucumber, then garnished with my homemade beet-pickled onions. I’d like one right now, please!

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My Kyiv Martini!

We also visited a really cool local restaurant called Puzata Hata, where we had succulent dumplings and other local specialties, served to us at stations by cute Ukrainian ladies. You can eat your fill and drink local beer for under $10 a person!

ukrainian_lady

I have to say, Ukrainian people are some of the most welcoming and friendly people we have ever worked with. But after lots of hard work getting the crew ready to open all the Fairmont Bars, and eating my fill of borsch, potato, and cabbage dumplings, it was time to go home. I was really craving Asian food and some good ol’ American home cooking. Luckily for me, as soon as I landed back in Seattle, my husband John had whipped up my favorite Slow Cooked Pot Roast with Half a Bottle of Wine and 20 Cloves of Garlic and fluffy mashed potatoes – thank you, honey! Yum! Then at work the next day, my Food Studios crew welcomed me back with pho (Vietnamese noodle soup). What a great way to come home! But stay tuned, as there might be a chance I’ll be going back this summer, when it’s sure to be a bit warmer…

Then it was off to Las Vegas…

Speed_Rack_Logo

…to be one of the celebrity judges for the Speed Rack – Las Vegas event! Founded by two faboo LUPEC – NY members Lynnette Marrero and Ivy Mix, their event promotes female bartenders from coast-to-coast in a speedy and engaging round-robin style tournament, with proceeds going straight to fight breast cancer. It was fast-paced action and these ladies know how to shake up a storm right before the annual VIBE Conference!

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Charlotte Voisey, Tony Abou-Ganim and me getting ready to judge!

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Speed Rack competitors hard at work, and judges judging!

After Speed Rack, it was on to the VIBE (Very Important Beverage Executives) Conference, held in conjunction with the Nightclub and Bar Show. VIBE is an amazing event and I am thrilled to participate every year with Monin. For the opening night I showcased my Spiced Islands Rum Punch crafted with Solerno blood orange liqueur, Sailor Jerry Rum, Monin Almond and Cinnamon Syrups, fresh pineapple and lime juices, all topped with an Angostura Foam. And, of course, I love my bling, so it had a light dusting of 24K gold on top.

The next day, associate Cameo McRoberts and I presented a seminar on non-alcoholic trends, where we discussed house-made sodas like cucumber, ginger, and lemongrass – as well as small indulgent treats like mini drinking caramels, and the love of carbonation and super fizz! Account Manager Heather Jones and new Liquid Kitchen Associate Dänny Ronen shook up beverages like mad, for a packed house. It was all fun but I was ready to come home!

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After a long trip to Vegas, it was time to leave…before the lizards came! Heather, look out!

Next Stops: Orlando… Napa Valley at the CIA Flavor Summit and Los Angeles
Stay tuned for more tasty travels! Make sure you follow me on Twitter for all the fun pix and details!

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Serious Sippin’ with the Liquid Kitchen

ultimate_gin_tonic

Filming of the third season of Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen will soon be under way this spring! Here’s a sneak peak of one of my drinks that I’ll be sharing this season: The Ultimate Gin & Tonic. Martin Miller gin, a touch of fresh lime juice, and Housemade Tonic Bitters, all topped off with DRY Blood Orange Soda and a pouf of Cucumber Foam. A light dusting of micro-planed lime finishes it off! Are you thirsty now?? Well in the meantime, check out this episode and make yourself a Citrus 75.

And if you’re looking to expand your home bar, make sure you stop by my online store for all your libatious needs, from my Liquid Kitchen 6-piece bar kit essentials, Golden Era Bitters, and 5130 Honey to Dish D’Lish® Cocktailor Mixers and more!

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Tasty & Libatious Reads – and Cooking up a New Cookbook

Wow! I think I can seriously say there may be deviled eggs coming out my ears! That’s right, I’m in the final throes of testing recipes for my 10th book – it is due out next year, and is all about deviled eggs. I am super excited about this book, so stay tuned! In the meantime, I’m thrilled to announce that my cocktail and appetizer book Sips & Apps is finally available in digital form for the Amazon Kindle!

Sip_Northwest_Logo

For those of you that live in my neck of the woods, be sure to check out the beautiful new Sip Northwest Magazine – its pages are full of wonderful libations and tipples from all around the Pacific Northwest! Here’s a sneak peak of my featured column for this season’s issue, including local mixologists’ recipes for beer-inspired cocktails. You can also pick up a complimentary copy at my Dish D’Lish cafés at the Sea-Tac International Airport.

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Cook Up Some Fun!

I was thrilled when, a couple of years ago, I was asked to submit a lemonade drink for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a really cool charity. After I submitted my drink, I had a phone call with Paramount Citrus (the sponsor) which came about because they loved my drink. They probably thought I was nuts the way I was going on and on about my love of citrus. Those of you that have known me for years already know of my zesty lemon habit! From passing on birthday cake for a scrumptious lemon meringue pie to loving a pop of citrus zest in just about everything, I just adore all things citrus! With spring here, I thought I would share a delicious, bright-tasting side dish, Lemony Herbed Orzo. This sassy side is perfect as an accompaniment to grilled fish or roasted chicken, and paired with first-of-the-season fresh asparagus. Fresh lemon juice and zest add a zingy flavor pop.

zest_herb

Lemony Herbed Orzo

Makes 6 servings

12 ounces dry orzo pasta (2 cups)
2 tablespoons butter, salted
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon very finely minced shallots
1/2 cup very coarsely chopped Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup thinly sliced chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or tarragon
3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed Paramount Citrus Lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely minced lemon zest (see my tip on how to make zest below*)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
ground black pepper
1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in orzo and cook for approximately 6 – 8 minutes, stirring often, until just al dente or per package instructions. Immediately drain well (do not rinse), then place orzo in a heat-proof bowl. Stir in butter, olive oil, shallots and herbs to coat well. Then stir in lemon juice, zest, seasonings and cheese. Serve immediately.

citrus_zest

*Citrus Zest adds such a lovely flavor pop to any dish.
To make lemon or other citrus zest: Zest is the outer peel of the fruit – with no white pith attached. You can remove the zest from the fruit with a fine zesting tool that makes long, very thin, pretty strands. Or you can peel off the zest with an ordinary potato peeler, being sure not to get any white pith, and then finely cut the zest in very, very thin long strips or mince it. You can also grate it off. For this method, I like to use a microplane.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

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Where to Catch Kathy Next

6th Annual Ocean Shores’ Razor Clam Festival: Saturday, March 24th, 7:00am – 4:00pm
Ocean Shores Chamber of Commerce

It’s almost that time of year again where I head for the beach! Not for tanning…but to go clamming! My team and I will once again be heading down to Ocean Shores to host and judge the Annual Razor Clam Festival, a Saturday full of family fun and great eats! There’ll be activities all day, as well as craft booths to visit. You can also sample all the competing chowders entered in the Clam Chowder Cook-Off! It’ll be a clam-tastic day – don’t forget to get your clam licenses and gear ahead of time for the day’s clam dig. Hope to see some of my Northwest friends there!

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Contests!

Foster Farms logo

It’s a $10,000 prize, people!! Get your aprons ready, your creative juices flowing, and fire up that stove!!
The 3rd Annual Foster Farms Fresh Chicken Cooking Competition is well underway! Foster Farms is inviting all California, Oregon, and Washington professional and home chefs to submit their tried and true chicken recipes. Submitted recipes should include local ingredients that pair well with Foster Farms Chicken (check out the past years winners and finalists’ recipes for ideas). The ultimate grand prize is $10,000 and a year’s worth of Foster Farms chicken! Make sure you turn in your recipes soon as the deadline to submit your recipe is June 3rd!

Tales

Get the bar ready and show us how to make your version of an Old Fashioned cocktail!
Tales of the Cocktail is one of the biggest imbibing events of the year for both spirits industry professionals and cocktail lovers. This year holds no exception, as it will be their 10th year anniversary! Industry professionals can submit their winning recipe for their creative take on the Old Fashioned. First prize winner will receive $1,250 cash and be the “Official Cocktail” of Tales of the Cocktail! Get shakin’, as the deadline to submit your “aged” cocktail is March 25th!

KOMO

So, I hope you have enjoyed my travel stories, work shenanigans, and recipe testing tales. Until next time, please join me every weekend on Dishing with Kathy Casey on KOMO News Radio, and check out my companion blog with all the corresponding recipes and tips. Don’t forget to tweet with me @KathyCaseyChef! I’m always excited to chat about what’s new and tasty! -Kathy

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Follow on Twitter @KathyCaseyChef. Blogging: Dishing with Kathy Casey. Like on Facebook: Sips & Apps and Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen. Watch: www.LiquidKitchen.tv.

If you haven’t signed up for my Newsletter, you can sign up here.

Posted by Kathy Casey on March 22nd, 2012  |  Comments Off on Dishing with Kathy Casey: The Newsletter |  Posted in Restaurants, Cocktails, Conferences, Contests, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Foodie News, KOMO Radio, Lifestyle, Newsletter, Pasta-Risotto, Recent Posts, Recipes, Tasty Travels

Tales of the Cocktail on Tour: Vancouver

It’s almost here! Tales of the Cocktail is coming back up to the Pacific Northwest from February 12th – 15th! Cocktail enthusiasts, spirit brands and mixologists will be in Vancouver to celebrate the city’s emerging cocktail culture and give a small taste of what’s in store at this summer’s 10th Anniversary Tales of the Cocktail® in New Orleans. Held at the prestigious Fairmont Pacific Rim, this will be one of the most libatious events in the Northwest!

This event is open to the public but you’ll need to get all-exclusive festival passes soon! This pass gives guests full access to all Tales of the Cocktail® on Tour events including seminars, tasting rooms, parties and more, each featuring some of the biggest names in mixology from Canada and around the world. You can buy tickets here.

If you do attend, check out this Tales of the Cocktail Survival Guide in the Seattle Weekly!

Posted by Kathy Casey on February 9th, 2012  |  Comments Off on Tales of the Cocktail on Tour: Vancouver |  Posted in Cocktails, Conferences, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Lifestyle, Recent Posts, Tasty Travels

Dishing with Kathy Casey: The Newsletter

Farewell 2011, here’s to a zesty 2012!

Another year has come and gone by so quickly! Last year was filled with exciting travels and delicious experiences. As we welcome in 2012, I hope you enjoy reading about my fun foodie adventures this year and all the new things we are up to and have on the horizon. — Kathy

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Tasty Travels

Spring travels in 2011 took my crew and me to Ocean Shores where I hosted the 5th Annual Razor Clam Fest — and ate a LOT of chowder! Then it was off to New York to present at the  with Charlotte Voisey and Jamie Boudreau as well as Small Screen Network for our seminar, Three Mixologists — Three Cocktails — Three Ways.

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My crew and me on our way back from the Razor Clam Fest at Ocean Shores!

Then I was off to Austin for the annual IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) Conference where I presented a seminar on bitters. This annual event brings in a slew of professional culinarians from all over the world. In our downtime I zipped around the city with chef pals to check out the Austin Food Trailer scene — cool stuff!

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A flight of bitters for our presentation at IACP

Summer travels started off in New Orleans where I presented a hit seminar on H2O Cocktails with Tony Abou- Ganim at Tales of the Cocktail. Our seminar was picked as one of the top by our peers! H2O cocktails were so well received that there was a slew of press and blogs featuring them. Check out Difford’s Guide and Camper English’s blog Alcademics and my guest article for Liquor.com. (I’m excited to start planning for 2012’s Tales of the Cocktail — it will be their 10th anniversary — but in the meantime check out Tales of the Cocktail on Tour: Vancouver this Feb in Vancouver B.C., Canada.)

TotC

Then it was off to Newport Beach, California for the Flavor Experience Conference where my team and I presented a seminar on Creativity and Creating New Cocktails and cooked up lots of great ideas with our client Monin, including our Soda Jerk Station! Here’s what we served:

Flash Carbonated Vodka and Sour Cherry & Lime Soda
soda

Red Velvet Milk Shake
Dark chocolate, vanilla ice cream and bites of red velvet fudge cake
topped with a cream cheese frosting whip

Pineapple Split Milk Shake
Roasted pineapple and banana mingle with vanilla ice cream and dark chocolate
topped with marshmallow whip, nuts and a cherry

Berrylicious Chocolate Chip Shortcake Bites
Bite-sized chocolate chip shortcakes smothered with summer berries
crowned with a dollop of double berry whipped cream
shakes

soda_jerks
Cameo, Me and Heather dressed up as soda jerks during the Flavor Experience!

Fall travels took me to back to California, this time to Napa Valley to present at the Culinary Institute of America’s Worlds of Flavor conference with Paramount Citrus. Heather and Travis shook up over 4,000 cocktails that week including my Pacifica, made with fresh pressed pineapple, kaffir lime leaves, freshly squeezed Paramount lime juice, agave nectar, silver tequila and mandarin-infused vodka, then all topped with coconut foam!

Fall and Winter travels took me all-over North America from San Francisco to Dallas to Chicago to Toronto to Miami — but the highlight was my trip to France with Cointreau. But to backtrack a little bit, I was a mentor again for the annual Cointreau Bar-Star Mix-Off Competition at last year’s Tales of the Cocktail. Four finalists are challenged to create a cocktail on the fly from a table of fresh ingredients in front a panel of judges. With the help of their mixologist mentor, the finalists go at it for a chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to France! New York’s Luigi Tarantino chose me as his mentor and we were off. After much discussion, he created the winning cocktail (recipe below)! Not only did he win a trip to France but as a mentor, I won a trip to France too!

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Luigi and me after they announced the winners!

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The Winning Cointreau Cocktail by Luigi Tarantino

Cointreau’ling Kamikazes
Created by Luigi Tarantino (Now on the menu at Tosca Café, Bronx, NY)

1 thyme sprig
5 raspberries
3/4 oz Cointreau®
3/4 oz Campari
1/4 oz yuzu juice
1 oz Woodford Reserve bourbon
1/2 oz simple syrup
Garnish: Sprig of thyme, raspberry

In a mixing glass, muddle thyme and raspberries, add remaining cocktail ingredients. Fill with ice, cap and shake, Strain into a martini or coupe glass. Garnish.

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Citrus peels used in the making of Cointreau

Visiting Cointreau headquarters just outside of Angers in the Loire Valley was super amazing — I can still smell the beautiful orange peels as I write this!

After touring around the French countryside and eating and drinking way too much, we headed back to Paris where I was able to meet up with my Twitter friend @52Martinis for cocktails. If you’re headed to Paris in the future, be sure to check out her blog for all the best places to drink in the city.

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Alfred Countreau leads us on a tour of the distillery

Then it was back to reality and the frenzy of setting up for our Annual Holiday Extravaganza & Open House at the Food Studios. Once a year we open our doors and invite everyone to come and enjoy some sips and apps and offer our “Over 21” Real Fruit Cakes made with Maker’s Mark, housemade preserves, and Dish D’Lish® and Liquid Kitchen™ retail items as well as candies and baked goods. Whew — we had a huge turn out and it was so great to see so many friends and end the year with a bang!

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One of the many d’lish goods we made for my annual Holiday Extravaganza

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“Over 21” Real Fruit Cakes made with Maker’s Mark

For the new year, I’ll have to pack extra warm…
because I will be heading next month to Kiev, Ukraine to help open the brand new Fairmont Grand Hotel! Make sure you follow me on Twitter (@KathyCaseyChef) where I’ll make sure to keep you all updated with fun news and tasty pics from Kiev!

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Serious Sippin’ with the Liquid Kitchen

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I’m excited to announce that we’ll be filming the 3rd Season soon! I covered lots of libatious drinks during the 2ndSeason, including a Zen Garden, a Platinum Sparkle (which was also feature in Food & Wine: Cocktails 2011 in which I wrote the Vodka Chapter) a Spirited Chocolate Covered Cherry Milkshake and a crowd pleasing Spiked Iced Tea Punch. Guest episodes include a spot with Tim Master of Frederick Wildman & Sons to educate us on mezcal and share his Maguey Harvest cocktail.

And if you’ve ever wondered how maraschino cherries were made — follow me on an episode that takes you from Orchard to Jar. Stay tuned to Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen, for a new episode every Tuesday!

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Tim Master and me getting ready to make a tasty Maguey Harvest cocktail

Want to make a cocktail at home just like the pros do, but can never find the right restaurant/bar quality tools? Look no further than my Liquid Kitchen Cocktail Kit! It’s all the equipment that I use. It comes with a Liquid Kitchen logo’ed Boston tin shaker and pint glass, a channel knife, a metal two sided jigger, Hawthorn strainer and a julep strainer. All you need is the booze, ice and you’re on your way to a faboo drink!

And to help get you started with a great winter cocktail recipe, I penned this guest article for Liquor.com. I write all about winter citrus and share my recipes for a Citrus 75 and Grapefruit Negroni.

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Libatious Reads

If you’re inclined to cozy up to a good read about cocktails, read up on my good friend Jim Meehan’s new book The PDT (Please Don’t Tell) Cocktail Book. Fashioned around the famed NY bar, it’s filled with over 300 cocktail recipes and a few behind the scenes moments of his bar.

PDT

Another couple of must have cocktail books are the “new” Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide. Mixologist Jonathan Pogash updated this bar classic and added new recipes from a wide variety of other mixologists and bartenders, including my recipe for a Rosemary Clementine Sparkle.

For those of you that geek out over ingredients and like to get down to the specifics, bitters enthusiasts will love Brad Thomas Parsons’ book BITTERS and if you’ve just always wanted to know everything about vermouth then Anistatia Miller and Jared Brown’s The Mixellany Guide to Vermouth and Other Apertifs is the book for you. I got some ink in with my Tuscan Martini that has a grappa & lemon-infused dry vermouth in it.

SIP

If you’re looking for spirited news about the Pacific Northwest, then be sure to check out Sip Northwest magazine. Covering all things from new distilleries and spirits to the latest and the hottest craft cocktail bars, Sip Northwest is a new must read quarterly magazine. Make sure you check out my feature column Shake, Swizzle & Stir — this issue I shake it up with Aviation Gin and Woodinville Headlong White Dog Whiskey, and visit Liberty Bar in Seattle and Clyde Common in Portland.

Dishing with Kathy Casey – On-Air and Online

KOMO

Catch me throughout the weekend for Dishing with Kathy Casey on KOMO News Radio to hear about what’s in season, recipe tips as well as neighborhood hot spots and restaurant news. Link back to my blog Dishing with Kathy Casey for everything I dish up on the show, recipes, links and other helpful info.

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Cook Up Some Fun with Cuties Citrus!

salad
Photo by Kathy Casey Food Studios

Clementine Salad with Fennel, Feta and Honey Citrus Dressing
This salad is great as a starter, or as an entrée topped with grilled chicken or shrimp. When in season, a scattering of pomegranate seeds is a festive addition. Whole Cuties are blended in the dressing for a zesty twist!

Makes 4 entrée servings or 6-8 starter servings

1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed
Cuties Clementines
6 cups spring mixed greens (about 5 oz.)
Honey Citrus Dressing (recipe follows)
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Finely shave fennel with a sharp knife or mandoline, and crisp in ice water for 10 minutes. Spin dry before using. Cut peel off Cuties, trim away all white pith, then cut fruit into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Set fruit aside.

Toss greens and fennel with 1/2 cup of dressing to coat nicely. Serve salad on a large platter or divide among individual plates. Top with sliced Cuties and sprinkle with feta. Drizzle with a little extra dressing if desired.

Honey Citrus Dressing
Quick and easy this dressing can be easily doubled or tripled. It’s a snap to make in a Vitamix blender.

Makes 2 cups

2 Cuties Clementines, peeled and torn into quarters
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 Tbsp minced shallots
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt or Dish D’Lish French Seasoning Salt
2 Tbsps honey
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

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Where to Catch Kathy Next

Foodportunity: Monday, February 6th, 6:00pm — 9:00pm
Palace Ballroom – Seattle

Come join me for Frantic Foodie Keren Brown’s next Foodportunity event. I’ll be on a special panel alongside chef Lisa Dupar, Beecher’s Handmade Cheese’s Kurt Beecher Dammeier and CakeSpy’s Jessie Oleson. There will be lively conversation and lots of tasty bites offered by the Palace Ballroom, Rover’s and Luc, Local 360, The Coterie Room and so much more. Make sure you get your tickets soon and I hope to see you there!

Save the Date:
VIBE Conference – Las, Vegas, NV – March 13th & 14th
6th Annual Razor Clam Festival – Ocean Shores, WA – March 24th
Flavor Summit – Greystone, CA – April 19th – 21st

Cheers to a bright and flavorful 2012! — Kathy

Don’t forget to check my D’lish column with DList Magazine and my posts on Amazon’s Al Dente blog too!

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Follow on Twitter @KathyCaseyChef. Blogging: Dishing with Kathy Casey. Like on Facebook: Sips & Apps andKathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen. Watch: www.LiquidKitchen.tv.

If you haven’t signed up for my Newsletter, you can sign up here.

Posted by Kathy Casey on January 19th, 2012  |  Comments Off on Dishing with Kathy Casey: The Newsletter |  Posted in Restaurants, Amazon, Books to Cook, Cocktails, Conferences, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Foodie News, KOMO Radio, Lifestyle, Newsletter, Recent Posts, Recipes, salads, Small Screen Network, Tasty Travels

G-Free Foodie

G-Free Foodie shares a lot of great gluten-free recipes and tips. I was recently interviewed by them for some of my favorite holiday cocktails and favorite Seattle spots. Check out the article here!

Posted by Kathy Casey on December 7th, 2011  |  Comments Off on G-Free Foodie |  Posted in Restaurants, Cocktails, Conferences, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Foodie News, Lifestyle, Recent Posts, Recipes, Tasty Travels

Portland Cocktail Week 2011

From October 20th – 23rd, Portland will be drinking it up! Next week is Portland Cocktail Week where Portland’s finest bartenders and mixologists as well as other spirits industry people will be living it up all around downtown Portland. From seminars to tastings to even a Bartenders Run and the Great American Distillers Festival, this will be a truly libatious time!

It’s just around the corner so make sure that you get your tickets soon and plan your travel accommodations!

***And keep your eye for Seattle Cocktail Week from October 27th – 30th!***

Posted by Kathy Casey on October 14th, 2011  |  Comments Off on Portland Cocktail Week 2011 |  Posted in Cocktails, Conferences, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Lifestyle, Tasty Travels
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