Another Queen Bee has made her home in Ballard! We’ve been busy as bees getting our apiary ready for our very own hive from Corky Luster and his Ballard Bee Company. Our new hive resides behind Dish D’lish and Kathy Casey Food Studios in our garden area!
Our back garden/parking lot is home to wild fennel, apricots, figs, a variety of herbs, currants and berries as well as apples, grapes even kiwis. We have a ton of fruits, flowers, and herbs growing back there! Most of which ends up in our specialty jams for Dish D’lish Ballard – and all of it has great pollen and nectar, which are tasty treats for our honey bees.
The Ballard Bee Company has hives all around the Ballard neighborhood. If you live in the ‘hood – chances are many of the bees you see this summer hovering around your fruits and flowers will be headed back to any one of the hives Corky has stationed here around the neighborhood. Here’s a quick YouTube video of our hive instillation!
A vibrant bee population means direct methods of pollination, thriving bees, healthy plants and of course, SUPER-YUMMY honey. Currently, we sell Ballard Bee Honey at Dish D’lish and also have it available online. It has a lovely deep, rich flavor that’s very tasty drizzled over local cheese or shaken in a summer cocktail! You can taste hints of the blackberries, fennel and other local treats his bees have been feasting on.
We can’t wait to have our own honey to create Dish D’Lish organic sustainable products with…. Tay Berry Creamed Honey, Apricot Honey Chutney, Strawberry Lavender Honey Jam….. yum!
We’ve also been shaking up some exciting Bee Happy for Summer cocktail recipes. Bee Happy Sunny Sangria made with crisp white wine, local honey, juicy summer stone fruits and Tuaca, one of my favorite liquors! (It adds the perfect rich vanilla and orange note to the sangria!). Summer Berry Basil Fling is another perfect sipper for a sunny day: Purity Vodka, honeyed strawberries, a touch of Chambord berry liqueur, fresh lemon, soda bubbles and an herbalicious twist with the addition of fresh basil makes this a go-to favorite for your next patio party.
And there just may be an impromptu “Bee Happy for Summer” celebration. So keep your eyes on Twitter: @KathyCaseyChef and Facebook for our up-coming bee-themed event!
Beeeee happy summer sips are on the way! – Kathy
Bee Happy Summer Sangria
Refreshing and light for summertime sipping; Italian Tuaca liqueur adds a deep vanilla and orange flavor note.
Makes about 6 servings
1 bottle (750 ml) dry white wine, such as Covey Run’s Fumé Blanc
1/3 cup Tuaca
2 – 3 Tbsp. local orBallard Bee Company honey
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 cup cut up stone fruits such as peaches, nectarines, apricots, and plums
Pinch of grated nutmeg
In a large pitcher, stir wine, Tuaca and honey together until honey is dissolved. Add the fruit and stir, crushing some of the fruit. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours to let the flavors marry. Serve over ice, including some of the fruit in each serving. Garnish with a light dusting of grated nutmeg over each drink.
Recipe ©2010 Kathy Casey Food Studios® – Liquid Kitchen™
Summer Berry Basil Fling
Fresh basil lends a fun herbalicious’ness to the classic combination of strawberries and lemonade. Chambord’s deep, rich, black raspberry flavor adds an even sexier berry flavor and soda water introduces a lively sparkle.
Makes 1 drink
1 – 2 large sprigs fresh basil
2 heaping Tbsp. Honey Strawberries with juice (recipe follows)
1 1/2 ounces Purity Vodka
1/2 ounce Chambord
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
3 – 4 ounces chilled soda water
Garnish: Fresh strawberry and a small basil leaf
In a cocktail shaker, press the basil and strawberries together with a muddler to release the basil’s flavor. Fill the shaker with ice. Measure in the vodka, liqueur, and lemon juice. Cap and shake vigorously. Pour into a large glass, top with soda water, and stir. Garnish with a strawberry and basil leaf.
Honey Strawberries
Makes enough for about 6 drinks
1 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed and thinly sliced
1/4 cup local or Ballard Bee Company honey
Mix the ingredients and let sit for 15 minutes before using.
Recipe ©2010 Kathy Casey Food Studios® – Liquid Kitchen™
Rosmary Bee’s Knees
Makes 1 drink
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 oz gin
1/2 ounce Honey Syrup (recipe follows)
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
Garnish: small sprig of rosemary and/or honeycomb.
Bend the rosemary and drop into a cocktail shaker. Measure in the gin and the Honey Syrup. Fill shake with ice, cap and shake vigorously. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a fresh sprig of rosemary and a tiny piece of honey comb.
Honey Syrup
Makes 1 cup
1/2 cup local or Ballard Bee Company honey
1/2 cup warm water
Mix ingredients together until combined. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe ©2010 Kathy Casey Food Studios® – Liquid Kitchen™
Sunny Day Bourbon Punch for a Crowd
Makes 10 to 12 servings
20 whole cloves
1 small orange
12 very large sprigs fresh mint
3 tea bags black tea
3 cups boiling water
1 cup ice water
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1/3 cup local honey
3/4 cup Maker’s Mark Bourbon
Garnish: fresh mint sprigs
Poke the cloves into the orange, then cut it into 3 slices. Put the orange slices, mint, and tea bags in a heatproof pitcher or bowl. Add the boiling water, let steep for 1 hour, then remove the tea bags.
Add the ice water, juices, and honey and bourbon. Stir until the honey is dissolved, then chill until ready to serve. Serve over lots of ice or crushed ice in old-fashioued glass or punch mugs. Garnish with fresh mint.
Recipe ©2010 Kathy Casey Food Studios® – Liquid Kitchen™
Grilled Nectarine Bruschetta with Local Cheese & Honey
Makes 12 pieces
1 loaf of rustic artisan bread or baguette
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large local ripe but firm nectarine or 2 small peaches
6 ounces local cheese, such as Beecher’s reserve, cut into 12 pieces/slices
2 Tbsp. local or Ballard Bee Company honey
Toasted hazelnuts, crushed
Garnish: fresh thyme, rosemary or micro greens
Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat.
If using a large, “fat” loaf, cut with a serrated knife into six 1/2-inch slices, then slice each piece in half crosswise, making 12 pieces. If using a baguette-style loaf, cut twelve 1/2-inch slices from the loaf. Save any remaining bread for another use or double recipe.) Brush both sides of bread lightly with the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and grill on each side until lightly marked. Top with cheese and set aside.
Cut nectarine into quarters and cut our core. Cut each quarter into 3 wedges. Put nectarine in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill nectarine on each side till nicely marked.
Finish crostini with a piece of grilled nectarine, drizzle with honey and sprinkle with hazelnuts. Garnish with a small piece of thyme.
Recipe ©2010 Kathy Casey Food Studios®
