Well-known cocktail expert and writer Gary Regan has named my Bollywood cocktail as one of his 101 Best New Cocktails! This honor will be featured his Gary’s Annual Manual for Bartenders: 2011! Super exciting!

Read more about it, here.

Please welcome Kathy Casey Food Studios’  newest Culinary Associate and this week’s guest blogger, Jessica Duncan!

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Okay, I love cake. Specifically cupcakes, but I’d never, ever turn my nose up at anything even closely related to them.  When Kathy gifted me a copy of Cake Pops by Angie Dudley of Bakerella.com for my birthday recently, I was thrilled.  As in, I wanted to squeal and hug the stuffing out of the adorable creations gracing the pages of the book, but it might have been awkward for the people sitting around the table. I restrained myself – don’t worry! – but at this point I think you can all imagine my abject glee when Kathy asked me to try making them and write a guest review for her blog. Twist my arm and all that.

Suffice it to say, there were two attempts. The first failed miserably. It was like an episode of Survivor crossed with Chopped all in one harrowing afternoon in which each of the six pops I made eventually succumbed to sad ends until there was one lone penguin left standing. And as it turns out, he was evil.

See? Evil.

I decided I could do better (read: my culinary pride refused to let that be the end of it!) and undertook round two. This time, my goal was to make some adorable chimp pops. I baked up a cinnamon spice cake and used dulce de leche buttercream frosting to bind the cake together for the base of the cake pops. Once they were shaped and impaled on their lollypop sticks, they were ready for their dipping. Wilton chocolate candy melts with a dash of butterscotch flavoring made up both the hard candy shell which I dipped in Oreo cookie crumbles to give the little guys a bit of a fuzzy look. The chocolate candy melts, cut in half, also formed the chimps’ ears. White Wilton melts served as their adorable faces and they got candy-coated fennel seeds as their noses and moon-shaped nonpareil candy decorations for the mouths. The eyes were simply edible marker.

As you can see, we did have one casualty, but its sacrifice was not in vain – taste-testing along the way is always useful!

It took almost all afternoon between baking the cake, making the frosting and decorating the pops. Once I was done, I had an army of six sweet little chimp-pops ready for their close-ups. I have to say, it was a long process and making more than six of these at a time is a task for a more patient person than I, but they turned out nicely and were a fun way to spend the afternoon.

Behold, my Cheeky Monkey Cake Pops!

I’m not gonna lie, I adore the fact that they all have slightly different expressions!

And how did they taste? Well, the KCFS team was testing some coconutty cocktails at the bar that afternoon… what better tropical accompaniment! Once we got over the initial hesitation of eating something so cute, the Cheeky Monkeys were utterly devoured. I’ll take that as a ‘delicious’!

In conclusion, I’ll absolutely make cake pops again! I’m already plotting my next creations, in fact!

Happy Cake Popping!

~Jessica

The pigs are here! It is time for the Seattle leg of the Cochon 555 competition, one of the culinary world’s most innovative, porky, and tasty showdowns. Five local chefs, five heritage-breed pigs and five local wineries… sounds like a match made in heaven, right? This year’s competitors are a great sampling of local talent: John Sundstrom of Lark, Holly Smith of Cafe Juanita, Rachel Yang of Jewel and Revel, Jason Stratton of Spinasse and Ethan Stowell of Staple & Fancy Mercantile/Ethan Stowell Restaurants. On February 20th, they will each prepare a 175 pound pig using everything from nose to tail. Guests will get the opportunity to taste their delicious porcine creations and the participating winemakers’ wares and help the judges choose the Prince or Princess of Porc to go on to Grand Cochon at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado. There they will compete against the winners from the nine other Cochon 555 events held in cities across the US to be crowned King or Queen of Porc! Guests will also get a chance to watch two butchers face off in a competition of skill and speed, take in a whole pig breakdown demo and sample lots of tasty treats.

Seattle Cochon555 takes place on February 20th at The Westin Seattle. Tickets and more information are available online.

It’s gonna be Porkalicious!! -Kathy

The idea of handmade pasta can be a bit intimidating, but there is really nothing like a bowl of fresh, home-made noodles. While the process itself takes a bit of practice, the rewards are many: it is inexpensive to make, the flavor is a revelation compared to dried pasta, you can customize it however you like, and most importantly, it’s satisfying! These days, it’s even easier than ever to create your own home-made pasta. With pasta-roller attachments for stand mixers, ravioli molds and food processors; it can be a fairly straightforward process. Of course, if you have the time and inclination, rolling your pasta out by hand, while it takes a bit of hard work, pays off when you see your perfect strips of fettuccine in a beautiful bowl being served to appreciative diners!

If you’re up to the challenge, I’ve included a fantastic Fresh Egg Pasta recipe from Williams-Sonoma Cooking At Home by Kristine Kidd and Chuck Williams. It is a great starting place for making pasta by hand and once you’ve mastered it, there’s a ton of ways to dress it up and make it your own….herbs, spices, slow cooked sauces, fresh sauces, flavored oils…..the possibilities are endless!

Of course, once you’ve got your pasta made, you need the perfect recipe to incorporate it in – and I’ve  just the thing; my Garlic Gulch Braised Rabbit Ragù with Pappardelle Pasta. You can make the sauce ahead of time and refrigerate then serve with your beautiful hand-made pasta for a really fantastic meal! And if you’ve never cooked rabbit before then this is a great recipe to try it.

So head into the kitchen and roll out some culinary magic!

-Kathy

Fresh Egg Pasta
Makes about 1 lb. dough

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs

Hand method: Mound the flour on a work surface and make a well in the center. Carefully break the eggs into the well. Using a fork, lightly beat the eggs. Working in a circular motion, gradually incorporate the flour from the walls of the well into the eggs. When the dough becomes too stiff to beat with the fork, continue with the palm of your hand until as much flour as possible is incorporated. Using the palm and the heel of your hand, knead the dough, pushing it down and away, folding it back toward you and rotating it a quarter turn. If you plan to roll the dough out by hand, repeat these strokes until the dough is smooth and elastic, 5-10 minutes. If you plan to roll the dough by machine, repeat these strokes until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky, 2-3 minutes.

Food processor method: Combine the flour and eggs in a food processor. Pulse briefly to combine the ingredients. Then process using long pulses just until the dough forms around the blade, about 1 minute. Turn the dough out on to a work surface and knead with the palm of your hand as described above.

Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Rolling Out Fresh Pasta: Cut the dough into easy to manage portions and keep covered until needed. Dust a work surface and rolling pin with flour. Flatten a dough portion, then roll out to the desired thinness. To test, lift the dough with one hand. IF making ribbons such as fettuccini, your hand should be clearly visible through the dough; if making filled pasta, the dough should be nearly translucent. Lay the pasta sheets on a floured kitchen towel and let stand for ten minutes before cutting. The pasta should be neither dry nor sticky.

Cutting Fresh Pasta: Roll up the pasta sheet into a cylinder and flatten it slightly. Using a sharp knife, cut across the roll into slices 3/8 inch wide for tagliatelle or fettuccine, 1 1/4 inches for pappardelle, a scant 1/8 inch for taglierini and 4 inches for lasagne. Unfurl the narrow slices, form a few strips at a time into nests about 2 inches wide and place on a floured kitchen towel.

Recipe from Williams-Sonoma Cooking at Home, Weldon-Owen Inc., San Francisco.

Garlic Gulch Braised Rabbit Ragù with Pappardelle Pasta
Makes 6 to 8 first-course or 4 entrée servings

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt
1 pound fresh pasta sheets, such as egg with parsley, or substitute fettuccine pasta
Braised Rabbit Ragù (recipe follows)

Garnishes:
Freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano or grana cheese
Fresh thyme sprigs

Bring 2 gallons of water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add the 1 Tbsp oil and a big pinch of salt.

Meanwhile, cut the pasta sheets, if using, into 1-inch-wide strips and fluff with your hands to separate. A few strips at a time, drop the pasta into the boiling water and stir to separate; keep a close eye on the pasta while cooking to be sure that the pieces do not stick together. Cook the pasta until just al dente, about 2 to 4 minutes, then immediately drain well. Do not rinse. Put the pasta in a large bowl, drizzle with a little oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat. Mix in 1 cup ragù.

Divide the pasta among large, shallow pasta bowls, and top with the remaining sauce. Drizzle with oil if desired. Shave cheese to taste over each portion and garnish with thyme.

Braised Rabbit Ragù

2 pounds rabbit, cut into serving pieces, then bigger pieces halved or quartered
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced parsnip
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup diced carrot
3 Tbsp minced fresh garlic
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
2 bay leaves
2 large fresh rosemary sprigs
1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth or homemade chicken stock
1 can (28 ounces) plum tomatoes in juice

Season the rabbit all over with the salt and pepper. Reserve the rabbit liver, if available, in the refrigerator.

In a large braising pan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Brown the rabbit pieces for about 2 minutes on each side. (Do not crowd the pan; brown the rabbit in batches if necessary.) As the rabbit is browned, transfer to a plate.

When all the rabbit is browned, add the onion, parsnip, celery, and carrot to the same pan and sauté for about 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and sauté for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook to reduce for 5 minutes, stirring to scrape up the browned bits. Add the bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, and broth. Using your clean hands, “squish” the tomatoes and add them to the mixture with their juice.

Return the rabbit and any accumulated juices to the pan. Make sure the rabbit is covered with the liquid. Bring to a simmer and braise, uncovered, keeping the sauce at a constant low simmer for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the meat is thoroughly tender.

Remove the sauce from the heat and transfer the rabbit meat from the sauce to a baking sheet. Discard the bay leaves and rosemary. Finely chop the reserved liver, if using, and stir into the hot sauce.

When the meat is cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones. Discard the bones, chop the meat into rustic pieces, and mix it back into the sauce. (Be careful of little tiny bones.) Taste the sauce for salt and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve hot.

Chef’s Note: You can make the sauce up to 3 days ahead, then let cool and refrigerate. The ragù is also excellent served over soft polenta.

Recipe from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table, Chronicle Books, San Francisco

The holidays might be over but winter isn’t, which means this is the perfect time to treat yourself to something unique like a cup of gourmet cocoa! There are so many ways to jazz up the classic cocoa and marshmallow combo. Hot chocolates are the perfect vehicle for not only warm fragrant spices — from cinnamon and nutmeg to cardamom, allspice and cloves — but also for pungent spices such as smoky chipotle chilies. My Cha Cha Hot Chocolate Mix combines chipotle chili powder, cinnamon and a touch of ground coriander and guarantees to warm you up quickly… an extra little kick of heat can’t go astray in the middle of winter!

I’d be remiss to not mention the opportunity to spice up your cocoa in a more libacious way. Frangelico and raspberry liqueur are the stars of my Grown-Up Nutty White Chocolate Raspberry Cocoa. Rich and creamy, this decadent alternative to plain cocoa makes a perfect after-dinner indulgence. Add some white chocolate whipped cream and there’s no need to serve up anything but this for dessert at your next dinner party.

Of course, I wouldn’t forget the purists out there! My go-to classic is My Mom’s “Old-School” Cocoa. This is the one that brings back my childhood memories: Mom warming milk over the stove in a pan and whisking in the Hershey’s cocoa… it doesn’t get cozier than that! This is also the perfect base to try experimenting with your own blends of cocoa and spices. Go ahead and get creative with your ingredients and your toppings. A little jar of your own signature cocoa mix is a perfect anytime gift, too.

So whether you’re a fan of the classic hot chocolate or want to jazz up your cocoa with some fun spices or liqueur, grab your favorite mug and head to the kitchen to mix up a cozy winter treat!
-Kathy

Cha Cha Hot Chocolate Mix
This is a fun twist on classic cocoa and the mix can be made and stored so you always have this spicy little treat on hand!
Makes 2 cups, enough for 10 to 12 servings

1 1/2 cups superfine or baker’s sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp real vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground chipotle chili powder
3/4 tsp ground coriander

In a medium bowl, combine the sugars and vanilla extract together with a whisk. Then add the remaining ingredients and whisk thoroughly to evenly distribute the cocoa and spices.

Store at room temperature for up to a month in a clean glass jar with a tight lid. Shake thoroughly before using to remix the ingredients.

To make 1 serving Cha Cha Hot Chocolate:
Place about 3 tablespoons Cha Cha Hot Chocolate Mix, or to taste, in a mug and add three-quarter cups hot milk, mixing well.

©2008 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Grown-Up Nutty White Chocolate Raspberry Cocoa
Talk about a deluxe treat; this cocoa combines rich white chocolate and raspberry liqueur for an after-dinner (or any time!) dessert!
Serves 4

3 cups milk
2/3 cup high-quality white chocolate chips or broken white chocolate bar
6 tablespoons raspberry liqueur*
6 tablespoons Frangelico liqueur
Garnish: White Chocolate Cream, optional**

Additional garnishes can include shaved white chocolate, chopped toasted hazelnuts and fresh raspberries, or gourmet marshmallows*** or raspberry marshmallows instead of the whipped cream.

Fill serving cups with very hot water to warm them while you start the cocoa.

In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until warmed. Add the white chocolate chips and whisk until melted. Add the liqueurs and heat mixture until hot, but not over 140 degrees.

Pour the hot water out of the cups and fill with the cocoa. Top with dollops of White Chocolate Cream and garnish.

Chef’s Notes:
*Be sure to use a high-quality raspberry liqueur or imported raspberry or berry liqueur as many raspberry schnapps-style liqueurs are high in acid and will curdle the milk.
**To make White Chocolate Cream: Place 1/3 cup heavy cream in a small bowl and whisk vigorously until soft peaks are just beginning to form. Add 1 tablespoon white crème de cacao liqueur and whisk until peaked.
***Gourmet handmade marshmallows are carried in the bakery department of upscale grocers.

©2008 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

My Mom’s “Old-School” Cocoa
This is the quintessential classic hot chocolate – a warm, delicious, easy-to-make chocolate fix!
Serves 2

1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract
2 big marshmallows

Place milk in a small heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder and sugar, then whisk into the milk to incorporate. Add vanilla and heat until hot but not overheated. Do not boil. Serve in mugs and top with marshmallows

©2008 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Karen Robertson has a new cookbook out, Cooking Gluten-Free! She asked several chefs around the US including myself to help contribute super fun gluten-free recipes for her new book. Here’s an excerpt from her latest blog:

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My cookbook is the result of a wonderful collabaration of talented people:  artists, designers, editors, celebrity chefs and excellent home cooks.

Each person played a critical role to bring you easy recipes that taste great and make living a gluten free life……. delicious.  The celebrity chefs I worked with on this book went the distance to help make it a success. Often that meant taking a recipe designed to feed 50 people and reworking it for the home cook.   Talented chefs want to please their customers and they are incredibly accomodating to those on special diets.  The best love the challenge. They are a special group in my heart.

To continue reading and for my gluten-free recipe for a Season Rosemary Sparkle cocktail, click here.

The holidays may be over, but beginning January 23^rd, there’s something special to celebrate… pigs! Get ready to go whole hog — its Cochon555 time again. Five chefs in ten different cities will each prepare a heritage breed pig from snout to hoof and serve it paired with wines from five local wineries. A panel of local judges will choose one winner to be the Prince or Princess of Porc and they will go on to compete against the winners from each city at the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen for the title of King or Queen of Porc. Guests will be ‘swined and dined’, sampling various pork dishes alongside wine from the attendant wineries. Shining the spotlight on local farmers, chefs and wines, as well as heritage breed hogs. Cochon555 celebrates everything porcine!

-Kathy