Al Dente

Cozy Up with Cocoas!

Sipping hot cocoa brings up cozy, winter memories for me: my mom mixing up Hershey’s cocoa powder with warm milk and a dash of cinnamon (or vanilla) in her old copper-bottomed Reverewear pan. Ooh and my favorite part! The big fluffy marshmallow floating on top... yum!

I still love making My Mom’s “Old School” Cocoa when it’s freezing out. Kids of all ages love it when they need something to warm up with or to relax to.

Cocoa is the perfect vehicle for flavor experimenting from fragrant spices like cinnamon and cloves to the totally unexpected profiles like Indian curry and cardamom.

Adventurous sippers will love my Cha Cha Hot Chocolate Mix, combining smoky chipotle chilli powder, cinnamon and a hint of ground coriander. You can mix up a large batch and have it on hand for a quick treat whenever you like!

But if you’re going for just a quick twist to traditional cocoa, make it signature with a tasty topping of decadent Flavored Whipped Cream.  Just combine 2 cups of heavy whipping cream and 1/4 cup of Monin syrup in an iSi Gourmet Whip canister. Give it a blast with1 cream (N₂O) charger, a little shake and and you’ll have a great way to top off any steamy beverage.

From French Vanilla to Spiced Brown Sugar just a little bit of Monin Syrup can go a long way. I’m thinking…
S ’mores Cocoa topped with Marshmallow Whip or a Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Cocoa with Strawberry Whip — yum!

So get out your favorite mug, mix up some cocoas and sip away the winter chills! -Kathy

 

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 Tbsps unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbsps sugar
1/2 tsp 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

Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen™

 

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 of 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.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen™

Maraschino Cherries from Orchard to Jar!

Maraschino cherries (those bright red cherries) are a sweet treat often found topping ice cream sundaes, baked into a cake or garnishing a d'lish cocktail. But did you know that making them (yes! there's a process!) requires curing in a brine solution, pitting them and having them soak in their wonderful flavor and color?

This week on Kathy Casey's Liquid Kitchen I show you the special process made to make these delightful maraschino cherries. For this special episode, I had the wonderful opportunity to tour cherry orchards of Washington and Oregon. It was a great time getting to handpick some cherries and visit the packing area. It was even more fun to see the different steps involved in making maraschinos!

Cheers! -Kathy

Holiday Pairings: Purity Punch & Warm Almond-Crusted Brie with Apple Chutney

Looking for a quick and easy holiday sip and app for
your next party?

Well, a punch is the perfect solution. You can make them in advance (like my Purity Punch) and then just serve up over ice or let guests help themselves. (Make sure you have a nice punch bowl to serve it in like this one!) Serve with Warm Almond Crusted Brie Crostini with Apple Chutney (as seen to the right alongside my Purity Punch; Photo by Kathy Casey Food Studios^® - Liquid Kitchen^™) makes for a perfect pairing. Happy Holidays! – Kathy

Purity Punch
“Make ahead” punch is great to serve to a large crowd. Present in a punch bowl over a big chunk of ice, or serve up over cubes in pretty glasses. Check gourmet stores for fun and unique ice molds.

Makes about 11 cups or 15 servings

3 cups water
2 earl gray tea bags
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cups red vermouth
1 bottle (750 ml) Purity Vodka
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. Angostura bitters
fresh grated nutmeg to taste
Garnish: if in season - sliced Cuties mandarins or oranges, fresh pomegranate seeds

Bring water and tea bags to a boil. Add the sugar, stirring to dissolve. Remove from heat, let steep 10 minutes, then strain and cool.

To the tea, add the red vermouth, Purity Vodka, pomegranate juice, orange juice, lemon juice, and bitters. Stir together and chill until ready to serve. Add sliced Cutie’s mandarins or oranges and pomegranate seeds to punch before serving if desired. Serve in ice-filled glasses grated with fresh nutmeg.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen^™

Warm Almond-Crusted Brie with Apple Chutney
The warm spices and tart apple in the chutney counterbalance the creamy brie and are the perfect accompaniment to a glass of Purity Punch. 

Makes 18 pieces

18 1/4-inch slices of rustic French bread
1 (8-ounce) wheel Brie
1/2 cup (2 ounces) sliced almonds, with skin
Spiced Apple–Onion Compote (recipe follows) 

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Make the chutney ahead and store refrigerated for up to 3 days in advance. Re-heat before serving.

Lay bread slices on a baking sheet. Thinly slice the brie so that you have enough pieces to top all the sliced bread. Press the almonds into the top of the cheese, distributing evenly. Bake for about 6 minutes, or until cheese is melted and nuts are toasty.

Top with warm Spiced Apple Chutney. Serve immediately.

Spiced Apple Chutney
Makes 1 - 1 1/2 cups 

1 large green apple, cored and cut into chunks
1/4 small white onion, cut into chunks
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp very finely minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
1/3 cup red pepper jam
1/4 tsp ground allspice
2 Tbsp chopped dried cranberries

In a food processor, pulse the apple and onion until they are chopped into 1/3-inch pieces. 

In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the apple, onion, and ginger. Sauté for about 4 - 5 minutes or until the apple and onion are just tender.

Add the vinegar, pepper jam, and dried cranberries and bring to a boil. Let the mixture boil for about 2 minutes, until loose and chutney-like. Remove from the heat and cool.

Recipe © Kathy Casey Food Studios^® - Liquid Kitchen^™

Lessons in Mezcal: The Maguey Harvest Cocktail

Mezcal is a fantastic spirit, offering a variety of subtle nuances and rich flavor. Often compared to tequila, they are worlds apart! Both are made from agave plants (blue agave specifically for tequila while mezcal can be made from a variety of agaves) and are particular to regions in Mexico.

I invited special guest Tim Master, Director of Specialty Spirits Division and Trade Education at Frederick Wildman & Sons, to the set of Kathy Casey's Liquid Kitchen for this special episode on mezcal. He brought samples of Ilegal Mezcal to try and showed us how to make his Maguey Harvest cocktail, a versatile drink that can be served cold or warm! The Ilegal Mezcal Reposado has a smokiness akin to whiskey and pairs well with the apple cider, lemon juice and cinnamon syrup. Perfect for a holiday party or a great way to warm up during the winter chills!

Salud! -Kathy

Keeping Warm During the Holiday Celebrations with a Punch!

With the holidays upon us, it’s time to celebrate! And nothing says celebration than being around your family, friends and loved ones… with a good glass of punch! In the winter, hot punches full of wine and spice can keep your guests warm after a long trip through the chilly weather. 

My Cuties Spiced White Wine (as seen to the right,
Photo by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen^™) is the perfect remedy to warm you up during the holidays or sip throughout the party festivities. The Cuties Clementines add a fragrant kick to this party sipper while mingling with the other ingredients and playing well with both the white wine and St. Germain liqueur. For a mulled wine like this, I recommend using StoneCap Chardonnay, a fantastic Washington white wine. For a truly non-alcoholic and super kid-friendly version, sub out the white wine, liqueur and brown sugar with apple cider. Most importantly, don’t forget to serve it in a fabulous punch bowl!

For other punch recipes and great holiday sips, don’t forget to check out my cocktail show Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen. 

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and a fantastic holiday season! -Kathy

 

Cuties Spiced White Wine
For large parties, this recipe can easily be increased, made in advance, and then gently reheated before serving. Keep large batches warm in a slow cooker on low heat or in a deep, pretty chafing dish.

Makes 7 cups, or about 8 servings

4 Cuties Clementines, each poked with 8 whole cloves, then cut in half
2 (750 ml) bottles light, dry white wine, such as StoneCap Chardonnay
1 apple, cut crosswise in 1/4-inch slices
6 allspice berries, crushed
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup St. Germain liqueur or orange liqueur

Place all ingredients in a stainless steel or flameproof glass pan and stir well to dissolve the brown sugar. Place over low heat until hot—do not simmer or boil. Remove from heat and let the flavors steep for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm. You can make ahead, chill overnight and reheat till just warm the next day.

For a Kids' Cutie-Spiced Cider, replace the white wine with apple cider and omit the brown sugar and liqueur.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen^™

Holiday Sippin': Ginger Rouge Cocktail

Fresh ginger, cranberries and orange make for a zesty syrup when blended together. Not only does this housemade syrup add fantastic taste to a cocktail, but it adds a beautiful rouge tint to a drink, which is perfect for some holiday sipping! 

On this week's video of Kathy Casey's Liquid Kitchen™, I make a Ginger Rouge Cocktail! After making my Housemade Zesty Cranberry Ginger Syrup and letting it cool, I puree it until its smooth using my Vitamix Barboss Advance. Shake in that alongside gin, vodka OR gold rum (your choice!) and Angostura bitters and you'll have a beautiful and delicious cocktail to sip the night away!

Enjoy! -Kathy

***Make sure to follow @LiquidKitchenTV on Twitter for other sippin' ideas!***

Two Cocktails in One: the Bellini Manhattan

Sometimes it takes two to make a delicious cocktail. The Bellini champagne cocktail by itself is a simple, yet great cocktail combining peach puree and champagne. The ever classic Manhattan cocktail leans more towards being spirit-forward with it's combination of whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters. But how would they taste if properly combined?

On this week's video of Kathy Casey's Liquid Kitchen™, I make a Bellini Manhattan! Using homemade peach puree, I combine that with bourbon and sweet vermouth. Topped off with champagne and edible gold flakes, this Southern-inspired drink is perfect for your next holiday party!

Cheers! -Kathy

Citrus Twist: Grapefruit Negroni

Delicious citrus is a wonderful way of brightening up your taste buds as the colder months come along. From oranges to grapefruits, this season's citrus is perfect to use in tasty libations!

On this week's video of Kathy Casey's Liquid Kitchen™, I make a Grapefruit Negroni! Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice is shaken up with the gin, red vermouth and Campari for this slight variation of the classic Negroni cocktail. 

Enjoy! -Kathy

***Don't forget to check out the Kathy Casey's Liquid Kitchen Facebook page too!***

Barrel-aged cocktail: JBT Blue?!

From wines to beers as well as spirits, barrel-ageing is a wonderful process that adds subtle hints of flavor to an already wonderful complex notes. But barrel-ageing a cocktail? It can be done! Trend setting mixologists and bartenders, such as Portland's Jeffery Morgenthaler, have been experimenting with aged cocktails with some faboo results!

On this week's video of Kathy Casey's Liquid Kitchen™, I make a JBT Blue! This is a spirit-forward cocktail recipe that combines bourbon, silver tequila, triple sec, red vermouth and Campari. Poured into a barrel, this cocktail is aged for about three weeks. Once aged to my liking, I pour enough for one cocktail, stir with ice and garnish with a maraschino cherry!

Cheers! -Kathy

***Curious about barrel-aging your own cocktails? Check out Woodinville Whiskey Company for their stock on small or large barrels!

Speakeasy Inspiration: Rye Invention Cocktail!

On this week's video of Kathy Casey's Liquid Kitchen™, I make a Rye Invention cocktail! This is one of my favorite cocktails to make, not only for it's taste but in how it's made. It's a spirit-forward drink invoking methods and tastes of a classic cocktail.

The  recipe combines the spiciness of Bulleit Rye Whiskey with the light sweetness of St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur and slight bitterness of Aperol. Using classical techniques, I stir the liquids with ice, strain into an antique glass and flame an orange disc (watch carefully!) for one last addition to this speakeasy-inspired cocktail.

Make sure you mark your calendars for Seattle Cocktail Week from October 27th - 30th! Restaurant friend Michelle Quisenberry will be shaking up this tasty cocktail at her Volterra Restaurant during this libatious weekend!

Enjoy! - Kathy