Sassy Bourbon-Honey Salmon Fillets

We love salmon here in the Pacific Northwest, and never tire of finding new ways to enjoy it. Lemon & dill? BORING. One of our favorite "out of the box"blends to use is our Sassy Steak Spice. It's bold, exotic, and it hits all the flavor highlights - a little bit smoky, a little bit sweet with just a bit of herbs and heat - which perfectly compliments our favorite fish. We used grilling planks for an alder wood accent to finish it off, but you can also use a grill pan indoors. Love smoky flavors? Use our Upper Left Madrona Smoked Honey to add another layer of smoky flavor.

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Smoky BBQ Pork

Pork shoulder is one of the most inexpensive cuts of meat, and you can find it almost anywhere. The lean meat is punctuated with ribbons of fat, which self-bastes the pork as it cooks slow and oh-so-low. While the meat is fabulously tender, it doesn't boast much inherent flavor...which is where our Smoky BBQ Rub comes in. This spice blend, combined with beer, forms a marinade that infuses a wonderful smoked flavor deep in to the roast - you won't believe it came from the oven!Banana leaves are a nod to traditional Mexican carnitas, effectively steaming the meat as it cooks slowly, holding in the moisture, while imparting some of their own nutty, grassy flavor. They can be purchased in many Latin and Asian markets. You can sometimes find them fresh, but they'll often be frozen, which works just as well.

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Hibiscus Margarita

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo like never before with this delicious cocktail. The hibiscus infuses a deep rich red color to this libation... Add a slice of lime and Sel de Mer to the rim of your glass and you have the colors of the Mexican flag! Almost cranberry in flavor, it's got a "zing" that is enhanced by using silver tequila and the homemade spiced simple syrup. Tune in to the mariachi station on Pandora while you whip these up for an absolute fiesta!

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Memphis Beale St. BBQ Brisket with Whiskey Sauce

Beef brisket is one of my favorite cuts of meat. When cooked just right, it is incredibly tender and flavorful, and one of the most affordable cuts to boot! However there are an abundance of horror stories out there of under or overcooked brisket that end up tough, dry, chewy, shrunken or shriveled. Don't fear! With a little practice and close attention you can easily avoid these common pitfalls.Briskets come in a wide variety of sizes, from a small one pound size common in the supermarket, to massive fourteen pounders meant to spend an entire day in a smoker; in this recipe we call for about a three pound brisket. Feel free to use whatever size you need to feed everyone at your table. but be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Having an in-oven probe thermometer will be a huge asset here, since being able to pull it out of the oven right at 185°F and letting it rest for a while will give your brisket the maximum amount of time at just the right temperature to melt the fat without overcooking. The key to a tender brisket is cooking it just long enough to allow the connective tissue to breakdown, without leaving it dry and tough.Also, when making the whiskey BBQ sauce, be sure to use a whiskey you would drink. The old adage about not cooking with something you wouldn't drink yourself isn't just for wine!

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Chaat Masala Butter and Grilled Corn

One of the best things about summer is the abundance of fresh corn on the cob. I was excited to see the first of the season's crop available at my local Farmer's Markets and was inspired to spice-up this classic BBQ side. Adding Chaat Masala to butter makes a perfect accompaniment to grilled corn. This beautifully flavored butter is delicious on just about anything that comes off your grill... fish, steak, veggies, you name it!

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Aji Mirasol Salsa

Aji Mirasol chiles, the dried form of the Aji Amarillo, are a unique chile pepper absent from the arsenal of many chefs. A staple of Peruvian cuisine, their uniquely fruity flavor make Aji Mirasols a versatile pepper - great in a wide variety of dishes, but especially salsa. The combination of fresh citrus, cilantro and the slightly spicy Aji Mirasol chiles just begs to be eaten with grilled halibut, shrimp, chicken, pork or goat. Try some at your next barbecue and wow your guests with one-of-a-kind South American flair!

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Creole-Spiced Coleslaw

I'll admit it... I was a little skeptical about developing a spiced coleslaw. Coleslaw is one of those things I've long appreciated for its' simplicity, but boy, have I been missing out! The depth of flavor added from the Creole Spice and the bold, assertive heat of the chile flakes and Piri Piri makes the cooling quality of the mayonnaise and crisp cabbage in this slaw even more pronounced and refreshing. The classic juxtaposition of creamy, tangy, and crunchy that we love in coleslaw still sings here, but is undeniably enhanced by the savory blend of bell pepper, celery, and onion in the Cajun 'trinity' tradition.This slaw is interesting and delicious enough to be served as a side dish alongside any grilled entree, or top off a juicy pulled pork or fried fish sandwich with a generous scoop. Be warned- you may never be satisfied by the original version again!

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Caribbean Spice Grilled Salsa

Fresh pineapple tastes of a wild summer, its tropical sweetness tempered by raucous acidity. Our favorite way to tame the fruit is to cook it slowly until the pale yellow becomes a rich gold and the sugars take center stage, as in this grilled salsa.Our Caribbean Spice, with the richness of allspice berries, is the perfect blend for this salsa. A bit of extra cumin adds an intense savory note that’s perfect for grilling. The smoky flavor from the grill counterpoints the sweetness of the pineapple and tomato perfectly, leaving you with a well balanced and delicious side for tortilla or plantain chips, as well as chicken or fish.

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Ranch Potato Salad

From Boston to the Carolinas, summer means barbeques, and barbeques mean potato salad! Mom's recipe was full of mayo, hard-boiled eggs and bacon. It was delicious, yes, but we decided to give it an update. This version takes a healthy turn, replacing the traditional ranch dressing with Ranch-seasoned Greek yogurt. The result is creaminess without the fat, and the yogurt adds a little extra tang. We still used bacon because potato salad wouldn't be the same without it, after all.

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