Kashmiri Garam Masala Papaya Smoothie

On the way to our storefront behind the Pike Place Market, we're fortunate to be greeted each day by a rainbow of fruits and vegetables. Papaya is a fruit normally enjoyed on a tropical vacation, but the ones at Frank's Quality Produce looked absolutely perfect. Since nothing says summer like a tropical smoothie, we decided to give pick some up and try it out.Papaya is buttery and sweet, with a flavor akin to cantaloupe. To add a spicy twist, we turned to Kashmiri Garam Masala, a delicious and fragrant spice blend containing cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, cloves, and mace. A touch of Turmeric balances the sweetness, while frozen banana and chia seeds round the flavor. Bursting with tropical sweetness, this smoothie will have have you feeling just a little bit closer to paradise.

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Lavender Ricotta Toast

Lavender is not a "put it on anything" kind of flavor. The bold, heady aroma needs to be harnessed to be enjoyed. You can't just let it run wild like cumin or garlic. But there is so much about French Lavender to appreciate! Its floral flavors are the taste of spring. Enter ricotta. This mild spreadable cheese is easy to make and a touch of lavender transforms it into a really special spread. Perfectly creamy for smearing on toast, the intensity of lavender is mellowed by the milk, and brings out the sweetness in the dairy. The resulting spread is delicious on its own, but here we garnished the toast with roasted beets, cherry tomatoes and pickled onion to make it a meal.

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Orange, Cinnamon and Cranberry Tart

Spring 2020. I was craving pie. Sadly, I had no flour and no fresh fruit, aside from an old orange. Thus, the Cranberry and Orange Tart was born out of pure necessity. Dried cranberries were used here, but dried tart cherries can easily be substituted. For this, the crust is made out of saltines, and so the sweet-tart-salty complexity is a flavor explosion. Adding a touch of Indonesian cinnamon and ginger powder enhances these flavors. The saltine crust is just fun, and much less labor intensive to make than tart dough. This is what you get when you play with your food!

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Jerk Scallop & Mango Ceviche

The fresh flavors are incredible in this Jerk Scallop & Mango Ceviche It is easy to make, and this party-sized batch will be a welcome addition to your next gathering as an appetizer or side dish. Citrus and mango are the perfect complement to the scallops, and our Jerk Seasoning brings Caribbean spicing to the mix. It has allspice, thyme, ginger and a friendly amount of habanero. The sweet mango and creamy avocado meld with the scallops, contrasted with a crunch of onion and bell pepper for the perfect bite. Cilantro and chive give additional pops of flavor in this sunny dish.

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Lavender Dulce de Leche Stuffed Crepes

We love an excuse to eat dessert any time of day. These decadent crepes are bursting with spring flavors, and look amazing on a brunch buffet. Each crepe is stuffed full of Lavender Dulce de Leche. French Lavender is bright, floral and woodsy; it's best with assertive flavors. To complement it, we spiked the batter with Moroccan Meyer Lemon Paste, and ran it through a blender. You can do this the night before for a breezy morning. Tastes like spring is here!

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Golden Turmeric Granola with Dried Berries

Start your day with this powerhouse of nutrition and flavor. We've infused coconut oil with Turmeric and Star Anise to turn everyday granola into a beautiful ambrosia with whole Indian Coriander Seed seeds and tart dried fruit. There are no limits to what you can do with this fancy cereal! Use our Golden Turmeric Granola as a base for dessert crusts or energy bars and enjoy every bite. It really is about more than just the looks! The unexpected flavor of Indian coriander is delightful and the little pops of chopped dried tart cherries are so welcome! If you don't have any dried tart cherries, you can substitute dried blueberries, or chopped dried cranberries for the same flavor.

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Saffron Tart Cherry Nougat

Yes, really! This stunner of a candy recipe makes a festive treat for the holidays. Sweet and chewy, tart and crunchy, it is impossible to resist. Two pinches of Saffron are enough to get a hint of color and perfectly balanced flavor, but you can always add more if a stronger flavor is desired. The pairing of saffron and sugar with the pop of tart cherries and crunch of pistachios is simply delightful. And it's so pretty! Be sure to have a good, reliable thermometer at the ready. Success with this nougat is a temperature game and cooking the eggs with the hot sugar is an essential step.

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Saffron Pear Butter

Buttery and sweet, simple yet exotic, this Saffron Pear Butter is wonderful on so many levels! With only a handful of ingredients and a straightforward process, you can make a jar to have on hand, or ramp up production and gift small jars as at the holidays or any time of year. We like to make big batches in the fall at pear harvest time and enjoy it on toast, biscuits, pound cake or as a sweet bite on a cheese board.

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Nigella Watermelon Salad

Nothing says summer quite like watermelon, and this salad has all the right flavors to complement it. Juicy watermelon chunks are dressed with lime juice for an unbelievable sweet/tart pairing. Nutty arugula and savory onion hints from the nigella seeds add a hint of savory crunch. And because my crowd is always game for a little extra summer heat, a sprinkle of Marash chile flakes round out the finish. This salad is easy to whip up for a weeknight side dish and scales up nicely for a crowd pleasing BBQ or picnic.

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