Recipes
Portuguese Ginjinha
Ginjinha, or Ginja for short, is a liqueur made from an infusion of sour cherries, also called ginja berries. After a friend from Lisbon introduced us to this delicious concoction, we waited almost a year Pacific Northwest cherries to be in season so we could try to make our own. Our recipe for this liqueur is spiced with Cassia Stick Cinnamon and Cloves to add a spicy, aromatic bite.Traditionally served in shot glasses for a slow sip with a tart cherry garnish, Ginjinha is also a great ingredient in other cocktails. Try using some in a batch of sangria, or add a bit to your Manhattan for a sweet and spicy twist. As soon as we tried it, Ginjinha quickly became a bar cart staple for its versatility and unique flavor.
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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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Caribbean Yellow Rice
The yellow rice often served as a side at Latin or Caribbean restaurants is easy to make at home, with the right ingredients. The dish gets its signature color from the addition of Annatto Oil, and not from turmeric or saffron as one might expect.To make your own, begin by simply put some annatto oil into your pan. Saute some onions and garlic alongside your rice, then add water or stock to cook. It's that simple! This versatile recipe is great to have on hand, too. Just add corn, black beans or peas for extra flavor.
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Annatto Oil
Annatto Seed is used in Latin American and Caribbean cuisine to give food a rich savory flavor and striking color. The tiny, hard seeds are often infused into oil to make them easier to use, resulting in a deep red liquid that can be kept on hand to quickly add to meat, rice, or other recipes.The vibrant hues imparted by annatto are surprisingly common. The yellow tint of Latin rice, for example, comes from annatto oil. Annatto extracts are also responsible for making butter yellow, and for the orange color of cheddar cheese.
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Mystic Mule
Perfect for a hot summer evening, or anytime, really. The classic Moscow Mule needs no introduction. Fizzy and softly spicy, this delicious cocktail is typically served in a copper mug for instant ice-cold refreshment. For this variation on the drink, we used our Mystic Licorice Tea to complement the traditional flavors. Full of warm spices like licorice, cinnamon, cardamom, orange, coriander, and cloves, this tea blend adds complexity to gentle bite of ginger beer, while including a sweet finish that pairs well with the sour flavor of the lime. We suggest you make a pitcher, because these go down easy. We also used local ginger beer from Timber City, which has a strong ginger kick without too much sweetness to make this cocktail. When making the tea, we recommend brewing a strong batch to stand up to the other flavors. Approximately four teaspoons per cup of water should do the trick.
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Biscayne Corn Chowder
Bright and spicy, this corn chowder is bursting with Caribbean flavor. Our Biscayne Citrus Rub is featured here, packed with spices like thyme, oregano, chile flakes, and citrus peel to bring out the natural sweet flavor of the corn. Smoked ham gives this chowder a meaty flavor, and the corn is grilled to bring a bit of fiery flavor.To get a perfect texture in this chowder, the ham and vegetables should be uniformly diced small. Cubes of about 1/4 inch work well. Aside from a bit of chopping, this dish is quick and easy to bring together. It's perfect as a side dish for a backyard summer bbq or a low-maintenance weeknight meal.
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Emerald Mojito
We've mixed some Mojito magic here using a simple syrup made with our Emerald Mist tea! Peppermint and spearmint are the main flavors in the syrup, along with with licorice, cloves, and ginger. Combined with fresh lime to make it a Mojito, this drink is delicious virgin or classically spiked with rum. Kick back and enjoy it on a hot summer day. Don't feel up for that much mixology? Emerald Mist makes a fantastic iced tea for summer all on it's own.
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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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Sumac Cauliflower Steak with El Greco Spelt Salad
Crusted with sumac and Alderwood smoked salt, this cauliflower steak is a healthy vegetarian entree full of texture and color. The dish is inspired by Mediterranean flavors that compliment summer vegetables, and it's accompanied by a hearty spelt grain salad tossed in El Greco Citronette. The salad has orange and lemon juice for acidity and garden herbs like oregano and basil. To finish the dish, we sprinkled on some chopped dried cranberries for tart and chewy sweetness, although dried tart cherries or dried blueberries would be delicious, too. This dish makes you feel like you're eating the rainbow!
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