November 2015 Digest

Thanksgiving, Gobbled Up

November is always a unique month for me. Other months I have a mix of recipes, cocktails and restaurant posts, along with the occasional "other" food-related thing that interests me. But November is all about Thanksgiving, which means its all about recipes. Lots of recipes.

A few themes ran through the recipes I presented this year. The idea of reinterpreting traditional dishes led me to take The Silver Palate Cookbook's classic Chicken Marbella recipe and adapt those wonderful Spanish flavors into Marbella-Brined Roast Turkey Breast. Similarly, I played around with the idea that people stuff their turkeys because it gives the stuffing turkey flavor. I reserved this--using the stuffing to instead flavor the turkey with Stuffing-Brined Roast Turkey Breast.

One of my favorites along these lines is the Deconstructed Sweet Potato Casserole, which reinterprets the traditional marshmallow-covered (overly) sweetened puree into a dish of roasted sweet potatoes with pecans, bacon and (just a few) mini marshmallows all brought together with a bourbon-maple sauce.

Another theme was incorporating international flair into the meal. I experimented with Indian flavors in both the Indian-Spiced Nan Bread Stuffing and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pecans and Honey-Curry Yogurt. I turned to Mexico for the inspiration behind Sweet Potatoes with Mole and Queso Fresco.

Then there were a few recipes that spoke to nostalgia and simplicity, namely my favorite recipe for Sausage-Cornbread Stuffing and a traditional take on Buttery Mashed Potatoes. And for biscuit lovers, I definitely have to mention the Butter-Flaky Biscuits.

Noodle Me Momofuku

The D.C. restaurant has undeniably heated up in recent years. The latest trend is for big-name chefs from other places, namely New York, to open outposts in D.C. Danny Meyer's burgers have been winning Washingtonians over for several years now with several locations of the New York-based Shake Shack. The biggest of such imports last year was Daniel Boulud, who opened DBGB Kitchen and Bar in the downtown CityCenter development. As popular as these spots are, neither grabbed headlines the way the arrival of David Chang's first D.C.-area Momofuku has. Much ink has been spilled in anticipation of the opening of Momofuku CCDC which, like DBGB, is located in CityCenter. Riding shotgun in the new restaurant's corner space is an outpost of the Momofuku bakery, Milk Bar, known for Christina Tosi's creative confections like crack pie and corn cookies. We snagged a much-coveted Saturday night reservation and enjoyed some pretty tasty appetizers, noodles and, of course, those cookies.

Food Recipes

Marbella-Brined Roast Turkey Breast Spanish flavors of the classic Silver Palate Cookbook recipe Chicken Marbella infuse this wet-brined turkey.

Stuffing-Brined Roast Turkey Breast Some people stuff turkeys to flavor the stuffing with the turkey. But what if you instead flavor the turkey with stuffing?

Buttery Mashed Potatoes Mashed potatoes seems simple, but there are some techniques involving how you mash and butter the potatoes for optimal texture and flavor.

Sausage-Cornbread Stuffing My all-time favorite stuffing recipe handed down from my mother.

Butternut Squash, Pecan and Bacon Bread Like pumpkin bread but with butternut squash. Oh, and bacon. Yeah, bacon.

Indian-Spiced Nan Bread Stuffing Indian spices flavor this stuffing made with Indian nan bread.

Butter-Flaky Biscuits Through folding and rolling, these biscuits have buttery flaky layers.

Apple Butter A wonderful fall accompaniment to biscuits and other breads.

Deconstructed Sweet Potato Casserole Re-thinking the Thanksgiving classic side to be less sweet and gooey with a stronger focus on good sweet potato flavor.

Kale, Smoked Gouda and Pecan Gratin Gratins are awesome because you can get credit for eating a vegetable side, but it's actually an excuse for eating something creamy and cheesy.

Green Bean Salad with Almonds and Quinoa A truly healthful side dish to help balance all these other rich holiday dishes.

Sweet Potatoes with Mole and Queso Fresco A simple side of roasted sweet potatoes with spicy Mexican mole sauce and cheese.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pecans and Honey-Curry Yogurt Another Indian-inspired dish, a simple affair of roasted sprouts and pecans with yogurt mixed with honey and curry powder.

Caramel Apple Custard Pie Another look at the apple custard pie--a nice compromise between a pumpkin pie and an apple pie--this time with a graham-cracker-coated crust and caramel sauce.

Cocktail Recipe

• A Sage Old Bourbon This whiskey and sherry cocktail, with flavors of cranberry, celery and sage, is inspired by the savory flavors of a Thanksgiving dinner.

8-2-Eat

• 8-2-Eat: Affordable Thanksgiving Wines Splurging on a Thanksgiving wine is certainly a fine thing to do, but if you're throwing a big dinner and need lots of bottles, it might help your wallet to reign things in a bit. These suggestions are all under $20.
• 8-2-Eat: Thanksgiving Cocktails Ideas for drinks to serve before, with or after the big meal.
• 8-2-Eat: Vegetable Sides It's easy to load up on carb-heavy dishes. Don't forget to serve some vegetables too.
• 8-2-Eat: Thanksgiving Leftovers Ideas for using up what remains from the big holiday feast.

October 2015 Digest

Smoke, Spice and Spirits in Austin

Austin, Texas is a pretty hot place. Even in October, the temperatures rise to the mid-90s (seriously). Nonetheless, it's a pretty cool place too. Chris and I enjoyed a wonderful long weekend in Texas' capital city, one of America's fastest-growing big cities, seeing the sites and enjoying amazing barbecue, Mexican and cocktails. You can read about out eating and drinking experiences, the highlights of which were our barbecue dinner at Stubb's, excellent modern Mexican at La Condesa and perfectly made cocktails at CU29 (check out my attempt to recreate the Elijah's Railcar, our favorite drink from the trip) and Garage. A real find on the trip were the breakfast tacos--an Austin "thing"--the best of which were from Taco Joint, a short walk north of the sprawling University of Texas campus. My recipe for Steak, Egg and Smoked Gouda Breakfast Tacos is inspired by our favorite tacos from that amazing little taco joint.

Fall Cocktail Week: The Magic of the Manhattan

There are a lot of great cocktails, but there's something truly magical about the combination of rye whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters, the simple foundation of the ever-so-complex Manhattan cocktail. This month, I took a closer look at our favorite drink with my Ode to the Manhattan Cocktail, a in-depth look at the components of the drink in an article I called "Manhattan Construction," and I shared 10 recipe variations (see the cocktail recipes list below) including classic and modern interpretations (some of my own too) of the drink. And if that wasn't enough, I did an 8-2-Eat list on Further Exploration of the Manhattan.

Bringing Chicken Fajitas Indoors

Chicken fajitas are one of our favorite things. We enjoy them frequently from various Tex-Mex restaurants around D.C. and even when we travel. Although traditionally fajitas are grilled--making them an ideal summer food--I wanted to create a recipe for fajitas cooked in the kitchen that are just as tasty as their grilled counterpart. This recipe for Sautéed Chicken Fajitas is the result of that effort, and it's become one of our stay-at-home Saturday night favorites.

A Final Pocketful of Summer

We said farewell to summer with these Vegetable Stuffed Pocket Pitas, using the last of the season's fresh tomatoes and cucumbers along our favorite Mediterranean flavors, including hummus, tzatziki, feta cheese, olives and pitas.

D.C. Restaurants
Our local outings this month included a trip to The Partisan, D.C.'s delicious meat-centric restaurant expanded from the Red Apron butcher shop, and DBGB, the first D.C. restaurant from famed New York chef Daniel Boulud.

The Partisan (American, meat)

DBGB (American, French)


Austin Restaurants and Bars

24 Diner (American, breakfast)

Congress Bar (cocktail bar)

CU29 (cocktail bar)

Garage (cocktail bar)

Guero's Taco Bar (Mexican)

Iron Works BBQ (barbecue)

La Condesa (modern Mexican)

Lamberts (barbecue, grill)

Stubb's (barbecue)

Taco Joint (tacos, breakfast tacos)

Taco Shack (tacos, breakfast tacos)


Food Recipes

Steak, Egg and Smoked Gouda Breakfast Tacos - Inspired by the tacos at Taco Joint, our favorite breakfast tacos from our Austin trip.

Sautéed Chicken Fajitas - Bring summer grilled fajitas indoors with this flavorful marinated sautéed version.

Vegetable Stuffed Pocket Pitas - A final recipe with summer tomatoes and cucumbers featuring Mediterranean flavors of pita, hummus, tzatziki, olives and feta cheese.


Cocktail Recipes

Traditional Manhattan - The simple classic of rye, sweet vermouth and bitters.

Classic Manhattan #1 and #2 and # -  Two recipes exploring why different ratios of whiskey-to-vermouth may be appropriate depending on the type of whiskey used.

Winter Manhattan - A little smoky scotch, whiskey barrel-aged bitters and the amazing Carpano Antica vermouth make this variation a favorite for the colder months.

White Manhattan - A lighter variation of the manhattan made with white whiskey, Dolin blanc vermouth, Benedictine liqueur and orange bitters.

My White Manhattan - My take of a White Manhattan with white rye whiskey, Dolin blanc, Combier orange liqueur, maraschino liqueur and orange bitters.

Black Manhattan - A darker take on the drink made with Averna, an Italian amaro.

Perfect Manhattan - A variation of the drink that includes both sweet and dry vermouths.

Spanish Harlem - Tequila stands in for whiskey in this Manhattan variation.

Brooklyn - An old Manhattan variation with dry vermouth and maraschino liqueur.

Elijah's Railcar - Similar to a Black Manhattan, this drink was our favorite among the many great cocktails we enjoyed during our time in Austin.


8-2-Eat

Butternut Squash - 8 delectable recipes featuring this favorite fall vegetable (including a to-die-for lasagna with sausage, sage and goat cheese).

Sandwiches - 8 favorites, including a deluxe club, grilled cheese and classic tuna salad.

Further Exploration of the Manhattan - 8 more pieces (7 stories, 1 podcast) that further explore the history and modern day delight of our favorite cocktail.

September 2015 Digest

Digest is a summary of all the articles from the previous month.

Goodbye to Summer Produce

In late September, we said "goodbye" to summer and "hello" to fall. Thus, wonderful summer produce was still plentiful throughout the month. My favorite late summer produce items are tomatoes and sweet corn. The former showed up in my Summer Kale Chicken Caesar Salad, an update of one of the first recipes I posted on my blog made with leafy kale, seasonal sungold cherry tomatoes and fresh-bread croutons.

When it comes to sweet corn, I turned my attention to soups this month. Of course, corn-on-the-cob is a wonderful way to enjoy really good sweet corn, but corn soup is one of my favorites, and it's good served hot or cold. Corn-Leek Soup is a delicious corn-based variation on the classic Potato-Leek Soup, and Mexican Corn Soup adds both kick and cool with chipotle chili powder and fresh avocado.

A simple frittata is another good use for late summer / early fall produce. I made mine with onion, zucchini, red pepper and rainbow chard, plus mild Italian chicken sausage and gruyere cheese.

The Road to Happiness Is...Littered with Good Recipes

Dallas actress Linda Gray published her memoirs this week: The Road to Happiness Is Always Under  Construction. My husband's blog, Dallas Decoder, celebrated the book's release with a review and an exclusive interview with the star. I got in the game by cooking one of the delicious recipes that punctuate Linda's book: a Mexican Meat Pie she stockpiled in the freezer for her family just before embarking to film what would become the first of many seasons of the classic 1978-1991 dramatic series.

¡Salud! - Agave-Spirit Cocktails at Mayahuel

It may sound like hyperbole to declare Mayahuel our new favorite bar, but I cannot imagine finding a cocktail bar I would like better. This small East Village bar, not too far from Death & Co., features incredibly good cocktails made from Mexican spirits such as tequila, mezcal and sotol. I shared the recipe for one of the drinks we tried, a mezcal concoction known as The Division Bell.

Cooking with Ottolenghi

It's unfortunately easy to acquire beautiful cookbooks...and then rarely use them. I pulled out my copy of Ottolenghi: The Cookbook to make a beautiful meal of Beef and Lamb Meatballs Baked in Tahini and Fennel, Corn and Cherry Tomato Gratin.

Go Back to Beach After Labor Day

Rehoboth Beach is busiest during the summer. All the more reason to go after Labor Day when the weather is still nice and the beach and restaurants are less crowded. This year's dining guide recaps delicious dinners we enjoyed at Bramble & Brine, Dos Locos, Papa Grande's, Salt Air and Zebra Ristorante, plus amazing omelets, pancakes and ice cream at The Royal Treat.

Visualize a Good Cocktail

For a special edition of 8-2-Eat, I created 8 graphics that illustrate various things--recipes, facts, opinions--about cocktails.

Enlivening a Quinoa Salad

Quinoa is very popular, but frankly not that flavorful. But it's an excellent canvas for other flavors. In this healthful salad (pictured above), it sets the stage for a delicious dish of chicken, quick-pickled onion, cashews, cucumbers, avocado, feta and mint. This dish was inspired by a similar salad I had for lunch recently at Spring Street Natural in New York's Soho neighborhood.

Recipes

Corn-Leek Soup - A variation on classic Potato-Leek soup made with fresh summer sweet corn.

Beef and Lamb Meatballs Baked in Tahini - A recipe from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook of meatballs baked in a deliciously nutty tahini sauce.

Division Bell Cocktail - A Mayahuel recipe featuring mezcal, Aperol, maraschino liqueur and lime.

Fennel, Corn and Cherry Tomato Gratin - I adapted this easy gratin recipe from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook by adding sweet corn.

Mexican Corn Soup - Another sweet corn soup recipe, this time with the spicy kick of chipotle and cool richness of fresh avocado.

Mexican Meat Pie - An adaptation of actress Linda Gray's recipe: a layered casserole of tortillas, ground turkey, vegetables, cheese and spices.

Quinoa Salad with Chicken and Vegetables - A healthful mix of quinoa, chicken, quick-picked onion, cashews, avocado, cucumber, pepitas, mint, feta and arugula.

Summer Kale Chicken Caesar Salad - The ubiquitous kale Caesar gets a late summer variation with fresh sungold cherry tomatoes and fresh-bread croutons.

Restaurants and Bars

Mayahuel (New York City cocktail bar) - This bar, specializing in drinks made with Mexican spirits, captured our hearts during a recent visit.

Rehoboth Beach 2015 Dining Guide (Rehoboth Beach, Del.) - An overview of where we ate this year, including Bramble & Brine, Dos Locos, Papa Grande's, Salt Air and Zebra Ristorante, plus amazing omelets, pancakes and ice cream at The Royal Treat.

8-2-Eat

Cocktail Graphics - 8 things about cocktails explained visually.

Restaurants with Great Pasta - 8 restaurants in the D.C. area and New York where you can get a delicious bowl of pasta.

August 2015 Digest

Tomatoes: Get Your Summer Fix

I love fresh tomatoes, and I eat them rabidly from June through September when they are available from my farmers market, New Morning Farm. The rest of the year, I eat tomatoes rarely--occasionally I'll make something with canned tomatoes. But from October to May I won't buy tomatoes at the grocery store, for the simple reason that they aren't very good.

Tomatoes are a temperamental vegetable (or fruit, if you want to get technical). They bruise easily and they don't store well. Through selective breeding, some growers have developed tomatoes can grow year-round and store and transport well, but in doing so, they have sacrificed what's important about tomatoes: their flavor. Cut open a tomato from the grocery store and you'll find a whitish mealy inside. Taste it, and there will be little tomato flavor. It's no wonder a lot of people claim they don't like tomatoes if this is what they mostly experience.

In contrast, cut into a seasonally ripe summer tomato and it will be vibrant red inside, juicy and flavorful. That's what tomatoes should be like, and I load our menu with them at this time of year.

The simplest way to serve tomatoes is raw in a salad. Inspired by the ingredients of a Manhattan-style chowder, I created this Manhattan "Chowder" Salad with broiled salmon, fresh tomatoes, fried potato cubes--a stand-in for croutons--and other ingredients. No-cook recipes, the kind you might make when it's just blisteringly hot outside, are another good way to make use of raw tomatoes. I loved this recipe I found in a recent issue of Bon Appétit, Flatbread with Tomatoes, Chickpeas and Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce. It's like an uncooked pizza and perfect with a variety of fresh heirloom tomatoes. For more "no cook" ideas, some with tomatoes (some without), check out my 8-2-Eat No Heat Dishes list.

Of course, summer tomatoes are also good cooked. One of the first recipes I learned to make with fresh tomatoes is the Pasta with Quick-Cooked Tomato Sauce from Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins' classic The New Basics Cookbook. I've adapted the recipe a bit to take advantage of another wonderful summer ingredient: fresh basil. This is a good recipe for a weeknight, as its done in under 30 minutes.

Roasted Ratatouille Pasta

When you have more time available, recipes with roasted tomatoes are where it's at. Roasting concentrates tomatoes' sweet and savory flavors. I added roasted tomatoes to Japanese Yaki Udon, a fried noodle dish, to create Roasted Tomato Yaki Udon, a sort of "Japanese spaghetti." Tomatoes, roasted alongside eggplant, bell pepper, zucchini and onion, form the backbone of Roasted Ratatouille Pasta, which also features a garlic and white wine sauce. Substitute olive oil for the butter and you have a delicious summer vegan dish.

Ground Cherries: No Temptation for Young George

We all know the story of George Washington chopping down a cherry tree, but if he'd instead had ground cherries, which grow on vines, he might not have been so tempted. Ground cherries look like small tomatillos, as they are encased in papery skin, although when the skin is removed, they look more like golden grape tomatoes. However, they don't taste at all like tomatoes--they are sweeter and fruitier, more like pineapple. I used them in an Asian Slaw with cabbage, cilantro, peanuts, chicken and a ginger dressing.

Greek Burgers: The All-American Dish Gets a Greek Makeover

Burgers are enjoyed year-round of course, but there's something particularly special about burgers during the summer, especially if you grill them. Although quintessentially American, burgers have demonstrated remarkable flexibility lately, making way for all sorts of interpretations (kimchi, anyone?). I go Greek with this recipe, made with ground lamb instead of beef, topped with tzatziki and nestled into a pita.

Ghibellina: Escape the Hot D.C. Summer with Good Italian Food

If you can't physically get out of D.C. during the hot, humid summer, you can at least get a little mental escape through amazing food. Our dinner at Ghibellina hit the spot with delicious salad, corn ravioli and pizza.

D.C.'s "Hidden" Underground Cocktail Bar: 2 Birds 1 Stone

I knew that 2 Birds 1 Stone was underneath the Doi Moi restaurant, but it took us quite a while to figure out exactly how to get inside. Once there, though, we enjoyed masterful cocktails in a surprisingly bright (for a subterranean space) environment. The Devil's Grin, for example, which I found the recipe for from a Koji Nnamdi Show episode.

Szechuan Peppercorn-Infused Gin and Mint: Silence Is Golden Cocktail

You know how sometimes you find a particular muse for cooking, and it's like the gift that just keeps on giving? My cocktail muse this year is Death & Co., the New York bar I wrote about earlier this year and which put out a book I also really love. This cocktail was inspired by the bar's drink Waterloo Sunset, made with Szechuan peppercorn-infused gin, ginger liqueur, Dolin blanc and mint. I call it "Silence Is Golden." Read the post to find out why (hint: it's a bit of music chart fun).


Food Recipes

Flatbread with Tomatoes, Chickpeas and Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce - a no-cook recipe from Bon Appétit that layers seasoned sliced tomatoes atop mashed chickpeas and yogurt-cucumber sauce on top of flatbreads.

Manhattan "Chowder" Salad - A salad of broil salmon, fresh tomatoes, fried potato "croutons" and other ingredients inspired by Manhattan-style chowder.

Pasta with Quick-Cooked Tomato Sauce - A simple dish of fettuccine, cooked summer tomatoes and basil, adapted from a recipe from The New Basics Cookbook.

Roasted Ratatouille Pasta - Ratatouille vegetables are roasted and combined with a garlic-white wine sauce over pasta.

Roasted Tomato Yaki Udon - A "Japanese spaghetti" of fried udon noodles with mushrooms and roasted tomatoes.

Asian Slaw with Ground Cherries and Chicken - My first recipe with ground cherries, which look like golden grade tomatoes and taste bit like pineapple, is an Asian-style slaw with cabbage, chicken and a ginger dressing.

Greek Burgers - Ground lamb, Tzatziki and pitas put a Greek twist on the American classic.


Cocktail Recipes

Silence is Golden - Szechuan peppercorn-infused gin, ginger liqueur, Dolin blanc and mint in a cocktail inspired by a Death & Co. drink.

Devil's Grin - From 2 Birds 1 Stone bartender Adam Bernbach, this is a white whiskey drink with Campari, amaretto and lime.



8-2-Eat

No Heat Dishes

Fresh Summer Tomato Recipes


Restaurants/Bars

Ghibellina (Italian, Washington, D.C.)

2 Birds / 1 Stone (Cocktail Bar, Washington, D.C.)

July 2015 Digest

Meatloaf Tacos at Tupelo Honey Cafe

Digest is a summary of all the articles from the previous month.


The Summer Farmers Market Bounty

Loaded Quinoa Bowl

From June until Thanksgiving, my neighborhood farmers market, New Morning Farm, shifts into high gear, swelling with the beautiful bounty of fresh summer produce. This month, I looked at ways to use the many vegetables currently available, such as sweet corn, zucchini, onions, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and more. As inspired by José Andrés' fast-casual vegetable-forward restaurant Beefsteak, the Loaded Quinoa Bowl is an ideal showcase for such vegetables, containing seven vegetables plus avocado. Pasta dishes like Fettuccine with Fresh Tomatoes, Zucchini and Sausage are simple, satisfying fare ideal for midweek meals.

With so much beautiful fresh produce available during the summer, sometimes it's hard to know what to do with it. A Turkey Shepherd's Pie is a great way to make use of a variety of vegetables. Of course, farmers markets don't just carry vegetables, but many other fresh foods too, including herbs. The Basil Smash cocktail features my favorite summer herb, fresh sweet basil. Still looking for more ideas? My 8-2-Eat posts included uses for summer sweet corn and fresh basil.


Alaska Adventure

Fish & Chips from Alava's Fish-n-Chowder

My husband, my mother and I cruised to Alaska last month, a wonderful week-long vacation that gave us an appreciation for the vastness and beauty of America's largest state. Eating in the various ports was the culinary highlight of the trip. The food on the ship was good, although rarely outstanding (and the cocktails were, sadly, a disappointment).

Back on land, I was inspired to make several dishes that pay homage to the state. I put together a Mocha Baked Alaska, that magical treat of a browned meringue encasing coffee chocolate chip ice cream perched atop chocolate cake. For drinks, I made the classic martini-like Alaska Cocktail and invented a frosty Glacier Cocktail inspired by our excursion where we flew up to and walked around on a glacier.

The Cocktail Chronicles

Cocktail writer and Imbibe magazine editor Paul Clarke's wonderful new book, The Cocktail Chronicles, connects the modern cocktail renaissance to its storied past. I reviewed the book and shared a number of its recipes for new and classic drinks. I'll definitely keep this book close, as it joins previous favorites such as The PDT Cocktail Book, The Bar Book and Death & Co.

Tupelo Honey Cafe
Southern cuisine gets the Spanish-style tapas treatment at this tasty Arlington, Virginia haunt. We don't cross the river much for food, but have now found a good reason to do so. Deep-fried avocado, meatloaf tacos and mac & cheese with shrimp were among the highlights of a very good meal.

Food Recipes

Mocha Baked Alaska

• Loaded Quinoa Bowl - a vegetable-focused bowl with a quinoa base and a light lemon and olive oil dressing.
• Fettuccine with Fresh Tomatoes, Zucchini and Sausage - a simple midweek pasta with fresh summer vegetables.
• Turkey Shepherd's Pie - a summery riff on the Irish classic with ground turkey and a bevy of summer vegetables.
• Mocha Baked Alaska - chocolate cake and coffee/chocolate-chip ice cream encased in a browned meringue.

Cocktail Recipes

Basil Smash

• Glacier Cocktail - an original frosty creation of white whiskey, blue curaçao, green Chartreuse and orange bitters inspired by Alaska's dramatic blue glaciers.
• Alaska Cocktail - gin, yellow chartreuse and orange bitters make up this classic cocktail.
• Basil Smash - a refreshing vodka/tequila and basil highball from Seattle bartender Anu Apte (from Imbibe)
• Manhattan - the classic mix of rye, sweet vermouth and bitters (from The Cocktail Chronicles).
• Twentieth Century - a classic drink made with gin, Lillet Blanc, white crème de cacao and lemon (from The Cocktail Chronicles).
• Ephemeral - Old Tom gin mingles with blanc vermouth, elderflower liqueur and celery bitters in this cocktail by Portland bartender David Shenaut (from The Cocktail Chronicles).
• The Graduate - another cocktail from a Portland bartender, this time Daniel Shoemaker, who created this drink for cocktail writer Paul Clarke made with Scotch, sweet vermouth, curaçao and tonic (from The Cocktail Chronicles).

8-2-Eat

Summer sweet corn

• 8 Recipes for Summer Sweet Corn
• 8 Recipes for Using Fresh Summer Basil
• 8 Recipes with Smoky Ingredients, No Fire Needed

Restaurants/Travel

• Tupelo Honey Cafe (Arlington, VA)
• Alava's Fish-n-Chowder (Ketchikan, AK)
• Landing Zone Bar & Grill (Icy Strait Point, AK)
• Misty Bay Lodge (Hoonah, AK)
• The Rookery Cafe (Juneau, AK)
• Skagway Brewing Co. (Skagway, AK)
• Glacier Brewhouse (Anchorage, AK)
• Fat Ptarmigan (Anchorage, AK)
• Dining and Drinks Aboard Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas Alaska Cruise