Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad

January 21, 2015

It use to be my mom who hosted every holiday dinner. Now, my sister’s and I contribute Christmas Eve dinner. Its predictable that I am designated salad and dessert every year. For some reason, my sister’s believe I am some kind of green salad goddess. I repeatedly tell them to use quality oils but they would much rather refuse the advice and eat my greens. So for Christmas Eve dinner this last year, I decided to substitute the standard leafy greens for shredded Brussels sprouts.

I think it’s safe to say this salad is tried and true. I started the recipe prior to Christmas. Adding a little more of this and a little less of that and have been eating it ever since. So I am bit tired of shredding and eating sprouts. On a positive note, it keeps well in the fridge so leave a little for the next day. I generously garnished a veggie burger and called it lunch for multiple days. I won’t say how many!

Give it a try while you can still find fresh Brussels and pomegranates. It’s seasonal and healthy and good way to keep that new year’s resolution from vanishing.

Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad / Serves 6 to 8 as a side salad

WHAT YOU’LL NEED
1 lb of Brussels Sprouts, shredded (thinly by hand or use a food processor)
Olive Oil
1/4 – 1/2 red onion, diced
1 pomegranate, seeded
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans
4 oz. feta
1/2 orange, zest and juice
1/2 lemon, zest and juice
Extra virgin olive oil

HOW TO MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE
Whisk together the zest and juice from half lemon and orange with 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.

HOW TO MAKE THE SALAD
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Drain rinsed garbanzo beans and pat dry. Spread on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 Tbs. olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. cayenne. Bake for 20 minutes and then scrape baking sheet with a spatula. Bake another 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crunchy. Set aside.
Heat a large cast iron pan to medium high and add 2 Tbs. olive oil. Swirl pan around so olive oil coats the entire surface. Once pan is hot, add shredded Brussels sprouts. Saute for about 7 minutes until softened with brown bits. Transfer to a serving bowl and continue with the second batch of shredded Brussels sprouts. If you have a large enough pan you may get by doing this once but I prefer two batches so the sprouts cook evenly with plenty of brown bits.
Add diced onion to serving bowl. The size of onion will dictate whether to use only a quarter or up to half. Spend the extra time dicing away. No big onion chunks in this salad.
Add roasted garbanzo beans, pomegranate seeds and feta to serving bowl (reserve a little feta and pomegranate seeds for garnish). Toss all ingredients together with vinaigrette. Top salad with remaining feta and pomegranate seeds.
Enjoy the New Year with this festive and vibrant salad!

Eat seasonally, Stay Healthy!

The Mercantile + Shady Grove Pottery

January 13, 2015

Another artist has been added to the Mercantile, Licia Lucas-Pfadt, creator of Shady Grove Pottery outside of Three Forks, MT. Licia is a wife and mother, potter and weaver, gardener and cook. A woman of many talents. She works with porcelain clay to create authentic pieces transpired from her heart and soul.

I have always preferred working with a neutral palette, a blank canvas, in food preparation and service. So when I was introduced to Licia’s off-white plates stamped with antique printing blocks I immediately felt the need to share her ware. I have selected four different pieces of pottery with subtle and delicate pattern and her hand-spun yarn for purchase on the Mercantile. Please take a look here and support the local artist industry.

I want my non-traditional work to bring smiles, to bring appreciation for food and drink, to bring new shared experiences, and to bring together the company of others who give and share. – Licia Lucas-Pfadt

2014 Montana Moments

January 2, 2015

It seems every year I have high hopes of being more organized and efficient than the prior. So it is only natural that I spent the last day filtering through my camera feed trying to decide which photos to archive and which to delete. I came across quite a few Montana Moments taken from the Ranch in 2014. So while wishing you a Happy New Year I thought I would share some of those moments I overlooked. I have included an album on Facebook here if you wish to view more ranch life.

Cheers to another year!

Bourbon + Apple Cider + Kombucha

December 20, 2014

It’s really quite simple with only three ingredients. And to be honest, I make it often minus the kombucha. But with only two ingredients, be mindful in selecting a bourbon and apple cider. Quality is key here. I use the apple cider made with the apples from our trees each year. It’s fresh and unpasteurized. So I often bring it to a boil with warm spices like cinnamon, star anise, and clove and let it simmer and perfume the kitchen for a bit.

Apple Cider Cocktail // 1 drink
Ice
1 oz. bourbon
1 oz. apple cider
1 oz. gingerade kombucha
Brown sugar
Orange

Place ice in a cocktail shaker. Add bourbon, apple cider and kombucha. Rub the orange peel around the rim of the cocktail glass and dip in brown sugar. Strain the drink into the glass. You can add more ice to the glass if you like. Garnish with a thin slice of orange peel.

Be Merry and Bright!

Potato Soup with Green Chiles and a Cheese Crisp + Ceramics

December 8, 2014

I recently opened an online shop……the Mercantile! You will see a new link to the shop on the right sidebar of the blog or you can click here and start browsing now!

I wanted to create a shop that inspires and spurs creativity in food preparation and enriches the dining experience. So naturally, the shop displays the work of makers near and far. Meredith, the beautiful ceramist behind these rustic yet elegant bowls pictured, is one of the makers featured on the shop. I had the pleasure to meet Meredith a couple weeks ago. She is as every bit lovely as her tableware. She believes in handcrafted and these dishes will revolutionize the way you think about dinnerware. At Dishes with Soul Meredith offers a luxury product with an organic human approach. These dishes are for every day and will compliment a casual lunch or an elegant dinner.

Small batch is better. Invest in the beauty of everyday. ~Meredith

I can’t remember the last time I made potato soup. It has been awhile. Strange considering it always sounds good and it is simple and incredibly warm and cozy. Kind of like chicken soup, which I seem to make all the time. I have a feeling this recipe will be worked into the weekly soup rotation this winter. Don’t forget to make the cheese crisps too. So tasty I am pretty sure my husband is going to order these with every bowl of soup now!

Potato Soup with Green Chiles

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 medium sized leek, use white and tender green part only
3 celery stalks
2 garlic cloves
1 4 oz. can diced green chillies
4 to 5 red potatoes
1 tsp. ground mustard
1 quart vegetable broth (or chicken)
2 oz. whole milk goat ricotta (I use the local dairy, Amaltheia)

HOW TO MAKE

In a large heavy soup pot, heat butter over medium high. Slice leeks and celery and add to pot. Saute until translucent. Chop garlic and add to pot with green chillies. Rough chop red potatoes into bite size chunks and add to pot with mustard and salt and pepper. Add broth and bring to a boil. Turn to low and allow potatoes to cook through. Before serving, add ricotta and stir until smooth. Serve with a hot cheese crisp.

Cheese Crisp

Turn oven to broil. Line baking sheet with tin foil. Add a mound of shredded cheese (I used a Mexican blend since the soup includes green chiles) and flatten with your fingers. Leave enough space in between so they do not melt together. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Broiling time and size of crisp will vary depending on size of mounds. Keep an eye on them so you don’t end up a with a charcoal crisp!

Pumpkin Tart

November 20, 2014

I am sharing a Thanksgiving Day recipe. It’s a pumpkin tart with a chocolate glaze and crust made with graham crackers, pecans and dates. Pumpkin is a favorite of mine except for pumpkin pie. I think I ate too much pumpkin pie with my Dad when I was just a girl. So I wanted to create something similar to pumpkin pie that I might like. So of course I added chocolate and an irresistible crust.

I made the pumpkin puree from scratch. My Mom had a Sugar Pumpkin from the garden in cold storage so I thought, why not. I cut the pumpkin in half, removed the seeds and gunk, and baked it at 400 degrees until soft. (Note: I added a little water to to the baking pan so the pumpkin would steam.) Baking time will vary with size. I think it took about 45 minutes for a medium sized one. I let it cool just enough where I could handle it and then I peeled the skin back on most of it and the remaining I scooped with a spoon. I pureed the pumpkin using a food processor. Looking at it on a baking tray, I thought I would barely get enough for one tart. Bad judgement because I have made two tarts now and probably have enough for 2 more. Pumpkin puree is not a lot of work but obviously takes more effort than cracking a can.

It’s officially Winter here in Montana. We have been experiencing the Arctic Blast. Subzero temperatures and snow for over a week now. Dad says we need the South wind to come through and clear the weather. Not sure I like the sound of wind either. Tough decision but I think if I had the choice I would pick the cold over the wind. Fortunately, we worked most the cattle the week prior to the Arctic Blast when temps were in the 60s. We worked the last group yesterday and I am happy to say temps peaked in high 30s! Hard to believe 30s feels comfortable now.

Pumpkin Tart

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THE CRUST
12 graham crackers
1 c. pecan halves
6 medjool dates, pitted
5 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THE FILLING
5 oz. chevre goat cheese, room temperature
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. each of nutmeg and ginger
3 eggs (2 yolks and 1 whole)
15 oz. pumpkin puree (1 can)
2 Tbs. cream
1 tsp. vanilla

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE
1/2 c. chocolate chips (60% or higher)
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. cream
2 Tbs. light corn syrup

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR GARNISH
1 tsp. pepitas, chopped
Whipped cream

HOW TO MAKE IT

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor combine all ingredients for the crust. Pulse until mealy and clumps when pressed together with fingers.
Grease a 11-inch circular tart mold with butter. Empty crust mixture into tart mold and press along sides and base to form an even crust. Bake for 12 to 15 or until slightly browned. Remove from oven and cool.

With an electric mixer and whisk attachment, combine goat cheese, sugar, and spices. Whip until creamy. Add egg yolks and egg, beating after each addition. Add pumpkin puree, cream, and vanilla and continue whisking until all ingredients are combined and filling is smooth. Pour filling into cooled tart crust and bake for 40 minutes or until center does not jiggle. Remove from oven and cool.

Using a double broiler, add chocolate, butter, and cream. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Stir in corn syrup without incorporating air. Remove and pour over cooled pumpkin tart. Spread evenly. Garnish with pepitas and whipped cream.

Best eaten day of. No problem here.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Simple Weekday Salad

November 12, 2014

I have been thinking a lot about what healthy living means to me. Eating whole foods, plenty of exercise, a good night’s sleep, rest (not to be confused with the prior), giving and receiving love, belly aching laughs, feeling self-worth, sunshine and so forth. Listed in no particular order because all equally important for my physical and mental health. I am wondering though, is it possible to be successful at all of these things? Seriously, it’s a lot to ask. Sometimes I don’t sleep well when my husband snores and sometimes I don’t want to ‘feel the burn’ in my thighs. I guess health is no exception, results require self-discipline, motivation, and hard work. So every day I try to be healthier than the day before. Sometimes I win and sometimes I lose. But every day is a new day and I try to remind myself if I have my health, I have everything.

This recipe was inspired by a lunch I devoured in Cape Town. I cannot remember the name of this part market part café but I remember thinking “I want to own a place like this”. It was the perfect place to share espresso and cake with a girlfriend, buy a gift on the fly, grab fresh flowers, read a book and drink a Pinotage, and stop for lunch every day! The lunch menu varied daily and was displayed in beautiful ceramics on a large wooden farm table. Maybe some day I can call it my own.

I harvested my last row of spinach a week ago. Pretty happy to be eating fresh greens from my garden in November. I recently requested a building project from my husband so if I am lucky I might be harvesting more fresh greens throughout the winter. Fresh spinach keeps well, even when dressed, so its perfect for a workday lunch.. The beauty of this salad is its simplicity without compromising taste. The sweet and hot cherry peppers are key. They make all the difference. I bought mine from Trader Joes during my last visit to CA. I have not searched for them around here but my first stop would be Front Street Market.

Simple Weekday Lunch // serves 4

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Juice of 1 lemon and zest
1 Tbs. bean liquid from can
½ tsp sardine paste
1 tsp. fresh rosemary
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil (cold pressed and unfiltered)
1 15 oz. can butter beans, drained and rinsed
4 oz. sweet and hot cherry peppers, sliced
4 handfuls of spinach
4 oz. feta
White balsamic vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil

HOW TO MAKE IT

In a glass bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and zest, bean liquid, sardine paste and chopped rosemary. Slowly add olive oil while whisking to emulsify. Add beans and peppers to marinade and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Toss spinach with white balsamic and olive oil. Crumble feta over top and add a large scoop of beans and peppers on the side. I used one handful of spinach, a splash of white balsamic and a drizzle of olive oil, and an ounce of feta per salad.

I had to share a couple photos of the Montana sky. This last month I have woke to a different colored blaze shining through to my kitchen. The perfect way to start the day. Rise and shine!

Vogue Gardening + Apple Frangapaine Tart Drizzled with Salted Caramel

October 30, 2014

It has been a couple weeks since my last post. I have been busy traveling and also testing apple recipe after apple recipe, both savory and sweet. I tried an apple and brussel sprout pickled slaw that topped my favorite squash soup. I grated apples for a chia seed breakfast porridge. Of course a variety of pies, tarts and galettes. But I finally decided to share this apple frangapaine tart drizzled with salted caramel. I thought it might be a Thanksgiving Dinner worthy dessert! It is quite simple but does include multiple steps. If you are in a pinch, the prep time could be greatly reduced with store bought dough, almond cream, and caramel. But the homemade version is well worth the time. Plus this recipe makes two tarts. One for eating directly from the oven, the other is meant to be frozen and baked on a cold morning.

I have also wanted to try Aran’s Gluten Free Apple Hazelnut Oat Cake and Cider Baked Apples.

I had the pleasure of working with the very talented Trisha Jones earlier this Fall. She is self-taught photographer that strives for a more natural, less edited imaged to truly capture what is unique about the subject. Trisha resides in Three Forks, Montana and covers the valley shooting expressive portraits. Her ambition and energy is contagious and I hope to collaborate again. You can view some of her work on Instagram here and Facebook here. Thank you Trisha for this vibrant shoot.

Apple Frangapaine Tart Drizzled with Salted Caramel

HOW TO MAKE IT….

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Make the almond cream. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.
3. Butter tart mold and make pate sucree dough.
4. Spread a thin layer of apple butter on the bottom of the crust and then refrigerate for 15 or so minutes. If you do not have apple butter, it can be eliminated.
5. While dough is chilling, peel and core 3 apples. Thinly slice and try to keep the shape of half an apple.
6. Spread half the almond cream on top of apple butter and arrange apples on top.
7. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until crust is golden brown and the frangapaine is puffed and golden.
8. Make the salted caramel while tart is baking.
9. Drizzle salted caramel over tart and serve. Best eaten the day of!

Note: The second assembled tart can be frozen for up to 2 weeks. Bake directly from freezer, adding several minutes to baking time.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED For the Pate Sucree Dough // Recipe from SF Baking Institute

329g (2 2/3 c.) all-purpose flour
142g (1 1/8 c.) Powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. Baking powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
148g (1 stick + 2 Tbs.) Butter
112g (~6 large) Egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
66g (2/3 c.) Almond flour

Sift the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, almond flour, and salt and add to a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle.
Add the butter and mix on medium low speed until mealy (course corn meal texture).
Add the egg yolks and vanilla and mix on low speed until the dough comes together.
Divide dough into two equal discs. Use parchment paper to roll out. Sometimes I place a yardstick on each side of the disc while I roll out dough to help get the correct thickness (~1/4 inch). Do not pull or stretch dough when forming to mold. Trim edges at an angle starting with the outside. Place on a baking sheet. Makes (2) 4.5-inch x 13.75-inch rectangular tarts. I used this tart mold here.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED For the Almond Cream

1 stick of butter, room temperature
½ c. granulated sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 ¼ c. almond flour
¼ c. all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. rum

Using a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and rum and scrape the bowl as needed. Add the almond meal and flour and mix until incorporated. Almond cream can be refrigerated up to 5 days or frozen for 2 months.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED For the Salted Caramel

½ c. granulated sugar
¼ c. cream
2 Tbs. butter
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. vanilla extract

Heat a small saucepan over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, sprinkle a small amount of sugar into pan and allow the sugar to melt without gaining too much color. Continue to sprinkle sugar and swirl pan to fully melt each addition. Once all the sugar is completely melted, cook to a deep reddish brown. (Note: the lighter the color of caramel, the sweeter.) The color can change rapidly. Be cautious to avoid burning the caramel.

Remove from heat and add warm cream mixture in batches, stir rapidly. Be careful, the mixture will splatter and steam. Add vanilla extract and stir until smooth. Sometimes it helps to reheat the caramel after adding the cream mixture for a smooth consistency. Cool until slightly thickened. Caramel can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Vogue Gardening & Country Carrot Cake

October 12, 2014

Can you believe my horse, Buddy, doesn’t like carrots or apples?

I made this cake for my oldest sister’s birthday a couple weeks ago. It’s a traditional carrot cake with a couple twists. Currants in lieu of raisins, limited spices, and grated pear for extra moisture. I also included goat cheese in the frosting, unexpected tang with every sweet bite!

In case you want something less traditional, try this Cocoa Carrot Cake with Cocoa Crumble. I also made this a couple weeks ago for a party. Unlike the recipe, I baked mine in a 9”x13” pan for about an hour and cut into individual squares for serving. My take on a Coffee Cake with a W O W factor.

Celebrate the Indian Summer we have all been enjoying and EAT CAKE this week!

Country Carrot Cake // serves 12 to 15

1 ½ c. canola oil
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
2 c. grated carrots
1 c. grated pear
2 ½ c. flour
1 tsp. soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
½ c. currants

Preheat oven to 350 F.

With an electric mixer, mix together wet ingredients. Sift together dry ingredients and whisk together. Slowly add dry mixture to wet mixture in batches. Stir in currants.

Spray two 9-inch circular cake pans and line with parchment paper. Spray again and dust with flour. Divide batter into two pans and bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Insert a toothpick at 35 minutes. If removed and clean, cake is done baking. If not clean, bake for remaining 10 minutes.

Allow cakes to cool for 20 minutes. Run a knife along the edge and invert onto a cooling rack.

Frosting

8 oz goat cheese, room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
½ c. butter, room temperature
3 Tbs. maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
3 c. powdered sugar
¼ c. toasted pecans, for topping

In a mixing bowl with whisk attachment add cheese, butter, maple syrup, and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Add powdered sugar in batches and continue whisking until smooth and creamy.

I like to individually wrap the cooled cakes in saran and freeze before frosting. I think it makes frosting a cake a lot easier. I am not too methodical when it comes to frosting but here is a step by step process for mastering layer cakes.

19 Questions with Shae Whitney, Owner of DRAM Apothecary (Plus a Giveaway)

October 6, 2014

I first met Shae about a year ago. Luke and I were en route back to Montana after a wedding weekend and stuck in the Sunday night rat race to Denver. I was eager to detour and recalled DRAM Apothecary as we passed a road sign reminder for Silver Plume. Anxious for a cocktail, we crossed our fingers in hope shop doors were open on a quite Sunday evening in a ghost like Colorado town.

Shae is the perfect combination of modern and vintage and her style is deeply reflected in her work at the Bread Bar, home of DRAM Apothecary. If not at shop, Shae is foraging for wild Colorado herbs for her craft bitters, syrups and teas.

Shae’s bitters are crafted using wild or organic botanical ingredients such as herbs, bark, roots, and/or fruit sought after for their flavor and medicinal properties. Bitters are known to help alleviate environmental and food allergies, upset stomachs, chronic IBS, skin problems, sooth and repair essential organs, and the list goes on. The simple and timeless labels for DRAM bitters include the ailments the bitters are said to cure. The Chamomile bitters are really good for allergies; and the Hair of a Dog is known to ease the ailments caused by an overindulgence of a good time. She has worked hard to bridge the gap between the earth and what we put in our bodies while maintaining a pure taste equally pleasing to tea and cocktail drinkers alike. Healthy living and tasty cocktails are equally important to Shae. It’s common for Shae to start her day with a cup of tea and end the day with a cocktail in hand, all enhanced with DRAM bitters!

Her organic handcrafted products can be found here for purchase if you are not lucky enough to win one of the five giveaways throughout the month.

This week we are giving away your choice of a syrup (Pine) or bitters (Black, Citrus Medica, Wild Mountain Sage, or Hair of the Dog). To enter the giveaway, tell us in the comments: What is your secret ingredient to healthy living? We’ll pick a winner by Monday October 13th.

1. What’s your story and your training?
I have a degree in Food Science, Ecological Agriculture and Botany from the Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA. I’m completely self-trained in the making of bitters and I come up with all of the recipes myself, the most important part of this process is the understanding of flavor and palate.

2. What is your earliest memory of foraging?
My aunt had a Wild Rose bush in her front yard when I was a child. I spent a lot of time at her home and I would gather the flowers in the summer and stuff them into a little juice bottle, cover it with water and call it perfume.

3. DRAM, how did the name and imaging derive?
A Dram is a measurement used in the ancient apothecaries system. It is an 1/8 of an ounce which is roughly how much bitters you add to a drink. All of the imaging and design was done by me and my partner, Brady Becker.

4. Why Silver Plume?
Brady and I are both natives to Colorado but had blown past the Silver Plume exit at least 100 times in our lives. One winter day we decided to pull over and we were completely enchanted by the quaint and spooky historic town. We were both really surprised that it sits so close to Denver, yet seems completely untouched by time and we just fell in love with the place.

5. What is the history behind the Bread Bar?
In the late 1800’s it housed the Sopp and Truscott Mining Supply store which was then transformed into a bakery in the 1970’s. When we bought the place it was still a functioning (barely) bakery and we decided to make it the headquarters for DRAM.

6. How can you best describe your style?
Modern with a touch of antique whimsy.

7. Where do you shop?
Shopping is not something I enjoy, that being said I do most of my shopping online. For clothing I’ll frequent vintage and secondhand stores. The only time I enjoy shopping is when I’m out of town, and then it’s more like exploring.

8. What’s playing in the Bread Bar?
Hank Williams, Lee Hazelwood, The Grateful Dead, Kurt Vile, Diane Cluck, it really depends on the day.

9. Where is your favorite place in Colorado?
I love Pine, Ouray, Central City (minus casinos), Creede.
Where is your favorite place outside of Colorado?
I’m a really big fan of the PNW and would probably move back there if my business wasn’t heavily Colorado based.

10. What is your favorite season to forage?
Summer.

11. What are your essentials for foraging?
Mineral sunscreen from Eminence, bug repellant from R.L. Linden, foraging knife, handkerchief, *good* boots, my foraging basket backpack and my mushroom ID guide.

12. What plant is the hardest to find? Identify? Or how about the rarest and most plentiful?
It depends on the season. For our concoctions that we sell we try to work with plants that can be found in great abundance almost anywhere in the Rockies like mountain sage, juniper, rose, pine, chamomile, nettles. We are both avid mushroom hunters and that can be much more challenging, spending the whole day looking for Chanterelles and coming home empty handed can really break you down!

13. Have you ever had a bad foraging experience? Allergic, Poisonous, Animals, Etc.
I’m severely allergic to the sage that we make our bitters out of, especially when the flowers are full of pollen. I have to wear long sleeves and pants, gloves and a mask. Sometimes I think I’ll be okay and I just tromp out to get some sage and it’s always a terrible rest of the day for me.
Outside of Boulder we’ve come across a few underground beehives which is rare but real! Brady is deathly allergic to bees and it’s always been scary to realize we’re standing on top of their home.

14. What is your advice to a novice forager?
Invest in a guide that’s specific to your area and read the entire thing before heading out. Don’t pick anything questionable and stay away from Wild Carrot as it’s a common lookalike of deadly Hemlock.

15. What is your favorite type of flower?
I love mountain poppies, roses and sego lilies.

16. What is your favorite DRAM product?
Black Bitters or Pine Syrup.

17. What inspires you and your cocktail combinations?
People, places, memories, songs, movies, food recipes.

18. What is your favorite DRAM cocktail and will you share the recipe?

I love the Citrine, I’m a big tequila fan and I also love spicy foods so it’s right up my alley.

The Citrine
1 1/2 oz good tequila
1 oz chokecherry juice, or tart black cherry juice (pure with no flavors or crap)
1/2 oz The Decc Citrus Clove Liqueur (made in CO)
1/4 oz grapefruit juice
pinch of cayenne pepper
few shakes Citrus Medica Bitters

19. Can you think of a fruit, spice, bitters, liqueur, (you get the picture) that seems to reappear in your cocktails? An essential ingredient for crafting cocktails, per se.
Grapefruit juice- I really appreciate the balance it offers between bitter and sour
Roses- I always have a bottle of Rose Hydrosol around, it makes the most drab things magical
Pine Syrup- the flavor profile works with any alcohol base or it can be used as a general sweetener without compromising the flavors of the dish or drink.
Black Walnut Liqueur (Nocino) lends a bit a sweetness without overpowering.
I hate St. Germain, we don’t use it in the bar. It’s synthetically flavored and colored and I think it’s complete trash.

Katie Sue Cooper