How you doin’? I received two emails today asking if I would write a couple of recipes for them since we cut down to just three per week and have so much extra time on my hands. I love you guys. I did a cooking show for about 10 years on ABC called Stump the Chef. So, if I survived that I can help you with a couple of extra recipes. Look for them in your mailbox.
 
A modified version of this recipe came up on my Gelson’s ad blog this morning. The subject was very dear to my heart because it came from the Happiest Place on Earth—Disneyland. I worked for the Disney Company in several areas, from rides and attractions design to food and restaurant development. Lots of great memories. Allow me to share one with you.
 
This month is the 57th anniversary of Disneyland’s Enchanted Tiki Room. When it first opened in Disneyland, in 1963, its claim to fame was the first-ever audio-animatronics—featuring talking birds. If you’ve been lucky enough to enjoy the show you will remember that a quartet of chatty macaws hosted a Hawaiian-themed floor show, performed by a few hundred warbling birds, flowers, and tikis. It sounds old hat now, but at the time, it was so awe-inspiring that even the show’s barker, Juan the Toucan, drew giant crowds of people, who jammed the entry to the show, mesmerized by a talking bird hawking the show’s many delights (thunderstorms!) and cajoling passersby to come inside. 
 
Enough bird stories! The Enchanted Tiki Room was sponsored by Dole, the geniuses behind the snack bar’s signature frozen treat—the one and only Dole Whip. The drink is a delectable whirl of frozen pineapple chunks, coconut milk, banana and some sugar. There’s also some lemon and lime juice in there to keep the thing from getting too sweet. The result is a thick, sorbet-like drink that’s sweet-tart and very pineapple-y. It tastes amazing with a couple jiggers of rum added… this addition was never offered in the show.
 
So, my dear friends, in honor of the 57th anniversary of The Enchanted Tiki Room, lifting of Covid restrictions, and being that its Happy Hour Friday let’s celebrate!

Freeze time: 2 hours
Prep time: 10 minutes
Yield:  2 servings
 
Ingredients
16 ounces frozen pineapple chunks, from fresh, not canned
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 frozen banana
2 tablespoons ice water
3 ounces gold rum (not part of the original Disney/Dole recipe)
Fresh pineapple, sliced and quartered, for garnish
 
Directions

1. Allow a couple of hours to freeze the fruit.
2. In a chilled blender jar, combine the frozen pineapple, coconut milk, sugar, salt, lemon juice, lime juice, banana and water and blend until completely smooth.
3. Add the golden rum, if desired, and blend until fully combined to make a Boozy Pineapple Whip.
4. Divide among 2 glasses and garnish with fresh pineapple garnish and a couple of straws.
5. Enjoy immediately, but slowly—watch out for Brain Freeze.

ChefSecret:  Make it a little fancy and fill a pastry bag with the drink mixture and pipe into the two glasses. Garnish with a tropical orchid if you have one. At one time, you could get the adult version of the Dole Whip at the very exclusive Club 33 above Pirates of the Caribbean.

Quip of the Day: “Please drink responsibly!  To me that means don’t spill any of it.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. 
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Cocktail #HappyHour #Rum #Pineapple #Disneyland #EnchantedTikiRoom #DoleWhip #SummerCocktail #Cheers #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                            ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? As spring turns to summer with hotter weather on the way, it’s now open season for backyard barbecues, lounging by the pool or just sitting outside on the porch swing to watch the sunset.
 
Of course, warmer weather calls for an updated bar menu, so here are a couple of cocktails to get you started.
 
Get into the summer Spirit! Summer breezes call for more refreshing drinks and you will want to stick to clear spirits. This doesn’t mean you can’t have brown spirits (dark rum, whiskey), but be aware of the downsides. Being out in the heat and sweating can already make you dehydrated and drinking any alcohol without enough water can lead to hangovers or worse. In case you didn’t know, darker spirits are more likely to provoke longer and more severe hangovers the next day.
 
Calorie-wise, there isn’t any significant difference between dark or clear liquors. The caloric content of any hard liquor is mainly a function of the liquor’s proof. Since 1 gram of alcohol contains 7 calories, the higher the proof, the higher the calorie content. If you’re watching calories for your diet, you’re better served by paying attention to your mixers, which usually are filled with sugar and empty calories.
 
Here are a couple of tried-and-true drinks that we’ve all heard of. These are familiar to most people, require only a few ingredients, and are quick to make. While they may not satisfy a curious professional mixologist, they can still provide a lot of refreshment for your lazy summer weekends.
 
Although this is traditionally a gin drink, there are some who prefer vodka. With vodka, this drink tastes mostly of the grapefruit juice, while the gin version has more depth and complexity (if you like gin, of course). Although not an especially common drink, it’s simple to make and is bright and refreshing for sipping outside on a hot summer day. The Salty Dog is a variation on this drink with salt on the rim.
 
Ingredients
2 ounces gin
1 tablespoon coarse salt (for glass rim)
Ice cubes
4 ounces grapefruit juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 spring of thyme (for garnish)
 
Directions

1. Wet the outside rim of a tall 10-ounce glass with either grapefruit juice or lime juice and dip it in salt before you make the drink.
2. Fill the glass 3/4 with ice; add gin, grapefruit and lime juice.
3. Stir well, garnish and serve.
4. That’s all folks! Cheers!

 
                                                     Dark and Stormy
                                                                 (It’s Hurricane Season Down South)
 
Although most of these drinks use clear spirits, this one is an exception. The Dark and Stormy is made with dark rum, but don’t let that scare you away. It’s a great drink for sitting out on the porch and listening to a summer thunderstorm roll through. This is also the easiest drink to make since no real mixing is involved.
 
Ingredients
1/2 ounce lime juice
4 to 6 ounces ginger beer
2 ounces dark rum
1 lime wheel (for garnish)
Ice cubes
 
Directions

1. Fill a tall 10-ounce glass 3/4 of the way with ice.
2. Add the ingredients in this order—lime juice, ginger beer and dark rum.
3. Garnish with a lime wedge and serve.
4. While you can stir the ingredients, part of the appeal of this drink when served is its layers. So, it’s easier to just serve it with a straw.

 
                                            Paloma
Paloma is Spanish for “dove,” and while the margarita may be the most famous tequila-based cocktail, it’s not necessarily the only one or the best. Grapefruit soda may seem an odd ingredient in a tequila cocktail, but the citrus works well with tequila and the carbonation gives it a wonderfully light bubbly effervescence.
 
Ingredients
1 tablespoon coarse salt
2 ounces Blanco tequila
4 to 6 ounces grapefruit soda (Fresca, Jarritos or Squirt are the most popular brands)
1 teaspoon lime juice
Ice cubes
1 lime wheel (for garnish)
 
Directions

1. Wet the outside rim of a tall 10-ounce glass with lime juice and dip it in salt before you make the drink.
2. Combine tequila, grapefruit soda and lime juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
3.  Shake well (be careful of the soda’s carbonation).
4. Fill the 10-ounce glass with ice; pour the cocktail over the ice.
5. Garnish with a lime wheel.

ChefSecret:  When salting a glass rim, use coarse margarita or kosher salt.

Quip of the Day: “It’s summer and time flies when you’re having a good time. Remember, there are only 27 weeks, 3 days until Christmas.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Cocktail #HappyHour #SaltyDog #Greyhound #DarkAndStormy #Paloma #Rum #Gin #Tequila #SummerCocktail #Cheers #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                            ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? When summer days become endlessly hot and muggy, those of us who enjoy an “occasional” summer cocktail often reach for lighter spirits such as gin, vodka and the ubiquitous rosé. But warmer weather doesn't mean your American whiskey needs to get relegated to the back of your bar cart. No, not ever!
 
There are countless summertime bourbon cocktails that you can mix up. American Bourbon is very versatile and the whiskey of choice for many drinkers, so it's no wonder that it makes an appearance in so many impressive recipes. From iconic drinks like an Old-Fashioned to new recipes that explore interesting flavor pairings, there are many ways to enjoy your favorite bourbons. Here’s one that’s “almost” Hawaiian. Aloha!
 
Cocktail prep time:  5 minutes
Yield:  1 cocktail
 
Ingredients
3⁄4-ounce pineapple juice
1⁄2-ounce coconut syrup
1⁄2-ounce fresh lime juice
1⁄2-ounce Green Chartreuse (yes, it is archaic, but it works)
1⁄2-ounce Linie aquavit
1⁄2-ounce American Bourbon
1⁄4-ounce Velvet Falernum
3 dashes Angostura bitters
Pineapple fronds or pineapple spear, to garnish

Directions

1. Combine pineapple juice, coconut syrup, lime juice, chartreuse, aquavit, bourbon, and velvet falernum in a hurricane glass filled with crushed ice and stir.
2. Top with bitters and garnish with pineapple fronds or a chunk of pineapple.

ChefSecret: 

• What is Velvet falernum? It is a low-proof liqueur with all of those classic Caribbean flavors. Due to its provenance (hailing from Barbados), falernum is most often paired with rum and it's a smart combination. But this intriguingly spiced, sweet-tart liqueur is quite versatile and works well with a summer bourbon cocktail.
• What is Linie Aquavit? It's caraway-infused vodka (plus some other spices and herbs, but the licorice-y caraway dominates) and is most commonly drunk as a palate cleanser between bites of ribbe--a crackling fatty pork roast--around the holidays. Expand your horizons.

Quip of the Day: “Despite what you think, insanity does not run in my family. It strolls through, taking it time getting to know everyone personally.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Cocktail #HappyHour #PinaColada #Bourbon #Chartreuse #LinieAquavit #VelvetFalernum #AngosturaBitters #SummerCocktail #Cheers #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                             ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? I’m hooked on American Bourbon. I just keep finding new ways to use it both in cooking and cocktails. My Backyard Barbecue Bourbon-Cherry Fizzy Punch offers sweet, spicy and bourbon flavors. I use a dry ancho chile which delivers assertive spiced dark cherry noteS while bringing together the sweet cherries and the bourbon to give a more 3-dimensional flavor to this wonderful cocktail punch.
 
When I’m looking for a stronger, contrasting citrus note. I use a crushed vitamin-C tablet. Don’t laugh, this is an old bartender trick. You don’t have one? Don’t fret. Just drop a cut lime quarter in each glass before serving.
 
There is some assembly required in making my Backyard Barbecue Bourbon-Cherry Fizzy Punch. It starts with pitting fresh cherries and turning them into a spicy purée. I promise it’s worth the effort. This cocktail is a perfect pitcher cocktail for your backyard summer barbecue.
 
Purée prep time:  20 minutes
Cocktail prep time:  5 minutes
Yield:  8 servings
 
Ingredients
For the cherry purée
1 dried ancho chile
1/2 cup warm water
10 ounces fresh sweet cherries (about 2 cups), stemmed and pitted
1/3 cup freshly-squeezed lime juice
1 500mg unflavored vitamin-C tablet, crushed into powder
 
For the cocktail
2 cups American bourbon
1/2 cup kirsch (cherry liqueur)
2 12-ounce bottles of black cherry soda (I prefer Dr. Brown’s)
Garnish: 8 cherries with stems (remove the pit—it can be done)
Ice
 
Directions
To make the cherry purée

1. Stem and seed the chile.
2. Soak the chile in enough cold water to cover it in a small bowl until soft… about 30 minutes.
3. Coarse-chop the chile and put it in a blender jar with the soaking water, cherries, lime juice and crushed vitamin tablet. Blend until the cherries are completely liquified about 45 seconds.
4. Strain the cherry purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Press on the purée to drain all the liquid from the purée and discard the liquid.

To make a pitcher

1. In a pitcher, stir together the cherry purée, bourbon and kirsch.
2. Refrigerate if not serving immediately.
3. When ready to serve, add the soda and evenly divide the punch among 8 tall Collins glasses filled with ice. 
4. Garnish each glass with a pitted cherry or two with the stem still on.

ChefSecret:  You can make the cherry purée the day before and store it in an airtight container. You can get a cherry pitter at Amazon for under $10 bucks. I like this one (pictured) because you can do 5 cherries at a time.

Quip of the Day: “Pain makes you stronger. Tears make you braver. A broken heart makes you wiser. And alcohol helps you to forget all that crap.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Cocktail #HappyHour #BBQ #Bourbon #Cherry #Punch #Cheers #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                               ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? One of the most fun projects Perspectives completed was the opening of Margaritaville—Las Vegas. It is an airy, island-influenced venue offering food, cocktails and entertainment. Located at the Flamingo Hotel, it also has a huge outdoor patio with views of the Strip.
 
This was to be the largest of the Margaritaville Restaurants in the collection. It is 3 floors high (27,000 square feet), has kitchens and a humongous Margaritaville bar with a tequila slide in the middle where a beautiful Margaritaville maiden slides down every hour. This had to be the only casino hotel in Las Vegas that pulled gaming apparatus out to make room for a restaurant/bar!

The restaurant was designed to do heavy customer counts. We had to make things as kitchen-easy as possible, but still have the quality of the Margaritaville lifestyle experience—the true Parrot Head fun experience. Jimmy Buffet gave us carte blanche to do something special—anything we wanted, except not to mess with his mother’s meatloaf recipe, which was very dear to him. 
 
Our Stir-Fried Spicy Thai Chicken Salad was developed by Chef Spencer Kells, Perspectives’ Executive Chef at the time, especially for Margaritaville, Las Vegas. Chef had recently moved to the United States from a posting at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on the riverfront in Bangkok. This recipe is as authentically Thai as you can get, yet it is as easy as it can be and yummy, too.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  10 minutes
Assembly time:  3 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients
1 cup lime juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons fish sauce, (I prefer Tiparos brand)
1-1/2 tablespoons Sambal Oelek, hot chili-garlic paste
2 tablespoon peanut oil
1/2 tablespoon peeled and grated ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1-1/2 pounds ground chicken meat (I prefer dark meat, if available)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion tops cut in circles
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts
1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
 
Directions

1. Before getting started measure all ingredients and have at your side.
2. In a bowl whisk together the lime juice, sugar, fish sauce and Sambal Oelek and set aside.
3. In a large sauté pan, heat the oil. 
4. Add ginger and garlic and stir fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
5. Add the ground chicken and salt, breaking the chicken up with a wooden spoon and stirring until just cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
6. Stir in the green onion tops, carrots, water chestnuts and lime mixture.
7. Place into a medium bowl and cool.
8. When cool, add the mint and cilantro leaves, stirring together to infuse flavors.
9. Cover and refrigerate.

 
To Assemble The Thai Chicken Salad Plates
 
Yield:  1 plated serving
 
Ingredients
6 each butter lettuce cups
1/2 cup green shredded cabbage
6 ounces spicy chicken mixture (see recipe above)
6 blanched green beans, 3-inches in length
6 each mint sprigs
6 each cilantro sprigs
 
Directions

1. Neatly arrange the 6 lettuce cups on the serving plate.
2. Divide the cabbage between the 6 lettuces cups, placing at the bottom.
3. Top with 1 ounce of chicken mixture evenly over the cabbage.
4. Place a green bean standing up between each cup (see photo image above).
5. Garnish each lettuce cup with a sprig of mint and cilantro.
6. Serve immediately.

ChefSecret: I prefer to use ground dark chicken meat as it is moist and more flavorful even after refrigeration. With today’s chickens you can hardly tell the difference in the look between dark and white chicken meat. You can make the ground chicken mixture a day or two in advance.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “60 maybe the new 40, but 9 pm is the new midnight or is that only on Pacific Standard Time?”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to send a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #Salads #EntreeSalads #ThaiChickenSalad #Stir-Fried #Margaritavilla #FlamingoHotel #LasVegas #JimmyBuffet #OrientalBangkokHotel #Chicken #ChickenThighs #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                              ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021