…from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar How you doin’? I just got back from a mini National Parks excursion to a very toasty Las Vegas. I was in the mood for a really cold, refreshing cocktail. And here it was… simple and satisfying.
A Naked Martini (also known as a Direct or Duke’s Martini) is a bracingly cold, bone‑dry cocktail made with a 30:1 ratio gin-to‑vermouth. This is far drier than the standard 5:1 ordinary martini. The “naked” name refers to the minimal vermouth, not the absence of garnish, which is usually an olive or lemon twist. Prep time: 5 minutes Chill time: 2 hours Yield: 1 cocktail The secret to making a perfect Naked Martini is to pre‑chill everything. Hold that thought—FREEZE everything.
ChefSecret: The 30:1 ratio means gin dominates, making it much stronger than a classic dry martini. The frozen glass and gin reduce perceived alcohol strength through temperature effects on ethanol/water clusters. No ice dilution keeps the drink sharp and concentrated. Best for those who want maximum gin strength and maximum chill without dilution. In short, a Naked/Direct Martini is a high in gin, ultra-cold, minimal‑vermouth martini—a bold, refreshing, ultra strong and invigorating take on the classic. ------------------------------------------ Side Note: Giuseppe Cipriani at Harry’s Bar in Venice described using a freezer for martinis in the 1970s. At my Palm Grill In Burlingame, California, I had a bar top freezer where I held all of our frozen, frosty bottles. ------------------------------------------ Quip of the Day: A guy offers a girl a martini, but the girl says alcohol is bad for her legs, The guy ask "Do they swell?" The girl replies "No they spread!" ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food. We also have 1,000 archived Covid Era recipes that you can easily access using this link https://www.perspectives-la.com/Covid-19-Survival-Guide. Use the search box above our pictures to find what you’re looking for. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well and be kind. No matter which side of the aisle you reside, please say a prayer for the U.S. men and women in uniform who protect this nation every day. And if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, World Central Kitchen, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission, Samaritan’s Purse and/or American Red Cross. #Cocktail #HappyHour2026 #NakedMartini #Martini #Gin #Hendricks #Vermouth #Olive #Freeze #Chill #Cheers2026 #Cheers #Recipes2026 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2026
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…from the Perspectives’ Test Kitchen How you doin’? Having people over for a summer brunch and looking for an easy recipe that’ll feed a crowd? Don’t monkey around.
My Orange-Chocolate Pull-Apart Loaf is the answer. There are a number of varieties that span from sweet to savory, with some somewhere in between, which means you can serve one for breakfast, as a crowd-pleasing appetizer, as a centerpiece dessert, or as an anytime snack. Pull-apart breads are just balls or pieces of dough placed strategically either in a pan or into a shape then baked. Once cooled, you can pull off pieces, and that makes it excellent for sharing. You won't believe my Orange-Chocolate Pull-Apart Loaf only takes only 7 ingredients! It’s orangey sweet with orange curd and chocolatey delicious with chocolate fudge and chocolate chips. It's easy to see why this flavor combination (orange / chocolate) is a classic. Prep time: 20 minutes Bake time: 50 minutes Cool time: 10 minutes Yield: 8 servings Ingredients 1 (16.3 ounce.) can refrigerated biscuits (I prefer Pillsbury Grands! Flaky Layers) 1/2 cup warm hot fudge 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I prefer Guittard) 1/2 cup jarred orange curd (you can also use orange marmalade) 2 tablespoons grated orange zest 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar 1 tablespoon whole milk Directions
ChefSecret: Pull-apart breads, aka Monkey Bread, usually leans sweet, though they can be sweet or savory. You can stuff them with cheese or dip, glaze them with icing, or even flavor them like your favorite breakfast. Once you’ve made a few, feel free to get creative with them. You can also use a bundt pan if you prefer a round, and you can drizzle with chocolate if that makes you happy! ------------------------------------------- Quip of the Day: Q. What does a loaf of bread say to a friend after doing them a favor? A: It's the yeast I could do. ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food. We also have 1,000 archived Covid Era recipes that you can easily access using this link https://www.perspectives-la.com/Covid-19-Survival-Guide. Use the search box above our pictures to find what you’re looking for. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well and be kind. No matter which side of the aisle you reside, please say a prayer for the U.S. men and women in uniform who protect this nation every day. And if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, World Central Kitchen, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission, Samaritan’s Purse and/or American Red Cross. #Baking #Orange-Chocolate-Pull-Apart-Bread #OrangeCurd #ChocolateChips #MonkeyBread #Guittard #Recipes2026 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #WorldCentralKitchen #ThreeSquare #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2026 …from the Perspectives’ Test Kitchen How you doin’? Despite the name my Big Old Summer Salad is a take on an Italian-American specialty. It is part green salad and part antipasto salad. It typically combines crunchy lettuce mix (romaine, iceberg, and radicchio), sliced cherry tomatoes, red onion, olives, shaved Parmesan cheese, and pickled peppers like pepperoncini. I like to add a measure of salami and pepperoni.
My dressing is a typical red wine vinaigrette with garlic and dried oregano, plus a little mayonnaise to mellow it out. You can skip the mayonnaise, if you'd prefer, and toss the salad in a more traditional red wine vinaigrette. Prep time: 30 minutes Yield: 4 to 6 servings Ingredients 1 garlic clove, smashed 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (optional) 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 large torn romaine heart leaves 1 small head of radicchio, halved, cored and coarsely chopped 1/4 head of iceberg lettuce, coarsely chopped 1 thinly sliced tender celery rib 1/2 small thinly sliced red onion (optional) 15 sliced cherry tomatoes 15 pitted green olives, cut in half 8 pepperoncini (whole or chopped) 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved (1 cup) 3 ounces chopped dry salami 2 ounces chopped pepperoni Directions
ChefSecret: You can dress it up even more and include half cup croutons, canned chickpeas, or cubes of soft white cheese. Also consider artichoke hearts, cucumbers, fresh basil and arugula. ------------------------------------------- Quip of the Day: How do you make a honeymoon salad? Lettuce alone, without any dressing! ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food. We also have 1,000 archived Covid Era recipes that you can easily access using this link https://www.perspectives-la.com/Covid-19-Survival-Guide. Use the search box above our pictures to find what you’re looking for. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well and be kind. No matter which side of the aisle you reside, please say a prayer for the U.S. men and women in uniform who protect this nation every day. And if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, World Central Kitchen, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission, Samaritan’s Purse and/or American Red Cross. #Salad #Entrees #EntreeSalad #BigOldSummerSalad #AntipastoSummerSalad #Salami #Pepperoni #Mangia #Recipes2026 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #ThreeSquare #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2026 …from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar When I first started traveling to Hawaii, Dole Pineapple was one of the largest businesses on the islands. I started each morning with sliced wedges of fresh, ripe pineapple and when I was old enough, I finished my day with a chilled Hawaiian Pineapple Daiquiri. More on Daiquiris later in this blog.
Where did it all start? Pineapples were a protected product of France in Tahiti. In fact, exporting pineapple in the 1800’s was punishable by death. Somehow, someone smuggled pineapple cuttings in the hold of a ship to Hawaii. No one was ever held accountable. The Dole Pineapple farm in Hawaii traces its roots to the late 19th century, when pineapple cultivation in the islands was still in its very early stages. Pineapples were first recorded in Hawaii in the early 1800s. The tropical climate and volcanic soil proved ideal, but production remained small until visionary entrepreneurs saw the fruit’s global market potential. In 1899, James Drummond Dole, a 22-year-old Harvard-educated agriculturalist, arrived in Honolulu. He purchased a 64-acre government homestead in Wahiawa, O‘ahu, and began experimenting with crops before settling on pineapple. By 1901, he had established the Hawaiian Pineapple Company with groves of smooth pineapples originally derived from the Tahiti specie. Dole’s unique innovation was in canning pineapple, allowing it to be sold worldwide. He built canneries in Wahiawa and near Honolulu Harbor and launched one of the first nationwide consumer advertising campaigns for canned pineapple. Dole’s methods and scale transformed Hawaii into the pineapple capital of the world. In the 1930s, he partnered with Castle & Cooke. His operations expanded dramatically, including the purchase of the island of Lanai in 1922 to create the largest pineapple plantation in the world. Our former client, Larry Ellison, now owns the majority of Lanai for upscale tourism and agriculture—so beautiful. But I digress… The farm’s legacy continued through the decades. In 1950, the site began as a roadside fruit stand, and in 1989 it opened as Dole Plantation, now a major Oahu attraction offering tours, the Pineapple Express train and the plantation garden. Today, Dole’s Wahiawa farm remains one of the largest pineapple producers in the world, with over 3,000 acres of fields, drip irrigation, and a commitment to sustainable farming. From a small agricultural experiment to a global brand, the Dole Pineapple farm in Hawaii became a cornerstone of the island’s economy and a symbol of its agricultural innovation. Today there are many uses for pineapple, from a beautiful plate of fresh fruit to a Hawaiian Pineapple Daiquiri to baking goods (Pineapple Upside Down Cake) and lots more. Here’s my take on the best Hawaiian Pineapple Daiquiri. Prep time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 cocktail Ingredients fresh pineapple wedge, for garnish 1 ounce pineapple rum 1 ounce 6-10 year aged rum (I prefer Añejo style rum) 1 ounce pineapple juice 1⁄2 ounce freshly lime squeezed juice 1/2 ounce Giffard Caribbean Pineapple liqueur 1⁄3 ounce rich simple syrup (2 parts sugar to 1 part water) 4 drops bitters Directions
ChefSecret: Giffard Caribbean Pineapple Liqueur is a tropical delight that encapsulates the essence of the Caribbean's sun-kissed pineapples. This luscious liqueur pays homage to the origins of pineapples in the Hawaiian Islands, where they were considered a rare and exotic treasure. Giffard has masterfully crafted this liqueur by infusing fresh pineapples ripened under the warm Caribbean sun, complemented by a candied pineapple infusion. To elevate the experience, a touch of 7-year-old Caribbean rum and a hint of exotic spices are added to create a truly indulgent and complex liqueur. ------------------------------------------ Quip of the Day: “I just can’t get over how beautiful this place is,” the tourist says excitedly, “I feel great! I haven’t felt this young and healthy in years! Island life is fantastic!” The native local says, “I know what you mean! Take me for instance. When I came here, I was totally bald, didn’t have any teeth and I couldn’t even walk…and look at me now!” The tourist looks at him and says, “Wow, that’s amazing! How long have you been here?” The native local says, “Oh, I was born here.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food. We also have 1,000 archived Covid Era recipes that you can easily access using this link https://www.perspectives-la.com/Covid-19-Survival-Guide. Use the search box above our pictures to find what you’re looking for. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well and be kind. No matter which side of the aisle you reside, please say a prayer for the U.S. men and women in uniform who protect this nation every day. And if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission, Samaritan’s Purse and/or American Red Cross. #Cocktail #HappyHour2026 #PineappleDaiquiri #Daiquiri #Pineapple #Rum #PineappleJuice #PineappleLiqueur #LimeJuice #Lanai #Oahu #Dole #Cheers2026 #Cheers #Recipes2026 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2026 …from the Perspectives’ Test Kitchen  How you doin’? If you read this blog on a regular basis, you know my love of pies—both savory and sweet. When I’m invited to a food event, I will often make a pie (or more) to contribute to the meal. There is no dessert more American than pie—apple for Thanksgiving, cherry for summer. What’s not to love? And the best part is, the most impressive pies are usually the easiest to make.
But now there is an easier way than balancing a bunch of pies. Whether you’re hosting a crowd or bringing dessert, big sheet-pan slab pies are painless to prepare, convenient to carry and serve, and festive enough for all your summertime celebrations. A slab pie is made in a sheet pan, mostly open-faced, extra-large and rectangular. A slab pie feeds a crowd, takes a fraction of the time to make and is extremely transportable—all of which might account for its current popularity. What really sets a slab pie apart from the standard, round model? A slab pie is meant to be shared family-style, with slices cut in squares or rectangles, straight from the sheet pan—which doubles, as its own carrying tray. It’s the ideal dessert for summer picnics and holidays most often celebrated casually. Best of all, a slab pie is easily doubled from a quarter sheet pan to a half sheet pan. For a round pie, you need to roll the dough into two fairly perfect circles. The top crust is tricky, as the dough needs to blanket the filling without tears, and the edges must be crimped to prevent leakage. With a slab pie, you roll one large rectangle of dough that will be largely invisible, and simply fit it into the pan. Most slab pies are open-faced, like a tart. If you want a bit of flaky top crust without the pressure of a perfect roll, punch out your favorite shapes from pie crust dough with cookie cutters… super easy. Simply arrange your stars, hearts or polka dots on top of your fruit filling. A slightly more confident pie baker might consider weaving a loose lattice crust with ribbons of dough. Slab pies do not require fussy decorations. A slab pie is not something meant to be labored over; it’s not meant to be perfect at all. It’s meant to be loved and enjoyed. Here is one of my favorite pies that requires very little skill, but a little bit of time. Prep time: 40 minutes Chill time: 3 hours (or up to 3 days) Bake time: 1 hour 30 minutes+ Cool time: 3 hours (up to 6 hours before serving) Yield: 10-12 moderate servings Ingredients For the crust 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 2-1/2 sticks (10 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces 5-8 tablespoons ice water 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract For the filling 1 cup granulated sugar 3 tablespoons instant tapioca 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 2-1/4 pounds fresh sour cherries, rinsed and pitted (about 4½ cups) 1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract To assemble 1/4 cup heavy cream, for brushing Demerara or raw sugar, for sprinkling Directions
Quip of the Day: A man sat down in a restaurant and the waiter came over to the table. The man says, "I'd like tomato juice, scrambled eggs with spinach and some cherry pie." "But you haven't looked at the menu yet," said the waiter. "No, but I looked at the stains on tablecloth," replies the man. ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food. We also have 1,000 archived Covid Era recipes that you can easily access using this link https://www.perspectives-la.com/Covid-19-Survival-Guide. Use the search box above our pictures to find what you’re looking for. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well and be kind. No matter which side of the aisle you reside, please say a prayer for the U.S. men and women in uniform who protect this nation every day. And if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission, Samaritan’s Purse and/or American Red Cross. And if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission, Samaritan’s Purse and/or American Red Cross. #Dessert #Baking #CherryPie #SlabCherryPie #SlabPie #PieCrust #SummerFruit #SummerCherries #Recipes2026 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #ThreeSquare #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2026 …from the Perspectives’ Test Kitchen How you doin’? One of our restaurant clients (Wildwood in Orlando, Florida) was all about rotisserie chicken. In fact, over 65% of sales came directly from the rotisserie. That’s because the best chicken off-the-spit is used within 45 minutes of reaching temperature. That’s when the skin is the crispiest and the meat is the juiciest. The rest of the chicken is used for chicken salad, chicken soup and chicken sandwiches.
I love the taste of fresh-off-the-rotisserie chicken. I’m pretty sure you do as well, but we all don’t have the luxury of owning professional rotisserie equipment. That’s why we have restaurants and supermarket delis. And that's why we find alternative ways to achieve the flavors and textures we're seeking in non-traditional ways. Over the years, I have experimented with almost every spice known to man, but none compares to my secret ingredient creation. My special chicken secret ingredient is Everything Bagel spice. Despite being made with just a handful of ingredients, it will knock your socks off. The next door neighbor to Wildwood was a New York style bagel bakery. They had all kinds of shake-ons and inclusions that you could dream of. A lot of the toppings wound up in the catch tray below. That’s when we borrowed a couple of cups of seasoning and added it to the marinated chicken. My big idea was to take a couple of handfuls of free spices—poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried garlic flakes, dried onion flakes, and kosher salt—that all complement roast chicken. The great thing about this dish (aside from its rich, savory flavor) is that it is so simple and practically guaranteed to turn out perfect chicken that tastes just like Wildwood wood-fired rotisserie chicken. You can make it with any cut of chicken—thighs, breasts, whole and quarters—and after it's roasted, the chicken leaves an excellent gravy that pairs perfectly with roasted potatoes, broccoli, green beans, corn or nearly any other side. I'm confident Faux Rotisserie Chicken will become a family favorite in your home. I suggest using chicken leg quarters because they are usually the least expensive at the grocery store and dark meat packs a wallop on flavor—guaranteed to taste just like chicken right off the rotisserie. Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 1 hour Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 4 whole chicken leg quarters 1/4 cup olive oil, divided 1/3 cup everything bagel seasoning (I prefer Trader Joe's) 1/2 (12 fluid ounce) bottle lager beer 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (I prefer Wright’s hickory) 8 whole loosely crushed cloves garlic 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (I prefer Kikkoman) 4 tablespoons cubed salted butter Directions
ChefSecret: This recipe calls for half a bottle of beer. Do I really need to tell you what to do with the other half? Drink it! ------------------------------------------- Quip of the Day: Q. What do you call a scary chicken? A. A poultry-geist. ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food. We also have 1,000 archived Covid Era recipes that you can easily access using this link https://www.perspectives-la.com/Covid-19-Survival-Guide. Use the search box above our pictures to find what you’re looking for. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well and be kind. No matter what side of the aisle you reside, please say a prayer for the U.S. men and women in uniform who protect this nation every day. And if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission, Samaritan’s Purse and/or American Red Cross. #Entree #RotisserieChicken #Chicken #Poultry #Rotisserie #Garlic #EverythingBagelSeasoning #WinnerWinnerChickenDinner #Recipes2026 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #ThreeSquare #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2026 …from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar How you doin’? There are so many cures out there. I don’t know about you, but I stay away from supplements and pills. About the most I will do is get a flu shot once a year. When I go into my CVS pharmacy, they are always trying to sell me on one of 15 different vaccines. So, I do my best to stay on the healthy side.
Recently when traveling I was exposed to Influenza A. Before I knew it, I was being checked into ICU Henderson West hospital. I didn’t get a chance to turn to my secret lemon and ginger elixir. I honestly believe this drink cures whatever ails me. Those flavors/ingredients work for more than sick days. I like combining them with vodka (most everything goes with vodka) to transform it into a soothing cocktail that’s my ideal all weather cure. The Cure Cocktail’s secret is the ginger simple syrup, which simply involves infusing sugar and water with pieces of ginger until well blended—it’s the real star. The clean flavor of vodka lets the spiciness of the ginger simple syrup and the tartness of the lemon shine through. And a dash of Angostura bitters adds a little depth to round the cocktail out. Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 cocktail Ingredients For the simple ginger syrup (makes about 2/3 cup) 1 2-inch piece of ginger (at least 1-inch wide) 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup water For the cocktail 1 long, broad strip lemon peel, for garnish 2 ounces vodka 3/4 ounce ginger simple syrup 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 dashes Angostura bitters Directions To make simple ginger syrup
ChefSecret: The ginger syrup works well with gin and whisky as well as vodka. ------------------------------------------ Quip of the Day: What’s a cocktail’s favorite workout? Shake and stir! ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food. We also have 1,000 archived Covid Era recipes that you can easily access using this link https://www.perspectives-la.com/Covid-19-Survival-Guide. Use the search box above our pictures to find what you’re looking for. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well and be kind. No matter which side of the aisle you reside, please say a prayer for the U.S. men and women in uniform who protect this nation every day. And if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission, Samaritan’s Purse and/or American Red Cross. #Cocktail #HappyHour2026 #Vodka #AngusturaBitters #TheCureCocktail #Ginger #Lemon #Cheers2026 #Cheers #Recipes2026 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2026 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen  How you doin’? We are coming up to July 4th weekend. Not just any Fourth of July, but the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been watching Netflix histories of American presidents—George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson to name just three. If you are a history buff like me, I think you will enjoy watching these tele-biographies. I’ve always been proud to be an American… but it’s a particularly special time to celebrate our country. There are lots of special events happening… last evening six of the Thunderbirds flew over the Las Vegas Strip. I’ve been searching our recipe library for an all-American recipe for different regions of our great country. My American Whisky Pecan Pie uses Kentucky whisky and toasted pecans from Georgia. I love the earthy flavor of toasted pecans. When we moved to our new test kitchens, I discovered about 15 pounds of pecans… wholes, halves and pieces in the freezer. Not wanting to waste them I started testing all kinds of interesting pecan recipes. Here is one you’ll love—and it’s still as easy as pie—pecan pie-- American Whisky Pecan Pie even without the Instant Pot. Prep time: 20 minutes Bake time: 40 to 45 minutes Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie / 6 servings Ingredients For the crust Butter or cooking release spray for the pan 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar 1/2 cup chopped pecan pieces 2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt For the pecan filling 3 large beaten eggs 2/3 cup light corn syrup (I prefer Karo syrup) 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar 2 tablespoons molasses 3 tablespoons American whisky 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup chopped pecan pieces 25 pecan halves for topping Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving Directions To make the pie crust
To make the pie filling
ChefSecret: Make it chocolate… add 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the filling mix before pouring it into the crust. ------------------------------------------- Quip of the Day: What did the pecan pie say to the cake? You’re sweet, and I’m going nutty over you! ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food. We also have 1,000 archived Covid Era recipes that you can easily access using this link https://www.perspectives-la.com/Covid-19-Survival-Guide. Use the search box above our pictures to find what you’re looking for. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well and be kind. No matter which side of the aisle you reside, please say a prayer for the U.S. men and women in uniform who protect this nation every day. And if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission, Samaritan’s Purse and/or American Red Cross. #Dessert #Baking #PecanPie #AmericanWhisky #WhiskyPecanPie #Pecans #Recipes2026 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #ThreeSquare #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2026 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen  How you doin’? Sometimes nostalgia takes over my food thoughts, and I have dreams of the good old days. It’s kind of funny… I am in the test kitchen working on Research & Development projects, I write about food and I design menus… then I go home and dream about food. Some of my best dreams are 5,000 calorie fantasies. I had one such dream last night about Knotts Berry Farm in Anaheim, California.
KBF was a client of ours before the family sold the enterprise. The one thing that everyone always talks about is their chicken dinners usually served with mashed potatoes, gravy, fresh-baked biscuits, Boysenberry butter, corn and the crispiest fried chicken you’ve ever had. Old Mrs. Knott knew her way around a fried chicken. Mrs. Knott wasn’t a trained cook; she was a farmer’s wife. She knew how to cook for her husband, Walter, and the men who tended the fields. The meals were simple and satisfying and provided the farm hands enough calories to go back out to the fields and do the hard, manual labor that comes with farming. You Mid-Westerners know… just because the farms were located in California didn’t make the work any easier. Any way you look at it, farming is back-breaking work. Mrs. Knott always tried to add a treat at the end of the meal and that was usually pie--PIE! As time went on, that was usually a large slab of boysenberry pie. Why Boysenberry? That’s simple. The boysenberry was developed a hundred years ago in the early 1920s by horticulturist Rudolph Boysen of Anaheim, California, just down the road a piece from Knott’s farm. Some berry varieties were difficult to grow in Southern California… strawberries being the exception. Rudy work on his “invention” for several years’ growing seasons and finally he came up with a berry variety that was successful. He was so excited he put his name on it. The Boysenberry (Rubus ursinus var loganobaccus cv Boysenberry) is a Rubus hybrid berry believed to have resulted from a cross between Loganberries, Raspberries and Blackberries. The plants seemed to thrive in the acid soil and hot Orange County climate. He took his new hybrid berries to Cordelia Knott who had never seen a more beautiful berry, and she baked up a mess of Boysenberry pies. The field hands loved them. Walter and Cordelia already had a roadside store next to the farms selling produce and such. Mr. Boysen turned over the rights to farmer Walter for commercial development. Cordelia started selling Boysenberry Pies, Jams and other good things made from the Boysenberry along with chicken dinners. And now you know the rest of the story, but I’m not quite finished yet. The secret to traditional farm foods is to keep it simple and serve it hot. The Knott’s fried chicken recipe is as simple as it is crisp and delicious. This recipe requires only 3 ingredients—chicken, flour and oil for frying. Seasonings—salt and pepper—are table condiments. This is a no fuss recipe. Knotts Berry Farm Fried Chicken Prep time: 50 minutes (45 minutes soak time) Fry time: 45 minutes Cool time: 15 minutes Yield: 6 servings Ingredients 2 pounds frying chicken cut in eighths (use the breasts with the bones in) 2 cups unbleached flour 1 quart oil (or enough to cover the chicken) Directions
Mrs. Knott's Boysenberry Pie A Knott’s chicken dinner is not a Knott’s Berry Farm dinner unless you finish with a large slice of Boysenberry Pie. This farm-to-table recipe is as simple as the chicken recipe above. If you don’t have the time, use a store-bought crust. Prep time: 40 minutes Bake time: 40 minutes Cool time: 40 minutes Yield: 1 9-inch pie / 6 servings Ingredients 7-1/2 ounces water 6-1/2 ounces sugar 1 dash kosher salt 1 tablespoon corn syrup 1 teaspoon lemon juice 3 tablespoons cornstarch 2 ounces water 1 bag (16 ounces) frozen boysenberries (do not thaw) Prepared 2-crust pie shell Directions
ChefSecret: Just keep these recipes as simple as possible. ------------------------------------------- Quip of the Day: Q. What do you get when you cross a pie and a snake? A. A pie-thon! ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food. We also have 1,000 archived Covid Era recipes that you can easily access using this link https://www.perspectives-la.com/Covid-19-Survival-Guide. Use the search box above our pictures to find what you’re looking for. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well and be kind. No matter which side of the aisle you reside, please say a prayer for the U.S. men and women in uniform who protect this nation every day. And if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission, Samaritan’s Purse and/or American Red Cross. #Entree #FriedChicken #BoysenberryPie #KnottsBerryFarm #Boysenberries #WinnerWinnerChickenDinner #Recipes2026 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #ThreeSquare #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2026 …from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar How you doin’? I really enjoy getting mail from subscribers… sometimes it’s compliments, sometimes it's complaints and sometimes it’s a surprise recipe. This summertime cocktail recipe is from a former colleague who worked with Perspectives on an exciting project based in Hawaii. Unfortunately, Mary, Joan or did not have the opportunity to travel to the beautiful island of Lanai during the project but it was fun for all of us to work together anyway.
We all have recipes that bring back happy memories, and this recipe celebrates Mary’s birthday—that’s why it was named The MKW Birthday Cocktail. I love her option for choice of spirits, choosing your favorite for the occasion… but only one. Ingredients 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice 2 ounces of the spirit of your choice—vodka, gin, tequila or bourbon 3 ounces Fever Tree Blood Orange Ginger Beer (Mary’s favorite) Garnish with 1 piece candied ginger Garnish with 1 slice of blood orange Directions
ChefSecret: Fever Tree Blood Orange Ginger Beer has the fiery, full-bodied taste of Premium Ginger Beer, balanced with the subtle citrus flavor of Italian Blood Oranges. Not too sweet on the palate and specifically made to be mixed, but equally delicious on its own. ------------------------------------------ Quip of the Day: I just read an article about the dangers of drinking that scared the crap out of me. That’s it. No more reading! ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food. We also have 1,000 archived Covid Era recipes that you can easily access using this link https://www.perspectives-la.com/Covid-19-Survival-Guide. Use the search box above our pictures to find what you’re looking for. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well and be kind. No matter which side of the aisle you reside, please say a prayer for the U.S. men and women in uniform who protect this nation every day. And if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission, Samaritan’s Purse and/or American Red Cross. #Cocktail #HappyHour2026 #Vodka #Gin #Tequila #Bourbon #BloodOrangGingerBeer #CandiedGinger #FeverTreeGingerBeer #Cheers2026 #Cheers #Recipes2026 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2026 |
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Copyright © 2021 Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC | Henderson, NV 89052 | 310-477-8877
Copyright © 2021 Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC | Henderson, NV 89052 | 310-477-8877