Spring has been warming us up to Sunday picnics, evening dinner parties, and most nostalgic of them all, summery sips of infused drinks and mixed cocktails.  A glimpse of the botanical abundance found in everyday cocktails was first introduced to us in a book, The Drunken Botanist, by Amy Stewart. Why not add more of an aromatic flavor experience to our cocktails this summer! If you’d like to craft a more complex taste then handcrafted bitters is a simple way to make familiar drinks seem new again! Bitters are concentrated liquor flavorings that are mixed into drinks to give a deeper and more complex flavor. Back in the day, they were used a medicinal tonics to help with indigestion but slowly have become a essential ingredient for mixologists and their tasty cocktails. The bitter taste can be derived a few different ways. Most commonly it comes from citrus peels or bitter roots and bark. The bitter taste is then extracted using alcohol that is at least 100 proof. The higher the proof, the more easily flavors …

Homemade broth reminds us of home, the familiar smell of stock on the stove brings back memories of mothers, grandmothers, leftovers, and of course, hot soup. Broth is one of those essential items to have in your kitchen. Not only delicious and comforting, it also is packed with health benefits. There’s a reason why grandmothers all around the world considered it a staple. It’s full of nutrients, comforting flavor, and it’s easy to make at home. What is it exactly? It is essentially boiled down bones with some vegetables and spices for enhanced flavor. The classic vegetables added to stock are called a mirepoix, which includes carrots, celery and onions. Traditional spices include peppercorns, parsley, and thyme. Adding additional flavoring agents such as garlic enhance the flavor further but aren’t necessary. You can use chicken bones, beef bones, duck bones or even fish bones. It’s best to use grass fed, organic animals because you will be boiling down the core of the animal and extracting all of those minerals and nutrients. When the bones are cooked, the structures breakdown …

Spring is in the air, stew season is finally over and fresh salads are ready to take center stage. As you all know, a salad is only as good as its dressing and your dressing is only as good as your ingredients. I have often stocked my kitchen with various cold pressed oils and bowls of fresh lemons but it wasn’t until my visit to Esalen that I starting incorporating miso paste. What is this delightfully tasty concoction? It’s a mixture of fermented soybeans, salt and koji. Miso outranks many other flavorful ingredients in nutrition as it is high in protein, vitamins and minerals. It is a secret ingredient used to add depth and balance to your meals. The video, at the beginning of this article, is of Esalen Institute’s Chef. Phillip Burrus teaching us how to create a simple, but umami inspired vinagrette in the garden. We hope you enjoy!   Recipe: 6 tablespoons of almond oil or olive oil 2 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon 1 teaspoon of miso (maybe a dash more if the miso is mild) …

The Wild Skillet team had the amazing opportunity to visit with one of our favorite chefs, Phillip Burrus, executive chef at Esalen Institute located in Big Sur, CA. The food at Esalen is world-renowned. People come from all over to enjoy the flavors of fresh-picked ingredients aligned with a synergy of ancient & modern cooking techniques. In Esalen’s gorgeous garden, between the rows of leafy green crops and perennial flowers, Chef Phillip taught us one of his favorite techniques, lemon preservation. A Moroccan delicacy, mellow but bold in flavor with a heightened essence of vibrant lemon zest. Preserved lemons are an affordable and a practical method of enjoying lemons long after they have been harvested. There’s something very instinctual about food preservation, as it has permeated almost every culture and helped humans survive extreme climates. Although preserved lemons are usually associated with Mediterranean cooking, after a little digging, we’ve found out that they’ve been used in recipes all around the world from the Greeks to Russians, and even in early 19th Century English cookbooks! When …

It’s positively bone chilling out there! While your first instinct might be to go for a cup of fatty-rich hot cocoa or caffeine-riddled coffee, why not give this option a try? It’s dairy free, aromatic, and LOADED with immune system boosters. It contains ginger, a spicy holiday flavor that has anti-inflammatory and digestion aiding properties. Plus, this tonic has a heavy hit of marigold-colored turmeric which has been shown to help arthritis, upset stomach, and even fight some types of cancer. Add some sweet honey and rich coconut milk, and you will be hoping that winter lasts all year long.  Wild Winter Tonic Ingredients 1/2 teaspoon Tumeric 2 1/4 – inch peeled slice of Ginger Tea leaves (any preference: we used an herbal blend of floral tea) 1 teaspoon Honey Coconut Milk (added to taste) 1 1/2 cup hot water Add the above ingredients into a mug and stir until all the ingredients have been infused into your mixture. The sliced ginger can be removed before drinking or finely grated to taste. Our winter tonic is a great way to …