Ingredients

2 teaspoons sugar
2 ⅓ cups of flour
⅓ teaspoon of baking soda
½ tablespoon of baking powder
¼ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1-inch cubes
¾ cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons Ginger & Lemon Thyme Pesto*
Ginger Lemon Thyme Pesto Icing*

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl combine strawberries and 2 teaspoons sugar, mix well and let berries macerate in sugar for 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl. Add the salt and sugar and combine. Scatter butter cubes into the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl. Using your hands or a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture just until butter pieces are the size of peas. Pour in the buttermilk and lemon zest and mix just until the dough just comes together. Add 2 tablespoons Ginger & Lemon Thyme Pesto and mix into dough. Flour a clean surface and place the dough onto it, shaping it into a long rectangle (about 5 inches wide and 1 ½ inches thick).

Cut the dough into 6 even sized triangles and transfer them to your baking sheet. Bake the scones for 25 to 35 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned.

*Ginger Lemon Thyme Pesto- mix ¾  cup turbinado simple syrup with ½ cup fresh lemon thyme leaves ,¼ cup mint leaves, 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger and 2 tablespoons lemon zest and blend until as smooth pesto is made.

*Ginger Lemon Thyme Pesto Icing- mix ¼ -½ cup of powdered sugar with ½ cup of pesto and mix until smooth and creamy.  Drizzle over the scones.

Pesto, simply translated means pounded. It is one of the Lingurian regions most prized ingredients and traditionally hand pounded. Today many use food processors or blenders but you can still find devoted traditionalists who hand pound it proving that the taste is still superior with this method due to the increase of released essential oils from not only the basil but the garlic and pine nuts as well. The oils are more readily released when pounded versus cut or chopped. Traditionally a large wooden pestle is used and a marble or granite mortar for the pounding process. (They say the granite on many of the mortars still around is the same granite that Michael Angelo used to carve and sculpt with)

Ingredients

Coarse salt
Garlic (they say the garlic in this region is sweeter as well due to the ocean air influence)
Genovese basil leaves-small deep green and sweet leaves, not too pungent and always young
Pine nuts-from the Lingurian region as well, they claim the taste is sweeter and nuttier and also has a higher oil content than pine nuts in the east or south
Extra virgin olive oil-of course with the local region’s olives which have a milder sweeter flavor than other Italian olive oil
Pecorino, grated finely and sliced
Parmesan Reggiano, grated finely

Baguette

Directions

There are several different paths to get to the final product. We have read about and seen many different ways but the way in which we say most was the following method and order.

The pesto is pounded slowly, first by combining the garlic with the coarse salt until a paste if formed adding a little bit of salt at a time. Next the leaves of the basil are added which are small on the Genovese plant and thus a few at a time are incorporated little by little pounding and mashing until the paste begins to turn green and the basil is broken apart. Pine nuts are added next again crushing and pounding until they are smashed into a paste and all oils are released. The pounding process is slow and methodical and each step has a finished product before moving on to the next step. The extra virgin olive oil is added next and once the cheeses are added no more pounding can be done so when the olive oil stage comes the desired consistency of the paste must be completed before adding cheese. Add the cheese and stir with the pestle.

Slice the baguette and toast in the oven. Spread pesto on toasts and top with sliced pecorino.

Ingredients

For the Cilantro Pumpkin Seed Jalapeno Pesto

1½ cups fresh cilantro leaves
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon lime zest
Juice of 2 limes
3 roasted jalapeños, deseeded, peeled and chopped
½ cup pumpkin seeds
1½ teaspoons salt
¼-½ cup olive oil

For the Pickled Onions

1½ cups water (boiling)
1½ cups citrus champagne vinegar (can substitute regular vinegar)
1 tablespoon salt
¼ cup tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 2 limes
4 medium red onions, sliced thin and blanched
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves

Baguette
Aged Cheddar

Directions

Place all ingredients, except the oil, in food processor and pulse until chopped pretty fine. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the top until the pesto reaches desired consistency. Add more for a “looser” pesto and less for a “chunkier” version. Season to taste with a little more salt if needed.

Shake together all ingredients except the red onions, lime juice and cilantro leaves until the sugar and salt dissolve and are incorporated fully. Add the onions and the lime juice and stir well, making sure that the onions are fully submerged in the liquid. Cover tightly with a lid and let stand while the mixture cools. (This cooling process will also partially cook the onions). Once cool, add the cilantro leaves and refrigerate for about 6 hours before serving.

Slice baguette and toast in the oven. Spread pesto on toasts and top pickled onion and aged cheddar.

*Store pesto and pickled onions in  airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed (½ inch off only) and chopped
½ cup fresh mint leaves, stems removed and chopped
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup raw almonds
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1½ teaspoons salt

Baguette
Smoked gouda
Chive blossoms

Directions

Place all ingredients, except the oil, in food processor and pulse until chopped pretty fine. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the top until the pesto reaches desired consistency. Add more for a “looser” pesto and less for a “chunkier” version. Season to taste with a little more salt if needed.

Slice baguette and toast in the oven. Spread pesto on toasts and top with smoked gouda and chive blossoms.

*Store pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

1 ounce strawberry puree
Sweet Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar*
Seltzer

Directions

Pour strawberry puree into glass. Top with seltzer and Sweet Balsamic Vinegar.

*Sweet Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar- In a medium sauce pan, combine  ½ cup water, ½ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 smashed strawberries, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns (crushed coarsely) and 1 cup balsamic vinegar.  Bring the mixture to a boil and allow to boil gently for about 10 minutes. The mixture should reduce by about one fourth.  Turn off the heat and allow to cool completely.  Strain and chill.

Ginger-Rhubarb Syrup
Basil Syrup
Rhubarb Bitters (optional)
Seltzer

Directions

Pour seltzer into glass and top with both syrups. Add a few dashes of bitters.

*Ginger-Rhubarb Syrup-To make the rhubarb syrup place ½ cup fresh rhubarb chopped, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 3-5 minutes. Strain and cool.

*Basil Syrup- Combine 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup basil leaves and stems and 1 tablespoon lemon zest in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the temperature to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool and strain.

1 ounce strawberry puree
Seltzer
Sweet Balsamic Vinegar

Directions

Pour strawberry puree into a glass. Top with seltzer and Sweet Balsamic Vinegar.

*Sweet Cilantro Syrup-In a blender blend ½ cup simple syrup, the juice and zest of 2 limes and 1 cup cilantro leaves to form a pesto-like, smooth substance.

1 ounces of vodka
½ ounce lillet blanc
1 ounce lavender beet syrup*
¼ ounce fresh orange juice
½ ounce lemon juice
Orange Peel
Lavender Flower

In a shaker filled with ice, combine the vodka, lillet, beet syrup and citrus juice and shake gently until the mixture gets cold.  Strain into a low ball glass with just a few ice cubes.  Garnish with an orange peel (releasing the oils around the rim of the glass first) and a few lavender petals.

*Lavender Beet Syrup-In a saucepan combine 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, 1 beet (chopped fine) 2 tablespoons orange zest, 2 tablespoons lavender flowers and ¼ cup orange juice.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for about  7 minutes.  Take off heat and allow to cool completely, strain and chill.

Ingredients

1 ½ ounce gin
1 ounce strawberry puree
1 ounce lemon juice
¼ ounce basil syrup*
1/2  ounce Sweet Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar*
Rose sparkling wine
Black Pepper Dried Strawberry (recipe follows)

Directions

Place the gin, strawberry puree, lemon juice, basil syrup and shrub in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously. Strain onto an old fashioned champagne glass or coupe and fill with rose.  Garnish the side of the glass with a Black Pepper Dried Strawberry.

*Basil Syrup- Combine 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup basil leaves and stems and 1 tablespoon lemon zest in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the temperature to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool and strain.

*Sweet Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar- In a medium sauce pan, combine  ½ cup water, ½ cup sugar, 1 -2 handfuls of basil stems and  leaves, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 smashed strawberries, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns (crushed coarsely) and 1 cup balsamic vinegar.  Bring the mixture to a boil and allow to boil gently for about 10 minutes. The mixture should reduce by about one fourth.  Turn off the heat and allow to cool completely.  Strain and chill.

Black Pepper Dried Strawberries
Makes 1 cup dried fruit

Ingredients

3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
2 cups strawberries, de-stemmed and sliced thin

Directions

Preheat oven to 225°F. Mix sugar, vinegar and black pepper in a bowl .  Arrange strawberries on a lined baking sheet and sprinkle sugar mixture on the strawberries on both sides.  Place in oven for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until dried through. Store in an airtight container up to 4 weeks.

Ingredients

1 ½  ounces tequila
1 ounce Ginger Thai Basil Syrup*
1 ounce lime juice
Seltzer
Basil Sugar Lime Wheels*
Brooklyn Hemispherical Rhubarb Bitters

Directions

Place the tequila, ginger basil syrup and lime juice in a tall Collins glass filled with ice and stir.  Fill the glass with seltzer and stir again.  Garnish with a basil sugared lime wheel and a few drops of bitters.

*Ginger Thai Basil  Syrup – Combine 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons grated ginger, 1 cup Thai basil leaves and stems and 1 tablespoon lime zest in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the temperature to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool and strain.

*Basil Sugar Lime Wheels – Combine  ½ cup turbinado sugar with 2 teaspoons lime zest and 2 tablespoons fresh basil (chopped fine) and mix well.  Moisten with a little lime juice.  In a little mixing bowl combine about 10-12 lime wheels and mix up with sugar mixture, making sure all wheels are completely covered in the sugar mixture.