Farmer’s markets are bursting with an array of seasonal food and I seriously cannot wait to dig in.

I’m definitely ready to cook allll the things with What’s In Season for August; so, come on over for all of the August recipe inspiration plus an update on my summer adventures and vegetable garden!

This past month Scott and I have been on a variety of summer day-trip adventures. One of our goals this summer was to get out and explore Alberta more; so far we’ve done just that!

We headed out to the Turner Valley Region for lunch at the Chuckwagon Café and then a tour of Eau Claire Distillery. The Chuckwagon Café was bumping so we sat at the counter for a classic diner experience. We both enjoyed burgers, fries and gravy; the gravy was something everyone told us we MUST have and it did not disappoint!

Next, we walked right next door to Eau Claire Distillery, makers of my favourite gin; the Parlour Gin. We took a tour of the facility and learned a bit more about the area; many of their ingredients for their gin, vodka and other spirits are harvested from surrounding farms.

We also enjoyed some time on the patio in the beautiful sunshine and tried a cocktail too.

We’ve also been golfing a few times since the weather has been pretty fantastic!

In between summer adventures, we’ve been cooking a lot at home, trying new summer recipes. Can we just talk about noodle salads for a moment!? I’m seriously digging these Spicy Peanut Noodles with Garlic Chili Oil from Half-Baked Harvest and Ambitious Kitchen also has this Peach, Corn & Arugula Pasta Salad that’s on my list to make this month. I find they’re so perfect for summer weather because most can be served at room temperature and many of the recipes involve minimal cooking.

Another fav dish we’ve been making from the blog is my Chickpea Taco Bowls which involves pretty minimal cooking too and lots of fresh vegetables! Perfect for #tacotuesday and can easily be meal-prepped for August.

So, let’s get in the kitchen and make all of the delicious things with What’s In Season for August!

Peaches – Peach & Prosciutto Summer Focaccia

Plums – Plum Tarts

Spinach – Mojito Smoothie

Strawberries – Easy Strawberry Jam

Tomatoes – Roasted Tomato, Arugula & Halloumi Salad with Pesto

Watermelon – Watermelon Mason Jar Salad 

And of course I can’t forget a garden update! We’ve enjoyed out first batch of radishes and planted another. Our carrots and beets are coming along nicely so we should be able to harvest those in the next couple weeks.

And, we’ve also been successfully growing jalapeños! I’m also trying to grow potatoes this year and that is a process for the patient ones.

But, I recently heard that you should wait until either 2 weeks after the first frost (let’s hope that’s still far away) OR once the plants flower, 2 weeks after that. So I’ll keep you updated on those spuds!

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post What’s In Season – Monthly Favourites appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

Cucumber and mint are refreshing flavours and they pair perfectly with gin.

And, taking a cue from one of my other favourite cocktails, the French 75, this Spritz is topped with prosecco for a sparkling touch!

I love to make cocktails that use seasonal and fresh ingredients so this Minty Cucumber Gin Spritz fits in perfectly. The last couple of week’s we’ve been enjoying local cucumbers from our YYC Growers Harvest Box. So, I knew as soon as we started to feel the beginnings of Spring it was the perfect opportunity to use the cucumbers in a cocktail to celebrate.

If you haven’t had mint and cucumber in a cocktail yet, you’re in for a treat! The two provide the most refreshing flavours when muddled together and combined with gin.

Then, this cocktail is topped with prosecco for a perfectly bubbly sip!

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Minty Cucumber Gin Spritz

Mint and cucumber combine with gin in this refreshing cocktail that is topped with prosecco for the perfect, sparkling spritz of the Spring season!

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword cocktail, spring cocktail

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 2 cocktails

Author Jess

Ingredients

• 6 slices cucumber
• 10 mint leaves
• 2 ounces gin
• 8-10 ounces prosecco or other white sparkling wine
• extra mint leaves and cucumber slices for garnish
• ice

Instructions

• Add mint leaves, cucumber slices and gin to a cocktail shaker or mason jar.
• Use a muddler or wooden spoon to crush and mix mint, cucumber and gin so the flavours get released and then let sit for 5 minutes.
• Strain into two champagne flutes (or glass of your choice) and pour 4-5 ounces of prosecco into each glass.
• Add some mint leaves and fresh slices of cucumber to garnish and 1-2 ice cubes and enjoy!

This Minty Cucumber Gin Spritz is wonderful for brunch, Easter or Mother’s day. And, even just sipping in the sunshine during the Spring or Summer!

This recipe is a lovely way for me to celebrate my 4th year of blogging here on Cooking in my Genes! I can hardly believe I’ve been creating and photographing recipes to share with you for four years; it’s gone by in a flash! I’ve enjoyed every minute of this experience so far. This blog is such a lovely way to connect with you, family and friends through the love of food. So THANK YOU for all of the love and support; I truly wouldn’t be doing this without you!

So, let’s grab one of these Minty Cucumber Gin Spritz’s and CHEERS to an amazing 4 years plus more to come!

And, if you need some more Spring cocktail inspiration, check out my Grapefruit Lavender Spring Blossom Cocktail.

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post Minty Cucumber Gin Spritz appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

The natural tartness of the grapefruit is very refreshing, and when paired with a touch of lavender it’s a beautiful harmony of flavours.

This delicious cocktail recipe is inspired by my friend Erin! She gave me the most lovely lavender bitters as a birthday gift. I knew once I tried the lavender bitters, I HAD to use them to create a cocktail which featured the beautiful, floral flavour.

Why you’ll love this Spring cocktail

I like to keep my cocktails fairly simple and really easy to execute so whether you’re making this Grapefruit Lavender Spring Blossom Cocktail for just you or for a group of guests, you spend more time enjoying the cocktail than making it!

This would be the perfect Spring sip to enjoy on a warm, sunny day or even for brunch.

If you love my Lavender French 75 Cocktail, you’re sure to love this one too!

Do lavender and grapefruit go together?

The beautiful floral flavor of the lavender bitters pairs beautifully with the tart grapefruit juice. They share similar floral and citrus aromatics. The tart nature of the grapefruit balances the floral-forward lavender. Balance is key so start with 1-2 dashes of the lavender bitters as they can be overwhelming if you use too much.

What liquor pairs well with lavender?

A floral-forward gin pairs very well with lavender. A nice selection of gin’s to choose from for this drink are: Hendrick’s, The Botanist and Empress 1908 (which has a gorgeous lilac hue).

Ingredients needed for this Spring blossom cocktail

Lavender bitters: You will need 1-2 dashes lavender bitters (my personal favourite are Scrappy’s Bitters)

Grapefruit juice: I like to use fresh squeezed grapefruit juice for the most tart, fresh flavor; if desired, you can use store-bought fresh or bottled grapefruit juice (from about 1 grapefruit)

Gin: You will need 2 ounces of gin; I like to use a more floral gin like

Simple syrup: Make a batch of simple syrup before making this cocktail.

How to make simple syrup

To make simple syrup you will need equal parts water and granulated sugar. For this grapefruit lavender cocktail I like to make a batch of simple syrup with 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. The simple syrup can be stored in the fridge in an airtight glass jar (or container) for 2-3 weeks.

Combine the sugar and water in a small pot or saucepan. Stir and then bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes until the dissolved. Set aside and let the simple syrup cool.

How to make a grapefruit lavender cocktail

First make the simple syrup by combining the sugar and water in a small pot. Stir and then heat the mixture on medium-high until simmering. Turn to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside and let the simple syrup cool. You can also transfer the simple syrup to a glass container, uncovered, to help cool faster.

To make the cocktail, fill one cocktail glass about 2/3 full with ice.

Then, to a cocktail shaker add 1-2 dashes of lavender bitters (depending on how floral your taste is, use 1 dash for less floral notes), fresh grapefruit juice, gin and simple syrup. Shake and then pour into an ice-filled cocktail glass. Garnish with a grapefruit slice and if you so desire, dried lavender buds or a sprig of dried lavender.

Tips & Tricks

• Cool the simple syrup: You can transfer the hot simple syrup to a glass container, uncovered, to help cool faster.
• Make this cocktail for more people: You can easily make a big batch of this cocktail. Double, triple or quadrupole this recipe to make more cocktails for a larger group.
• Add club soda: If you want to make this cocktail a bit lighter, add a splash of club soda, tonic or sparkling water.
• Garnishes: The lavender garnish is optional.

FAQs

More Spring cocktail recipes to love from the blog

• The Best Rhubarb French 75 Cocktail Recipe
• Minty Cucumber Gin Spritz
• Strawberry Rosé Spritzer

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Grapefruit Lavender Spring Blossom Cocktail (with gin)

This Grapefruit Lavender Spring Blossom Cocktail is a beautiful sip for the Spring. With gin, fresh grapefruit juice & lavender bitters, it's a delight.

Course Drinks

Cuisine american-inspired

Keyword grapefruit, lavender

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1 cocktail

Author Jess

Ingredients

• 1-2 dashes lavender bitters
• 2 ounces gin
• 3 ounces fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• ice cubes
• slice of grapefruit for garnish
• optional: dried lavender for garnish

Instructions

• First make the simple syrup by combining the sugar and water in a small pot. Stir and then heat the mixture on medium-high until simmering. Turn to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside and let the simple syrup cool. You can also transfer the simple syrup to a glass container, uncovered, to help cool faster.
• To make the cocktail, fill one cocktail glass about 2/3 full with ice.
• Then, to a cocktail shaker add 1-2 dashes of lavender bitters (depending on how floral your taste is, use 1 dash for less floral notes), fresh grapefruit juice, gin and simple syrup. Shake and then pour into an ice-filled cocktail glass. Garnish with a grapefruit slice and if you so desire, dried lavender buds or a sprig of dried lavender.

The post Grapefruit Lavender Spring Blossom Cocktail (with gin) appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

This is inspired by my friend Corinne who makes a mean cocktail; we concocted this one Friday night at my house and it’s been a hit every since.

You can easily make this for a crowd and is the perfect start to a holiday soiree (or any party for that matter!)

Prep time: 5 minutes
Equipment:  measuring cup, shot glass
Servings: 2

Ingredients:
2 ounces of your favourite Gin (a shot glass is about 1 ounce)
1 cup of grapefruit soda (or juice)
1/2 cup sparkling water (plain or lime flavoured)
lime (cut in wedges)
ice for serving

Instructions:
Measure out the Gin, grapefruit soda and sparkling water into a pitcher and then stir.

Put ice into each of your glasses and pour the drink evenly into each glass.  Squeeze a wedge of lime into each glass and them drop the lime wedge in. Enjoy!

It’s truly that easy and every so beautiful.

If you want to make a non-alcoholic version simply don’t add the gin and add a bit extra sparkling water.

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post Grapefruit Gin Splash appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.