Memorial Day is coming up, the symbolic opening of backyard barbeque season.  Here are some new ideas to take traditional grilled fare in new directions.

Grill Exotic Burgers

If you can grill a plain burger, you can grill a kangaroo burger or wild boar burger.  Why not pick up a burger sampler and make people guess what they’re eating?

If you don’t want to go that far afield, you can try using Kobe beef patties or ground grass-fed beef, making smaller sliders instead of full burgers (what is it about small food that makes it more fun?) or getting extra creative with toppings (see some of our favorites below).

Regardless of what strategy you pick, we highly recommend you dress them up further with brioche buns to make them truly decadent.

Burger Tips & Our Favorite Recipes:
The Best Way to Grill Burgers
Kangaroo Burgers with Camembert & Grilled Onions
Kobe Beef Burgers with Sautéed Porcinis & Onions
Bacon Burgers with Fried Duck Eggs

Grill Pizza
You read that right – pizza.  Read How to Grill Pizza for the technique.

Grill Wild Boar Tenderloins & Kurobuta Pork Tenderloins

As easy to cook as a chicken breast (if not easier) but more exciting.  Try using spice rubs, marinades, or sauces to take them to the next level.

Recipes:
Grilled Wild Boar Tenderloin with Grilled Veggie Salad
Chile Rubbed Wild Boar Tenderloin Recipe
Yuzu Marinade Recipe
Ancho Wet Rub Recipe

Other Great Grilling Tips:
How to Cook a Steak (3 methods)
How to Tell Meat Doneness by Feel
How to Grill a Whole Fish
Our Favorite Grilled Sausage Recipes

This simple scrambled eggs recipe lets the blossoms do all the heavy lifting in terms of the presentation & flavor wow factor…all you have to do is cook the eggs and let your brunch guests (or your own taste buds) rave about how brilliant you are.

Ingredients:                       Makes 1 Serving
3 Eggs
4 Fresh Chive Blossoms, stems removed
2 cracks of Black Pepper
1 pinch of Salt
Unsalted Butter for the pan

Directions:
1. Tear the chive blossoms into clumps of petals.

2. Beat the eggs together with the salt and pepper.

3. Melt the butter in a frying pan.

4. Cook the eggs to your desired level of doneness, adding some of the chive blossoms just before the eggs set (20 seconds or so before they’re done, if you’re going for softer eggs).

5. Top with the remaining chive blossoms to taste.  Serve.

Recipe by Marc of Baketard

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A quick, easy and tasty side dish featuring the garlic-onion-leek flavor of wild ramps.  Because wild ramp puree can be frozen, you can enjoy this recipe outside of ramp season if you’ve stashed some while fresh ramps are available.

Ingredients:
1 bunch Small Carrots, Peeled (we used rainbow carrots)
2 tbsp Wild Ramp Puree Recipe

Directions:
1. Blanch the carrots until tender.

2. Optional: Cut the carrots in half or quarters (lengthwise) to suit your desired presentation.

3. Toss them with the ramp puree.

4. Serve.

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Ramps Recipes

We have been asked if our palm leaf bowls and plates will leak if they are filled with liquid, so we put this question to the test and performed an experiment in our kitchen.

We did a side-by-side comparison of palm leaf bowls filled with hot water and cold water so you’ll know what to expect if your bowl is filled with hot soup, gazpacho, or ice cream. But we weren’t just testing the durability of the bowls, we were also testing the durability of our birchwood spoons. We put spoons in each bowl to test how long they would last before they became saturated with water & unusable.

The results of our test revealed that the maximum amount of time recommended for liquids to sit in the palm leaf bowls is 2 1/2 hours. However, hot liquids (the water we used for the hot liquid test was VERY hot – near boiling) can warp the shape of the plate and will soak into the plate and any utensils faster than if cold liquid is used. We’d set the maximum time for a hot liquid to sit in a palm leaf bowl at around 1 1/2 hours.

However, neither the hot water bowl nor the cold water bowl leaked. So, while these plates will become soggy over time, we can happily report that they won’t leak.

To see the full timeline of the test, continue reading below:

9:15am – the test begins. Hot water (dyed red) is poured in one bowl and cold water (dyed blue) is poured in another. Spoons are inserted.

9:30am – the hot water bowl is starting to warp slightly from the hot temperature. The cold water bowl is maintaining shape. Spoons are still very strong and have not warped. Neither bowl is leaking.

9:45am – the hot water bowl has now warped into a different shape and does not look like its counterpart. The cold water bowl is still very rigid and maintaining its shape. Both spoons are still very rigid and not soggy. Neither bowl is leaking.

10am – the hot water bowl is maintaining its new shape, but is starting to feel a bit soft on the sides. The cold water bowl is very stiff and the shape is the same. Both spoons are still strong, but the spoon in the hot water bowl is starting to warp. Neither bowl is leaking.

10:15am – the hot water bowl is still the same shape, the sides of the bowl have the same amount of softness/give as the 10am check. The spoon in the hot water bowl is starting to give a bit, but still intact. The cold water bowl is still the same shape and still rigid. The spoon is starting to be a bit more pliable.

10:30am – the hot water bowl is in the same condition as the previous check. The spoon is becoming fairly pliable and is starting to flatten out and lose its spoon shape. The cold water bowl is still the same shape, the sides are starting to soften slightly. Neither bowl is leaking.

10:45am – the hot water bowl seems to have warped a bit more (with the sides curling up). The bowl is softening on the sides and on the bottom. The spoon is pliable, bending when tested, and has flattened out. The cold water bowl is rigid still and the spoon is becoming pliable, but is still rigid overall. Neither bowl is leaking.

11am – the hot water bowl seems permanently warped now and the spoon has flattened completely. The spoon is no longer usable as spoon, it is a flat surface. The cold water bowl is maintaining its shape, softening at the sides and the bottom. The cold water spoon is beginning to flatten and absorb moisture. Neither bowl is leaking.

11:15am – the hot water bowl is now what we consider soggy. The spoon is very flat, more like a shovel than a spoon. The cold water bowl is not soggy, but the sides are soft. The spoon is still rigid, but it has also flattened.

11:30am – the hot water bowl is very soggy and the spoon is very soft. The cold water bowl is starting to become soggy and the spoon is very flat. The hot water bowl has warped to the point that the water is nearing the point of spilling on the side. However, neither bowl is leaking.

11:45am – OUR FINAL CHECK. The hot water bowl is almost spilling, it is very squishy and soggy. The spoon is now saturated with water and has lost its strength. The cold water bowl is soggy on the sides and soft on the bottom, but still holding its general shape. The spoon is fairly flat, there is a tiny curve left to it and it is slightly water-logged, but still stronger than the hot water spoon.

To see how the spoons fared, check out the pictures below comparing the spoons that sat in the hot & cold water to a dry spoon.

As you can see above, by the end of the test, the spoons had lost their curve and would no longer be able to carry a spoonful of soup or other liquid from the bowl to your mouth.

To be more specific: after about 1 to 1 1/2 hours of sitting in liquid (slightly longer for cold liquid than for hot), the spoons will flatten, and after 2 1/2 hours, the spoons will completely lose their shape and absorb enough water to make them pliable.

We hope this test answers your questions about how durable (and non-leaky!) these palm plates and birchwood cutlery are, but if you have any more questions, we’ll be happy to test them further.

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Refreshing and citrusy, this cocktail is a perfect blend of tart and sweet. The pansy simple syrup adds an herby sweetness that tames the zing of the fresh orange juice & yuzu juice for a balanced flavor.

Don’t have any oranges around? You can substitute pulp-free bottled orange juice.

Ingredients:   Makes 1 Drink
2 oz Vodka
1 oz Cointreau
1/2 oz Yuzu Juice
1/4 oz Pansy Simple Syrup
2 1/4 oz Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice (could substitute bottled)
Edible Pansy and/or orange slice to garnish

Directions:
1. If you’re using fresh oranges, cut an orange in half and cut 1 orange slice to reserve as a garnish.

2. Squeeze juice from remaining orange halves into a measuring cup/jigger until you get 2 1/4 ounces worth of juice.

3. Fill a mixing glass with ice and pour orange juice into the glass.

4. Add vodka, cointreau, yuzu juice and pansy simple syrup and shake with a cocktail shaker.

5. Strain into a martini glass.

6. Garnish with an orange slice and/or an edible pansy.

Mixologist: Katie Wallace

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Yuzu Recipes

We omitted parmesan cheese from this risotto.  We know that probably sounds like sacrilege…but the morels made us do it.  They’re so delicious – we wanted them to take center stage.

Drink Pairing: Chardonnay

Ingredients:                         Makes 4 Servings
4 tbsp of Unsalted Butter
1 1/2 quarts Vegetable Stock   (quantity can vary, so have a little extra on hand)
2 cups Vialone Nano Rice (could substitute other risotto rice, modifying stock quantity & cooking time)
½ cup White Wine
½lb Fresh Morel Mushrooms (could substitute reconstituted dried morels in a pinch)
1 tbsp minced Fresh Thyme Leaves
Salt & Pepper

Caramelized Onion Butter:          (you’ll have extra for other recipes)
2 1/2 Onions, peeled & thinly sliced
1/2lb of Unsalted Butter
3 large sprigs of Fresh Sage
Salt

Optional: Flat Leaf Parsley for Garnish

Directions:
1. Make the Onion Butter: Slowly caramelize the sliced onions.  Add them to a food processor with the 1/2lb of butter, sage, and salt to taste.  Process into a uniform butter & reserve in the fridge until you need it.

This step can be done a day or two ahead of time (even longer if you freeze the butter).

2. In a pot, warm the veggie stock.

3. Melt the plain butter in a wide frying pan.  Continue to cook it until it browns and emits a nutty aroma.

4. Add the rice and briefly toast it, stirring occasionally until it’s lightly browned.

5. Deglaze the pan with the white wine.

6. Add ladles of hot stock, stirring frequently…only adding more stock as the last infusion is absorbed (see how to make risotto for the full technique).

7. Once the rice is tender, remove the risotto from the stove and stir in the thyme and six tablespoons of the onion butter.

8. In a separate cast iron skillet or frying pan, melt 1 tbsp of the onion butter and add the morels.  Saute the morels until cooked through, then add them to the risotto (for a better presentation, hold some back and put them on top after plating).

9. Taste the risotto and add salt & pepper as necessary.  Serve garnished with flat leaf parsley if desired.

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Morel Recipes
Risotto Recipes
Mushroom Recipes

The sun is shining, the birds are singing…the call of the grill starts to sound in the hearts and minds of America.  If you want big flavors with little effort, there’s only one thing to turn to – specialty sausages!

Here are some of our favorite grilled sausage recipes:
Fennel Game Sausage Sandwich Recipe
Pepper, Onion & Bitter Greens Sandwich Recipe
Grilled Sausage Pizza Recipe
Beans & Sausage with Brown Butter & Sage Recipe

If you’re in the mood for something fancier, try combining sausages with other fine meats & poultry to make a mixed grill – see how to make mixed grills for our tips.

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The birchwood knives that accompany our palm leaf plates are stronger and sharper than you may think. They’re sharp enough to cut through steak & asparagus (with some effort).

We held the steak and asparagus with a birchwood fork while we cut the food – despite being made of wood, the fork has an impressive ability to grip food and keep it in place while you’re cutting.

We filmed our tests so you can see the results below. For the first test, we cut a piece of sirloin steak on one of our hexagonal palm plates:

It took about 30-something cuts to cut through the steak (we’d guess around 35). We measured a cut as one motion in one direction, not a full back & forth movement. Cutting through the steak took approximately 8 seconds.

For the veggie test, we filmed the knife cutting through steamed asparagus:

The knife sliced through the asparagus in about 5 cuts and it took only 2 seconds.

We hope this test answers your questions about how sharp birchwood knives are, but if you have any more questions, we will happily cut up more food in our kitchen.

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Super simple & super tasty.  It doesn’t take much to make asparagus and wild ramps shine.

Ingredients:
Asparagus Spears, Halved Lengthwise
Wild Ramps
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil

Directions:
1. Clean the ramps (how to clean ramps).

2. Toss the ramps and asparagus spears with salt, pepper and olive oil.

3. Put them in a cast iron skillet or oven-safe frying pan.  Move to the oven and broil until cooked through.

4. Serve.

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We don’t cover all of our edible flower varieties in this post yet, but we’ve got most of them…especially the newer, more popular, useful and/or palatable varieties.

“Floats” field definitions – “Flat” is ideal, the whole blossom is facing up, out of the water. “On Side” means that the blossom is turned on its side often not displaying the blossom at its prettiest.

	Variety	Size*	Flavor	Floats	Shelf Life*
	Arugula Blossoms	½” by 1″	Like arugula	On Side	3-5 days
	Bachelor’s Buttons	1-1 ¼” blossom + ¼-1″ stem	Slightly grassy	Flat	9-10 days
	Borage Blossoms	1″	Cucumber-esque	On Side	5-6 days
	Calendulas	3″ by 2 ½”	Minty, floral, grassy	Flat	9-10 days
	Camellias	1 ½ to 3 ½” wide	Soapy	Flat	10-12 days
	Chive Blossoms	1″ by ¾” blossom + 5″ stem	Oniony, spicy	On Side	5-6 days
	Cilantro Flowers	½” wide bunches on 3-6″ stems	Cilantro	Flat (w/ stems removed)	5-6 days
	Dahlias	2-4 ½” wide	Bitter, slightly spicy	Flat	10-12 days
	Dulce Buttons	Micro	Very sweet, herby	?	Up to 10 days
	Elderflowers	1/8″ wide in varying bunches	Mild individually, bitter in bunches	Varies	5-6 days
	Fava Flowers	About 1″ long	Snap pea/fava flavor	On Side	3-5 days
	Fennel Blossoms	½-1″ wide bunches + 2-4″ stems	Strong, sweet fennel	Flat (w/ stems removed)	5-6 days
	Fuschias	1 ½” wide, 2 ½” long	Bitter, sour, peppery	On Side	2-3 days
	Garlic Flowers	¼-½” blossom, 1″ w/ stem	Garlicy, musky	On Side	3-5 days
	Karma Orchids	2″	Mild – slightly bitter	Flat	Up to 14 days
	Marigolds	2 ½” wide	A little bitter, a little spicy	Flat	12-15 days
	Micro Bachelor’s Buttons	¼-½” wide, ¾” long	Slightly grassy	Flat	8-10 days
	Micro Blue Sapphires	½” wide	Very mild, cucumber-esque	Flat	3-5 days
	Microflower Blend	Smaller than a quarter – smaller than a dime	Often bitter	On Side (but varies)	Up to 10 days
	Micro Fuscias	½-1″ wide, about 1½” long	Bitter, sour, peppery	On Side	2-3 days
	Micro Marigolds	½-1″ blossom + ¾” stem	Very minty & citrusy	Flat	9-10 days
	Micro Marigold Florets	½” by ¾”	Same as marigolds, but stronger	On Side	10-12 days
	Micro White Mums	1″ wide	Intensely bitter	Flat	6-7 days
	Micro Orchids	Roughly the size of a quarter	Mild, slightly bitter	On Side	Up to 1 month
	Micro Pepper Flower Purple	½” wide	Bell-pepper-esque	Varies	2-3 days
	Micro Pepper Flower White	½” wide	Bell-pepper-esque	Varies	2-3 days
	Micro Sun Daisies	1-1 ¼” wide	Bitter, mustard-y, grassy	On Side	9-10 days
	Nasturtium Flowers	Medium	Peppery	?	Up to 10 days
	Pansies	2″	Wintergreen mint	Flat	Up to 10 days
	Squash Blossoms	Medium – Large	Very mild	?	2 days max
	Rose Petals	1″-1 ½”	Rose – can be soapy	Flat	5-6 days
	Whole Roses	1″-2″ diameter	Rose – can be soapy	On Side	Up to 10 days
	Szechuan Buttons/Buzz Buttons	Small	Grassy w/ tingling sensation	?	Up to 14 days
	Violas	1″	Minty & grassy	Flat	7-8 days

* All sizes & shelf lives are estimates.

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