12 Ways to Cashew Dip

Cashew Dip is a vegetarian, vegan-friendly dip that pairs perfectly with raw vegetables, crackers, and so much more. This creamy, delicious dip is a perfect appetizer or snack for movie nights, watching the big game (or awards show) or entertaining. Feel free to make it dairy free and gluten free also too!

First start with cashews - salted or unsalted per your liking. Add the cashews to a bowl and cover with hot water. Allow the cashews to soak for at least 10 minutes. Drain the cashews and to a blender cup or food processor. Now the fun part - what to add. Here are some ideas of variations: Pro Tip: If a thinner sauce is desired add more water until the desired consistency is reached.

1. Garlic (raw for the “bite”), olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, honey or agave and water

2. Garlic, nutritional yeast, cumin, chili powder, salt, harissa/hot salsa/hot sauce, etc

3. Milk - cashew/almond,etc, fresh red pepper, nutritional yeast, garlic, fresh squeezed lemon juice, chili powder, salt

4. Fresh squeezed lemon juice, diced onion, oil, cumin pwoder, curry powder, salt

5. Milk - cashew/almond, etc, fresh squeezed lemon, chopped onion, garlic powder, salt, dried oregano, dried basil, dried chives

6. Avocados, garlic, soy sauce, fresh squeezed lemon juice, salt, pepper

7. Sun dried tomatoes, garlic, fresh squeezed lemon juice, salt, smoked paprika, olive oil

8. Fresh squeezed lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, onion flake, salt, ground black pepper

9. Maple or date syrup, vanilla, fresh orange peeled

10. Fresh mint leaves, fresh coriander leaves, garlic, salt and pepper

11. Tamari, fresh squeezed lime juice, sriracha, raw honey, sea salt

12. Coconut milk, fresh squeezed lemon juice, pure maple syrup, pure vanilla extract, salt, lemon zest

The possibilities are endless here. We look forward to hearing which combination is your favorite!

Rasberrys Holiday Party Planning Tips

The Holiday Season is a wonderful time of year when friends and family come together.  We love that many of you invite us into your homes to make these gatherings special.  In our 15 years of catering in Sun Valley, we have learned a thing or two about party planning.  Here are our tips to help make your events flawless.

1. Call Rasberrys! Dial 208-726-0606. See what we can do for you, then you can plan from there!
2. Rasberrys always has take and bake cookies on hand! Think how good the house will smell and no one will even know you "cheated"...
3. Housemade chips, salsa and guacamole are readily available and always a fave.
4. Make ahead...A simple plate with brie and Rasberry's chutney or jam with crackers, spiced popcorn or nuts with Rasberry's spice seasonings (think "everything bagel"), jalapeno ranch, classic ranch or green goddess.  Hummus and Rasberry's homemade pita, feta and mixed olives with olive oil, orange peel and z'aatar spice mix. --Remember it doesn't hurt to ask others to bring these items.  
5. Set the table with candles and pine cones or branches from outside or cuttings from a local florist.  Simple arrangements are easy and fun too--think single stems or just greens.
6. Ask others to bring their own wine/drinks
7. Do rent wine glasses and dishes if needed.  They are cheap and it saves the environment from plastic and not so many dishes to do.
8. Use a cooler filled with snow and put outside as storage for cold drinks.
9. Set up a playlist for music on your phone.  Keep it neutral.
10. Pre-arrange "DD" transportation to and from--think Uber, local shuttles or taxis...

Thanksgiving Wines for Everyone

The single most important guideline for selecting wine for Thanksgiving is simply to have enough on hand. We generally recommend one bottle per wine-drinking adult. This may seem like a lot, but it is simply a hedge against an insufficient supply. You do not have to finish it all. If you like, you can even give away unopened bottles with the leftovers.

Beyond quantity, you need to provide both reds and whites. You can add rosé or a sparkling wine, but both red and white are essential. You will have guests who contend that red wine gives them headaches or white wine gives them heartburn. This is not the time to debate these issues. Let guests drink what they want unfettered.

In our calculus, we imagine Thanksgiving as a large, freewheeling buffet meal, with lots of different dishes and a sprawling patchwork of flavors. It’s not the time to fret about pairing particular dishes with certain bottles. The trick is to provide versatile, nimble wines that pair well with many foods and will not be as fatiguing as everything else.

That generally means bottles not especially high in alcohol, generally below 14 percent. They should not be tannic or oaky, but they must be energetic with lively acidity, which helps to refresh and cleanse the palate.

Over the course of many years we have identified wines that almost always work well: Beaujolais and bone-dry sauvignon blancs are crowd-pleasers. Basic Italian reds made of barbera or sangiovese are fine, as are Italian whites made of fiano or carricante. Loire reds, pinot noirs, chardonnays, chenin blancs, mencías from Spain, rieslings — all are fine choices.

Whites, Rosés and Sparklers

★★★½ La Vrille et Le Papillon Vin de France Caprice du Chameau 2016 $15

Bright, light and spicy, belying its cloudy, unfiltered appearance, with pure, unmediated flavors of pear and lime. (Fruit of the Vines, Long Island City, N.Y.)

★★★ Matanzas Creek Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc 2016 $20

Not particularly expressive aromatically yet richly textured, lively, clean and refreshing.

★★★ Dibon Penedès Cava Brut Rosé NV $17

Light, pleasing, fruity and lacy; an ideal aperitif. (V.O.S. Selections, New York)

★★½ Clos des Lunes Bordeaux Lune d’Argent 2015 $20

Fresh, savory, balanced and energetic, with a pleasant texture and hint of citrus. (BNP Distributing, New York)

★★½ Domaine Trotereau Quincy 2013 $25

Straightforward, with clean citrus and mineral flavors. (Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, Calif.)

★★ RuBor Viticultores Sierra de Gredos Cebreros Chass! 2015 $17

Cloudy, amber and intense with gritty tannins and oxidative flavors; perhaps not for a crowd. (A Katell Pleven Selection/The Vine Collective, New York)

Reds

★★★ Château Combel-la-Serre Cahors Le Pur Fruit du Causse 2015 $15

Inky dark, yet easygoing, combining plummy fruit and chalky, earthy flavors. (Louis/Dressner Selections, New York)

★★★ Sidónio de Sousa Bairrada Tinto 2013 $16

Soft, smooth and well balanced, with flavors of dark fruits, spices and herbs. (NLC Wines, Brooklyn, N.Y.)

★★★ Red Tail Ridge Finger Lakes Pinot Noir 2013 $25

Pale brick-red color, with fresh, bright, juicy flavors of red fruits.

★★½ Buena Vista Sonoma County Merlot 2012 $10

Aromas of dark, saturated fruits, soft and dense, with staying power.

This content has been shared from The Four Rules of Thanksgiving Wines by Eric Asimov in the New York Times on November 2, 2017.  Read entire article