As mixologists and chefs, we love using flavored simple syrups in our recipe creations to get layered nuances that enhance cocktails as well as add a burst of flavor to culinary recipes. While we usually create our own syrups, we were delighted to find a like-minded company in Pink House Alchemy owned by Emily Lawson whose creative products are gorgeous to use. 

What are syrups? Emily describes syrups as: "a thick sweet liquid made by dissolving sugar and botanicals in boiling water; used as a flavoring additive in cocktails, coffee, sauces, and food." When combined with exotic spices like cardamon, or pumpkin and butternut and spices, the results are so fabulous that you may be tempted to sip them alone (which we confess we did), as well as use them in cocktail and culinary recipes (which we also did). 

What are shrubs? Emily describes shrubs as: "an acidulated syrup comprised of vinegar, botanicals, and sugar; a shrub syrup was once a means of preserving fruit long past its picking." 

Luxury Experience was "In The Kitchen and Behind The Bar®" using Pink House Alchemy (PHA) syrups and shrubs to create incredibly special handcrafted cocktails and culinary tempt your palate and inspire your own creations with their products. 

The Cocktail and Culinary Menu 

The Cocktails

Luxury Experience - Spirited "Pumpkin Pie" 

The Culinary Menu

The Cocktail Recipe 

Luxury Experience - Spirited "Pumpkin Pie" is our take on a "liquid" version of pumpkin pie. We started by rimming a Martini glass with Pink House Alchemy Pumpkin Butternut Spice Syrup and crushed graham crackers. We created the cocktail with Tequila Código 1530 Rosa, canned pumpkin puree, PHA Pumpkin Butternut Spice Syrup, and sweetened condensed milk, and dusted the cocktail with ground nutmeg. Garnished with a cinnamon stick. 

Luxury Experience - Spirited "Pumpkin Pie"
Yield: 1 cocktail
Glass Used: Martini Glass 

Cocktail Ingredients:
 

Method for the Rim: Add a little of the PHA Pumpkin Butternut Syrup to a plate. Twist glass in the syrup to create a "sticky" rim. Add finely ground graham cracker to another plate. Twist the rim of the glass into the graham crackers to finish the rim. 

Method for the Cocktail: Add all ingredients to a metal shaker with 3 ice cubes, shake until ice is incorporated into cocktail. Pour into chilled Martini glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and dust with ground nutmeg. 

The Culinary Recipes 

Luxury Experience - Roasted Butternut Soup
Yield: 5 Cups 

Soup Ingredients:
 

Method: Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise, leaving seeds intact. See Note below for explanation. 

Cut onion in half, trimming roots. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Spray the sheet with olive oil. Season cut side of squash and onion with salt and pepper, then place cut side down on the parchment. Lightly spray the outside of the squash and the onion, and roast in a 425-degree Fahrenheit (218-degrees Celsius) oven until squash is tender to the touch, and the onion is golden brown. 

Remove squash and onion from the oven and let cool slightly. Puree the squash and onion in a blender with the chicken bouillon in small batches. Add the Pink House Alchemy Butternut Pumpkin Syrup and combine. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Heat soup, and finish by adding the Rhum Barbancourt (an aged dark rum from Haiti) just before serving. The soup can be made ahead and kept refrigerated. We like to make soups 1-day ahead to let the flavors meld and make entertaining easier. 

Note: We first saw Chef Carla Hall roast an acorn squash for one of her recipes without removing seeds and decided to try it ourselves. The seeds add flavor while cooking and are easy to remove once the squash is cooked. 

Presentation: Pour soup into bowls, and finish by scattering candied pecans and small sage leaves on top of the soup. 

Candied Pecan Ingredients:
 

Method: Add sugar and water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then add pecans and cook until the sugar water has evaporated. Pour the pecans out onto a sheet of parchment paper to let cool until ready to use. 

Luxury Experience - Artichoke Crab Cakes with PAH Dressed Salad
Serves 2 

Artichoke Crab Cakes Ingredients:
 

Method for the Artichoke Crab Cakes:  Add all ingredients (except flour and garnish) to a medium bowl and stir to combine. Line the can from the crab with plastic wrap and gently press the mixture into the can to form a compact cake. Lightly dust with flour then turn the cake out onto wax paper or parchment paper. Lightly dust the other side of the cake with flour. Repeat with the rest of the mixture to form the second cake. 

Reason For Flour Dusting: The flour will provide a nice crust on the crab cakes. 

Note: Artichoke Crab Cakes may be made ahead at this point and refrigerated until ready to bake. 

Method for Baking: Preheat oven to 400-degrees Fahrenheit (204-degrees Celsius). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray the paper with vegetable oil then position the two cakes on the parchment paper and lightly spray the tops of the cakes with vegetable oil. Bake until golden, then turn the cakes over and bake until the other side is golden, and the cakes are heated through. 

Method for the Scallion Brushes: Use the white bulb end of 2 scallions. Cut the scallion about 2 inches from the bulb end to where the green part starts. Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, cut the green parts into long strips towards the bulb end. When you have a little "brush" place it in ice water to open it up. Once open, you can pat dry and set aside until ready to use. 

Salad Ingredients:

Dressing Ingredients:

Method for the Dressing: Add all dressing ingredients to a glass jar and shake well to thoroughly combine. Set aside until ready to use.

Pineapple "Salsa" Ingredients:

Method for the Pineapple Salsa: Heat a small saucepan pan, add the EVOO, then the rest of the ingredients. Cook until heated though. May be made ahead and reheated just before plating the artichoke crab cakes.

Presentation: Toss the arugula with the dressing just before plating. Arrange dressed arugula salad on two plates. Place crab cake of the salad on each plate. Scatter chopped palm hearts, fresh pieces of pineapple, and pomegranate seeds on the arugula. Top the crab cakes with the pineapple "salsa" and garnish each with a scallion "brush." 

Luxury Experience - Strawberries with Mexican Chile Syrup 

Luxury Experience - Strawberries with Mexican Chile is a sweet and spicy creation that is easy to make, and easy to love. We started by adding fresh, ripe, sweet strawberries to a glass jar, then gave them a playful kick by adding Pink House Alchemy (PHA) Mexican Chile Syrup and Fifth State Passion Gin (made with distilled passionfruit).

Ingredients:
 

Method: Wash, hull, and quarter fresh, ripe strawberries, add them to a mason jar, then pour the PHA Mexican Chile Syrup and the Fifth State Passion Gin over the strawberries, and let them soak for a few hours in the refrigerator before serving. 

Presentation: For an easy but elegant presentation, we spooned the "spirited" strawberries into Martini glasses, divided the reserved liquid between the portions, drizzled the strawberries with dark chocolate, and topped them with a dollop of whipped cream. 

Until next time, cheers and Bon Appetit! 

About Pink House Alchemy 

"Note from owner, Emily Lawson: I realized my special connection with flavor when I was very young. Some of my clearest memories are the smell of my Nana's farm; hay being cut, fresh milk, and bacon as the back note to everything. Nana taught me all I needed to be a successful chef, without either of us realizing it! By the time I had moved from home, I was hosting over 30 people at holiday parties at my ski ranch home in Colorado, which I shared with eight other newly liberated 20-somethings. I learned how to artfully get hot food onto the table, find inspiration in whatever appealed to me at the market that day, and realize the importance of making olfactory memories. Things have changed since those dinner parties in the mountains of Colorado. I have gained skills and exposure to more sensory experiences than I can name! With this knowledge, and an incredible team, we work every day to find new and perfect connections between ingredients. Each product is crafted with an experience and story behind it. Just ask!" 

For more information on Pink House Alchemy and the impressive range of products including syrups, shrubs, and bitters, please visit the website: www.pinkhousealchemy.com 

Pink House Alchemy Retail Hours: Monday through Saturday from 7:00 am until 6:00 pm, Sunday from 8:00 am until 3:00 pm.

Pink House Alchemy
928 North College Avenue
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701
United States
Telephone: +1-479-935-3313
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Website: www.pinkhousealchemy.com
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