By Nick Thomas
Photography by Grace Schrater
Punxsutawney Phil may have seen his shadow a couple weeks ago, but the West Coast didn’t seem to get that memo—sorry, East Coast. Spring has sprung early on the left in a relatively sunny and mild Washington, and for some reason, all I can think about are the days of my youth and grabbing some fish and chips and a root beer with my grandfather at his favorite restaurant when I’d visit him in Arizona during my grade-school Spring Break.

By Nick Thomas
Photography by Grace Schrater
For some reason, when my sweet-tooth starts yelling at me to satisfy its sugary cravings, my lazy-tooth rolls his eyes and says, “Fine, make a sweet treat, but let’s not do too much work or dirty up too many dishes.” It’s sad but I’ll admit it: thinking about all the mixing bowls, utensils, pans, etc. that I’d have to clean up after a simple batch of cookies sometimes causes me to explore simpler options.

As much as I love the weather in my home of the Pacific Northwest—sun and my skin play as well together and Kim Jong Un and free speech—at times the dreariness and rain puddles can begin to wear on me and occasionally I long for the days when I can fill a car with my friends and cooler, and head down to the beach. At the right beaches at the right time of year, we can even catch our own clams and roast them on a bonfire right by the water, which makes for the perfect ending to a perfect day.

Taco Tuesday isn’t a national holiday just yet, but until that glorious day inevitably comes (a guy can dream, can’t he?) you can let these Chipotle-Cider Street Tacos tide you over.

By Nick Thomas
Photo by Rachel Brown
When it comes to breaking the mold with Saturday-morning pancakes, spatula-wielders typically play with the recipe’s solid ingredients and add little treasures such as blueberries or chocolate chips to the batter. The results, while still highly delicious, pale in comparison to playing with the liquid ingredients of your go-to pancake recipe. For a slight apple taste in your next stack of flapjacks, try adding some cider to the mix.

By Nick Thomas
This year’s Oktoberfest may be over, but that’s no reason to quit drinking seasonals, eating brats and generally being merry. Embracing this time of year, the Woodchuck Fall Harvest cider is an ode to the season, bringing “farmer and communities together to celebrate another year of fruitful labor.” The juicy cider is loaded with apple aromas and flavors, matched with baking spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and vanilla from the American White Oak barrels.

By Margo Greenman
There aren’t many ways to improve an already perfect food. Bacon, in itself, is a masterpiece. Whether you eat it straight or use it to accentuate the flavors in other dishes through its fat or texture, there’s really no wrong way to eat it. As someone who is 100 percent guilty of being completely bacon-obsessed, I love finding new, creative ways to enjoy this humble delicacy.

The holidays are on the horizon and with the harvest’s bounty growing in its abundance, it’s time to start planning a dessert selection to please your party, whether it’s a Tuesday night duo or a weekend production. In preparation, food and beverage writer Margo Greenman was generous enough to share her quick and easy recipe for Hard Apple Cider Crisp. Taken up a dram, this crisp is made even better when infused with Orondo, Wash.,’s Orondo Cider Works’ Hard Cider.