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This spicy variation on a soul food standard is served with Mongolian Honey Sauce. For added kick, sprinkle some of the seasoning on cooked chicken just before serving. Photo by Sara Schober. Serves 4-6 Ingredients For fried chicken 2 tablespoons garlic powder 2 tablespoons onion powder 2 tablespoons Chinese Five-Spice powder 1 tablespoon paprika 1 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon pepper 5 chicken thighs 5 chicken legs 2 tablespoons puréed ginger 2 tablespoons puréed garlic 2 cups flour 3 cups cornstarch 2 cups water For Mongolian honey sauce 1/2 cup hoisin sauce 1 cup orange juice 1 cup apple juice 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup honey 1 cup soy sauce Instructions To make fried chicken : Mix first 7 ingredients together. Set aside 2 tablespoons of mixture. Rub remaining spice mixture on chicken pieces to season. Brush puréed ginger and garlic on chicken. Marinate at least 1 hour. Place 2 cups flour in a shallow dish and coat each piece of chicken and place in a large bowl. Combine cornstarch and water to make a thick slurry. Pour over chicken, making a wet batter. Set a deep-fat fryer to 350°. For stovetop frying, pour vegetable oil in a large skillet to a depth of 2 inches and heat to 350°. Place chicken into hot oil, carefully shaking baskets or stirring in between adding each piece to keep chicken from sticking together. Cook about 15 to 18 minutes for crispy and golden chicken, with an internal temperature of 165°. To make Mongolian honey sauce : Combine all sauce ingredients in medium pot. Simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Bring to a bubble so the consistency is more of a sauce than water. To thicken add 1/2 cup cornstarch and 1/2 cup water, stirring slowly to incorporate. If too thick add a little water. To serve : Drizzle sauce on top of chicken pieces and garnish with reserved spice mix.

These sticky treats, full of warming spices and a maple syrup-pumpkin seed topping, use bread flour to ensure soft, delicate rolls. If you don’t have it, all-purpose works, too. Photo by Amanda Rosenblatt. Serves 12 Ingredients For filling ½ cup light brown sugar, packed 1-½ teaspoons ground cinnamon ¾ teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened For topping 6 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ cup maple syrup ½ cup light brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup pecans, chopped ½ cup toasted Seminole pumpkin seeds For buns 1 cup roasted Seminole pumpkin purée 4 cups plus 2 tablespoons bread flour (plus more for dusting) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground turmeric ¾ teaspoon kosher salt ¾ cup whole milk ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 package quick rise yeast ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled 1 egg, room temperature Olive oil for greasing bowl Instructions To make filling : Mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Set aside. To make topping : Prepare a 9 x 13-inch baking pan by lining with parchment paper. Add butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla to medium saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until butter is melted and combined, about 3 minutes. Pour mixture into baking pan and top with pecans and about ½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds. To make sticky buns : Combine bread flour, cinnamon, turmeric and salt in a medium bowl, whisk and set aside. Warm milk in a saucepan to 110°. Add to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add granulated sugar and sprinkle yeast on top. Add pumpkin purée, melted butter and egg. Mix on low until combined. Add flour to mixer and return to low speed for about 8-10 minutes, until you have a dough ball that is slightly sticky, but pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Transfer dough to a large bowl greased with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour or a little longer. Once dough has doubled, turn out onto floured work surface and roll into a rectangle – about 14 x 16-inch. Spread the softened butter over the dough, then sprinkle the brown sugar filling mixture over, rubbing into the butter. Roll the dough into a log starting at the short end. Slice into 12 equal portions with a serrated knife. Place each roll into prepared baking pan and cover to proof again until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°. When dough is ready, bake until edges and tops of the buns are golden brown and the sticky mixture is bubbling, about 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before flipping onto a cutting board or serving tray. Let rest for another 10 minutes before diving in.

Swirl date molasses on top for a perfect touch of sweetness on this eggplant dip. Photo by Wesley Parsons. Serves 8-10 Ingredients For tahini sauce 3 cloves garlic Juice of 1/2 lemon Pinch of salt 1/2 cup tahini 1/4 teaspoon cumin Ice water as needed For baba ghanoush 1 large eggplant 1/2 cup Tahini Sauce Juice of 1 lemon Pinch of cumin Pinch of salt 1 clove garlic For garnish Reserved Tahini Sauce Date molasses or syrup Chopped pistachios Chopped feta cheese Chopped seasonal herbs Instructions To make tahini sauce : Place garlic, lemon and a pinch of salt in a food processor and run until the garlic is finely chopped. Let this sit for 10 minutes to let the garlic mellow. Add tahini and turn on the food processor. Start adding ice water until a thick sauce forms (around 1/4 to 1/2 cup). Taste for salt and lemon and adjust if necessary. To make baba ghanoush : Oil whole eggplant and season with salt. Place eggplant on a baking sheet and put under the broiler to char. Turn eggplant until charred on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Eggplant should be tender all the way through – pierce with a knife to check. Transfer eggplant to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, cut down the center of the eggplant and scoop out the flesh, leaving the skin intact. Add eggplant to the bowl of a food processor along with the tahini sauce, lemon juice, cumin and salt. Microplane or finely chop the garlic clove and add to the food processor bowl. Pulse the processor a few times until it comes together. The end result should be a bit chunky, not a smooth puree. To serve : Spread a thick layer of the baba ghanoush on a large plate. Drizzle a spoonful of tahini sauce and date molasses. Add a spoonful of chopped pistachios, feta and a sprinkle of seasonal herbs.Serve with pita bread toasted in olive oil and seasoned with za’atar (optional).

Let's hear it for the ice cream sandwich - the ultimate treat to beat the heat. Summertime living calls for chilled drinks and frozen desserts, and these recipes are perfect to kick off happy hour, enjoy during brunch or add a cool finish to any meal. The Bushwacker This frozen cocktail is easily adapted with ingredients you have on hand. Have ice cream in your freezer? Use that in place of milk and cut back on the ice. Want more rum? Add it. However you blend it, to be called a Bushwacker, the drink must be creamy with notes of rum, chocolate and coffee. Coconut Pete This tropical drink features cachaca, a distilled spirit made from sugarcane juice. Blueberry Doughnut Ice Cream Sandwiches Time to bake the doughnuts, and turn them into a new twist on a classic summertime treat. Use your favorite ice cream for customized snacks. Datil Ginger Peach Ice Cream Sandwiches Use seasonal peaches to mix up a frozen treat that's a little spicy, a little sweet and always satisfying. Milk and Honey Semifreddo No ice cream maker? No problem! You only need a loaf pan for this frozen Italian dessert. Halo-Halo The name of this Filipino dish means mix-mix in Tagalog. Ingredients vary according to preferences; these are some of the basics to include in this dessert. Plan on 1/4 cup of each ingredient per serving. Rome, Georgia Shake up this refreshing, fruity cocktail for happy hour on a warm day. River Pilot This is Mayport Garden Club’s take on a classic rum punch. This cocktail lounge sources house spirits from across the Caribbean, South America and the US. After blending and proofing them down, spirits are bottled in-house to be used in their cocktail program. Picnic at Project Swing This spicy, smoky-sweet recipe was created for a pairing between the Lightner Museum and St. Augustine Distillery.

This spicy, smoky-sweet recipe was created for a pairing between the Lightner Museum and St. Augustine Distillery. Photo by Amanda Olivero. Makes 1 cocktail Ingredients For datil pepper simple syrup 1 cup water 1 cup sugar 1 chopped datil pepper For cocktail 3 lemon wedges 4 (1-inch) watermelon chunks 4-6 mint leaves ¾ ounce datil pepper simple syrup 2 ounces St. Augustine Florida Straight Bourbon Cultivate Tea & Spice Co. Datil BBQ Rub Ice Instructions To make datil pepper simple syrup : Simmer water, sugar and datil pepper for 10 minutes, then cool and strain. Store unused syrup in a glass jar in refrigerator. To make cocktail : Muddle lemon, watermelon and mint in a cocktail shaker. Add simple syrup and bourbon and shake. Rim a glass with rub and fill with pebble ice. Strain drink into glass and garnish with mint.

This is Mayport Garden Club’s take on a classic rum punch. This cocktail lounge sources house spirits from across the Caribbean, South America and the US. After blending and proofing them down, spirits are bottled in-house to be used in their cocktail program. This drink features their house spirits, but you can substitute your favorite brands. Photo by Sindy Gonzalez. Serves 1 Ingredients 1-½ ounces white rum ½ ounce pot still rum ½ ounce simple syrup ½ ounce fresh lime juice 1-½ ounces pineapple juice 1 ounce orange juice ½ ounce apricot nectar 1 bar spoon or ¼ ounce grenadine ½ ounce overproof rum Ice Instructions Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker except overproof rum and whip shake with pebble ice. Strain and pour over pebble ice into your favorite tiki mug. Float overproof rum on top. Garnish with a large bouquet of mint, an orange slice and a cocktail umbrella.

The jazz of craft cocktails gets its name from a bartender's best friend. Rob Crabtree makes a Bushwacker, one of the signature cocktails at Boat Drinks in St. Augustine. Photo by Nate Watson. The Bushwacker is one of the few cocktails that Florida can claim as its own … with a little island inspiration and imitation. The original Bushwacker was invented by bartender Angie Conigliaro and bar manager Tom Brokamp in 1975 at the Ship’s Store Pub on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands as a tropical take on the White Russian. It was named after a very large dog called Bushwack, who spent a couple of days in the bar while its owners drank the cocktail. That same year, after drinking multiple Bushwackers in St. Thomas, Linda Murphy, the owner of the Sandshaker bar in Pensacola Beach, decided to develop her own version to serve at her bar back in Florida. Murphy’s version of the Bushwacker was an immediate hit at the Sandshaker, so much so that the bartenders couldn’t keep up with the demand using blenders. In 1980, the Sandshaker traded in their blenders for a frozen drink machine. Others in the Panhandle noticed the success of the cocktail and the Bushwacker started appearing on menus at other bars and restaurants throughout the area. Even the owner of the infamous Flora-Bama in Pensacola admits to spending many late nights at the Sandshaker trying to decipher the secret recipe while the owner was preparing the next day’s batches.The Bushwacker recipe spread throughout the state and beyond to cities like Nashville, where it has been prevalent throughout the city's bars for the past decade. What’s in a Bushwacker? Therein lies the confusion, because this is the jazz of cocktails where everyone’s version is different, yet each is considered a Bushwacker. The original drink from St.Thomas contained vodka, Kahlua, crème de cacao, whole milk or half & half, Coco Lopez and a splash of triple sec. But this isn’t the Bushwacker we know in Florida. The Sandshaker version swapped the vodka for dark rum, dropped the triple sec and likely started adding amaretto liqueur. This is the archetype of the Florida-style Bushwacker – dark rum, coffee liqueur, crème de cacao liqueur, amaretto liqueur, coconut cream and milk. As the temperatures spike in the Sunshine State, you can hear the buzz of blenders spinning endless iterations of the Bushwacker. This is Florida’s gift to the cocktail world.

This tropical drink features cachaca, a distilled spirit made from sugarcane juice. Photo by Sean Kelly Conway. Makes 1 cocktail Ingredients 3/4 ounce Avua Amburana Cachaca 3/4 ounce lime juice 3/4 ounce Barbancourt 8 Year Old Haitian rum 3/4 ounce Coco Real Cream of Coconut Instructions Shake all ingredients together and pour into cocktail glass with shaved ice. Garnish with a banana leaf.

No ice cream maker? No problem! You only need a loaf pan for this frozen Italian dessert. Photo by Sterling Tucker. Makes 1 loaf Ingredients 1-1/4 cups heavy whipping cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 cup toasted sliced almonds 1/4 cup honey (drizzled) 1/2 teaspoon flaky salt for topping Instructions Line a 9- by 5- by 3-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and coat with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whip cream with salt and vanilla extract, and reserve. In a small pot, combine sugar and honey and stir to combine. Use a spatula dipped into water to wipe down any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pot. Secure a candy thermometer to the pot. Add eggs to a thoroughly clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip on medium speed. Heat honey mixture over medium heat until it reaches 340°. Immediately pour into whipping egg mixture and whip on high speed until light and fluffy and bowl is no longer hot to the touch. This will take about 6 minutes. Fold reserved whipped cream mixture into egg mixture in 2 additions, just to combine. Pour into loaf pan and freeze for about 8 hours to set. Once frozen, unmold by running a knife around the edges of the pan and inverting onto a plate. Sprinkle with toasted almonds, drizzle with honey and add dash a salt.

The Bushwacker is easily adapted with ingredients you have on hand. Have ice cream in your freezer? Use that in place of milk and cut back on the ice. Want more rum? Add it. However you blend it, to be called a Bushwacker, the drink must be creamy with notes of rum, chocolate and coffee. Photo by Nate Watson. Makes 1 cocktail Ingredients 4 ounces dark rum 1 ounce coffee liqueur 1/2 ounce crème de cacao liqueur 1/2 ounce amaretto liqueur 6 ounces coconut milk 2 ounces Coco Lopez cream of coconut 2 cups ice Instructions Blend all ingredients together until mixture is slushy. For a thicker consistency, add more ice.

This savory-sweet vodka drink gets a kick from toasted coriander seeds and rhubarb bitters. Photo by Sara Schober. Makes 1 cocktail Ingredients 1 strawberry 2 slices kiwi Ice 1-1/2 ounces toasted coriander infused vodka 1/4 ounce lemon juice 1/4 ounce plain simple syrup 2 dashes rhubarb bitters Strawberry for garnish For toasted coriander infused spirits ½ cup coriander seeds 1 (750 ml) bottle spirits such as vodka, tequila or gin (or nonalcoholic spirits) Instructions In a shaker, add strawberry and kiwi along with a couple of small ice cubes. Muddle fruit and ice together. Add a scoop of ice and remainder of ingredients. Shake and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with strawberry. To make toasted coriander infused vodka: Toast seeds in a small saucepan over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes until they become aromatic. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Place seeds in the bottle of spirits and infuse for 24 hours.

The ultimate treat to beat the heat? An ice cream sandwich! It’s easy to make at home using your favorite flavors of ice cream and cookies. Ingredients For datil ginger peach ice cream 2 medium fresh peaches, pits removed, skin on 2 datil peppers, seeds removed 4 cups half and half 2 cups heavy cream 1-½ teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups sugar ½ teaspoon sea salt 1 cup peach preserves 14 pieces crystallized (candied) ginger, finely chopped For chocolate cayenne cookies 2-½ cups butter 1-¼ cups white sugar 1-2/3 cups brown sugar 4 eggs 2-1/3 cups flour 1 cup cocoa powder 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon cayenne 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1-¼ cups chocolate chips Instructions To make ice cream : In a blender, combine one of the peaches, datil peppers and 2 cups of half andhalf. Blend on high until completely pureed. In a saucepan, combine the puree with remaining half and half, heavy cream, vanilla, sugar and sea salt. Simmer on medium-low heat, whisking frequently until mixture reaches 175°. (Don’t go above 185°.) Remove from heat and whisk in peach preserves. Chill mixture. Cut remaining peach in half and slice into very thin slivers. Once the mixture is chilled, whisk in chopped ginger and fresh peach pieces. Churn until smooth according to ice cream freezer instructions. To make cookies : Preheat oven to 325°. In large bowl, combine butter and sugars. Cream until smooth. Beat in one egg at a time, scraping down the sides periodically. Continue creaming until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients and whisk until everything is incorporated. Add the dry ingredients to butter mixture and blend together. Before dough comes together, add chocolate chips and mix until blended. Scoop dough to desired size and roll in cinnamon sugar. Bake for 8 minutes, rotate cookie sheets and bake for 8 more minutes. Cool on a wire rack. To assemble : Soften ice cream slightly. Spoon a generous amount of ice cream on flat side of one cookie. Top with flat side of another cookie and gently press down. Freeze 15 minutes before eating.