Lavender-Thyme Syrup

Welcome to the first episode of CHOW Happy Hour! Every Friday, shoot the breeze with world-famous bartender Martin Cate, of Smuggler's Cove in San Francisco, while he mixes you up a delicious cocktail. This week: the Max's Mistake, with gin and passion fruit syrup. Cheers!

Mark Scarbrough, coauthor of Goat: Meat, Milk, Cheese, shares an idea for a quick, delicious, simple dessert with a goaty tang—you just need goat cheese, chocolate, maple syrup, and cocoa. (Here's Mark's recipe for chèvre truffles from Goat: Meat, Milk, Cheese.)

Michael Cecconi is the former mixologist at New York’s Back Forty; he's currently the head bartender at San Francisco's Two Sisters Bar and Books, and teaches at the Institute of Culinary Education. Here he shares a quick summertime drink idea, called a Scotch Blossom: 2 ounces of Scotch, 1 ounce of honey simple syrup, 1 ounce of lime juice, 4 to 8 mint leaves, and ice. Shake vigorously, add soda water, and enjoy.

Bartender at San Francisco's Heaven's Dog and owner of Small Hand Foods, Jennifer Colliau will blow your mind with this bartender secret: You do not need to boil your simple syrup. In fact, it's preferable not to! Jennifer shows you how to make simple syrup using cold tap water in this video.

A perfect healthy yet hearty breakfast, this creamy steel-cut oatmeal is made in the slow cooker, so it's ready when you wake up. You can customize your bowl with whatever toppings you like: fresh or dried fruits, cinnamon, maple syrup, nuts . . . Read more.

Candy canes mark the run-up to Christmas, and by the end of the season you're bound to have more than you know what to do with. David Pistrang of CHOW.com shows you five great ways to use them up, including Candy Cane Simple Syrup and Candy Cane Vodka. You may actually find yourself heading back to the store to buy more.