Never mind sipping in the rain, in Seattle bourbon goes year-round. Versatile and complex, the distinctly American spirit flexes easily to adapt to its pairings. While in winter you can serve bourbon neat and sip on it for sustenance, come spring all it takes is a bit of mint and simple syrup and crushed ice…

As a rule, in Chef Varin Keokitvon’s Heartwood Provisions kitchen inventiveness rules and nothing goes to waste. Even when he could be buying ingredients in bulk, he’d rather DIY. That includes using cream to make his own thick, creamy, tangy crème fraîche from scratch. After he has whipped up a batch—which typically takes three to…