Part epicurean travel memoir, part cookbook, the author writes about her traditional Italian upbringing and the choices she made for her life after witnessing the roles of the women in her family. Searching for adventures to feed her soul outside of wife, mother and cook, her advertising sales career brings her around the globe where she experiences multiple cultures, world class food and becomes an adventurous epicure. It wasn’t until her mother was diagnosed with dementia in 2006 and her father was lovingly transitioning into becoming the primary caretaker, that the author realized she never learned to cook the homemade Italian food with which she was raised. With a sense of urgency, she pursued writing them down before they would be lost forever. Following the memoir, the author provides the mouthwatering recipes that her mother prepared for her family for over 50 years, including holiday specialties. “Recipes to Remember” is a heartwarming journey around the globe in search of what she yearns for, only to return home to find it. 50% of all profits will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Association.  www.recipestoremember.net

Chris Benziger

In the second half I’ll be talking to Chris Benziger from Benziger Family winery in Sonoma.  Chris will be here in Wichita April 20 to host the AIWF Midwest Winefest dinner at Wichita Country Club.  Chris has been here for the Winefest many times in the past, but it’s been awhile.  Chef Damian Lehman at the Country Club is going all out this year to showcase the great new releases from the Benziger family.  My wife Beth and I will be hosting the Benziger dinner, it’s filling up fast, come join us!  Learn more about the dinners associated with this years Midwest Winefest at www.midwestwinefest.com

Learn more about Chris and his winemaking family at www.benziger.com

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
The Wines of Benziger Family 

More than 130 Crappy Little Kitchen (CLK) recipes await you inside, plus:

• Why a CLK can actually be an asset, not a liability
• The must-haves for every CLK pantry
• Crappy Kitchen Saboteurs: Pointless items that eat up small spaces
• How to enhance the functionality of your CLK space—emphasizing  the surprising attributes of working in a small kitchen, plus space-saving ideas that help expand space and utility, allowing for the creation of the most complex dishes
• How to double or triple the function of utensils to eliminate clutter and superfluous tools (toss your ungainly meat mallet and use your sauté pan as an effective meat tenderizer)
• Swap It Skills: Replacing hard-to-find, gourmet ingredients with everyday items without sacrificing taste
• How to cohabitate in Crappy Little Kitchens—Jennifer  tells readers how to share the tight space and avoid Crappy Little Casualties with chef-proven techniques she learned working in busy and cramped restaurant kitchens. Ways to create beautiful plating presentations with secretly guarded tricks of the trade
• Chefology: culinary terms and ‘did you know this crap’ facts to awe guests and increase one’s culinary knowledge in fun and inspiring ways

Jennifer Schaertl studied culinary arts at El Centro in Dallas, where she received a technical education about cooking, food style, and preparation, as well as Old World knowledge about recipes and techniques. Jennifer’s first job inside a professional Crappy Little Kitchen (CLK) was actually that of a dishwasher, where she eventually worked her way up to sous chef. Since that humble beginning Jennifer has worked as a chef in four Dallas 4-star restaurants, all the while creating and documenting her own recipes both for her restaurant menus and her family gatherings. A native of Texas, Jennifer Schaertl now lives in Dallas working as an Executive Chef at the North Central Surgical Center. She has already completed the pilot episode of the television series Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens. To view this episode and join her monthly mailing list “The Crappy Little Newsletter,” visit www.crappylittlekitchens.com. From here you can also see her latest press, and get recipes, and CLK tips.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:  From the Benziger Family…
2006 Signaterra Three Blocks

A Bordeaux blend comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon (64%) > and Merlot (34%) from the Sonoma Valley AVA. Carefully sourced from three specific blocks in three specific vineyards  (Gordenker, Stone Farm and Sunny Slope), the 2006 Three Blocks is produced with certified organic grapes. This wine offers rich aromas of dark chocolate and cigar that give way to layered flavors of currant, plum and coffee. The wine has a firm mid-palate and round, soft tannins which we think you will enjoy.