Sept 8 – LIVE from Somerset Ridge winery

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Guy

Join me this week LIVE from Somerset Ridge Winery in Paola Kansas.  I’ll be talking to co-proprietors Dennis and Cindy Reynolds about their journey in wine, the vineyards, winery and many products produced.

Dennis and Cindy planted their first vineyards in 1998 and the winery was established in 2001 followed by a major land acquisition and winery expansion in 2005.

The vineyard has over 8000 grape vines and  the winery produces over 5000 cases annually.  Somerset Ridge was the first winery to be established in Miami County since statewide prohibition was implemented in 1881.  Prior to prohibition, the area around Somerset was a significant winemaking region.  The area is once again a grape growing and winemaking hub, with numerous new vineyards, five licensed wineries and the establishment of the Somerset Wine Trail.

Dennis & Cindy

Somerset Ridge is a family-owned artisanal winery dedicated to producing premium wines from locally-grown grapes. the wines reflect regional character derived from long, sunny days during the growing season and rocky limestone hills where the vineyards are located.

Join us and learn about this Kansas wine producer and the fun to be had on a day trip to Somerset Ridge.  www.somersetridge.com

 

Also talking to…
Rick Schoenberger @BBQSHACKPaolaKS – Owner of The BBQ SHACK restaurant, Paola, KS since 2006. Pitmaster since 1997. Beer drinker since 1979. BBQ Lover since 1961. This is the real deal as featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Rick has some of the finest BBQ in the Midwest and his sauces & rubs are second to none!

www.thebbqshack.com

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
The Wines of Somerset Ridge…
…available at Jacob Liquor Exchange on North Rock Road.

NV Somerset Ridge “Fly Boy Red”
Soft, fruit-forward dry red wine. Made in a Loire Valley style from a blend of Cabernet Franc & Chambourcin. One of our most popular wines. Released in honor of our late “Vice-President of Tasting” Lt. Col. Arch Tucker, one the first jet fighter pilots in the US Air Force. The label features a photograph of him exiting his F-86 fighter jet after his 100th combat mission in Korea.

 

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Sep 1 – All Things BBQ & Cocoa Dolce

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Guy

Today’s show features some local folks who provide a great service to those of us who love to cook and eat!

Guy and Don Carey

First up is Don Cary from All Things BBQ.  Don is the guy who invented the world famous  Yoder Grill & Smoker…but that’s just the beginning.  Don and wife Kathy opened All Things BBQ a few years ago and rapidly became the one-stop shop for literally all things Barbeque.

If you need an outdoor cooking appliance…how about a great selection of Weber charcoal and gas grills, the best selection in town of Big Green Eggs and BGE accessories, and of course Yoder offset smokers in every size imaginable.  Fuel for your grilling…lump coal, hard wood, pellets you name it, they have it.  Sauces, rubs, marinades, and seasonings…nobody has more.  Every grilling accessory imaginable and if your thinking of an outdoor kitchen they have that too.

All Things BBQ – Where Barbecue Legends are Made!  615 West Douglas Avenue Wichita, KS 67213, just West of the circle in the Delano district.  Get on the email list at www.atbbq.com or give them a call:  (316) 440-3950

In the second half, I fly across town to Bradley Fair the new home of Cocoa Dolce and Beth Tully’s magic chocolate emporium.

Guy & Beth Tully

Beth and I talk about the latest and most rare of chocolates: Fortunato No.4 – a truly amazing discovery of an ancient coca tree thought long extinct but recently re-discovered in Peru.  This  is an amazing chocolate that  is rich, smooth and deeply flavored with a finish that lingers.  Probably the closet form of chocolate that was enjoyed and revered by the Mayans centuries ago…and it’s only available at Coco Dolce.

Cocoa Dolce Artisan Chocolates continues to grow and evolve right along with its owner. But the quality and uniqueness of the chocolates she creates are timeless, the culmination of one woman’s dream to bring unique flavor to her own life, and the lives of everyone who loves the sensual taste, texture and experience that is chocolate.

If you haven’t visited the Bradley Fair location, you must!  Warm and welcoming, filled with the sweet aroma of premium chocolate, rich coffee, fine wine and more.  You’ll want to get on their email list as well.  Visit www.cocoadolce.com to learn more and sign up.  Or better yet, stop by the store, relax and get a little taste of chocolate heaven.  2132 N. Rock Road, Suite 100 in Bradley Fair, Wichita, KS 67206

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2011 El Cortijillo, Tempranillo from La Mancha Spain

Up front aromas of raspberry and cherry fruit, medium to light weight, Rhône wine in character, cherry fruit flavors, followed by bright acidity. Reminds of a mythical cross between a Pinot Noir and a Côtes-du-Rhône. Pleasant and fun, bistro red.

This is a new-age Tempranillo, young and fresh with sweet cherry bomb bright fruit.  Throw convention to the wind and try this inexpensive everyday red.

Available at Jacob Liquor Exchange on North Rock Road

Want to taste it before you buy…for FREE?  Stop by Homewood Suites by Hilton at the Waterfront this Saturday between 5-7 p.m., where my friend and fellow wino Casey Johnson will be pouring this wine and more.  While your there, check out this great hotel…you’ll be amazed.

Homewood Suites – your home away from home at the Waterfront!
1550 North Waterfront Parkway Wichita, KS

 

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Aug 25 – The Hamptons and Long Island Homegrown Cookbook & Layer Cake wines

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Guy

Up first is Leeann Lavin with her new book; The Hamptons and Long Island Homegrown Cookbook: Local Food, Local Restaurants, Local Recipes.

As the movement to eat what is grown locally gains momentum, there is an increasing awareness of how best to incorporate this philosophy into our everyday lives. We can grow our own food and buy food grown locally at food cooperatives and markets, but what happens when we eat out? There are a number of chefs around the country dedicated to using only the freshest, locally grown ingredients in all the dishes they prepare and serve. This book takes the reader on a private tour of outstanding chefs of the Long Island area and their gardens. Each profile reflects the chef’s personal style, cultural background, desire for healthy, just-picked ingredients, and gardening philosophy. Recipes, plant lists, garden layouts, and color photos are included.

Local – Seasonal – Sustainable – Farm fresh
Restaurants all over Long Island try to boast at least one of these adjectives, but to the farmers and chefs profiled here, these are more than just buzzwords. They are a way of life. These farmers rise before the roosters to bring fresh produce, meats, and cheeses to area farmers’ markets. These chefs kick off the day with an early trip to the market and wrap it up in the wee hours of the night after feeding hundreds of appreciative diners.

In the second half I’ll introduce you to Chris Radomski.  In 1999, Radomski partnered with fellow Canadian Jayson Woodbridge to create a winery in Napa . Their goal was to produce a great Cabernet Sauvignon.  Hundred Acre Winery has enjoyed great success and high ratings…a cult wine that most of us can’t get even if we could afford it.   But the story gets better…

According to Chris, the success of Hundred Acre led the pair to consider other opportunities in the wine world. They felt that, while it was great to make a wine for the elite, they would also like to try their hand at making global wines that would be affordable enough for everyday drinking.

If you’ve been enjoying wine for a few years, you surely remember when Layer Cake Shiraz showed up in the Midwest.  A killer red from Australia with all the bells and whistles for a great price.The first vintage sold out in a very short time!  Chris and Jayson wanted to do more…

Off to the Puglia region of Italy where they found Primitivo grapes from 100-year-old vines to produce the Layer Cake Primitivo.   This is the Italian grape genetically the same as Zinfandel – another great new world wine takes the upper 48 by storm.   Not content to sit back and relax, the dynamic duo sourced Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina and set out to make a high quality Layer Cake Cabernet from Napa.   Their success continues with high ratings, and lots of happy wine drinkers.

Chris, Kay and Guy

We’ll tell you about Chris, his journey in wine and taste some of his wine available here in the Midwest.  I had the pleasure of meeting Chris and his wife Kay in Aspen this year.  By the way, the fun continues.  Chris has yet another label to offer you a splendid Italian IGT Red blend with a label inspired by Kay.  The catchy name….”If You See Kay”  🙂   This wine is a full throttle red, from Lazio, the blend is primarily Cabernet with some primitivo and petite verdot.  Not yet available in Kansas but it can be found on line.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
Fun stuff from Layer Cake

Many of these are available at Jacob Liquor Exchange!

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Aug 18 – Chile Fest 2012, Dave DeWitt

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Guy

LIVE this week from Johnson’s Garden Center at 6225 Shadybrook Street, Wichita, KS – Southeast of the intersection of Woodlawn and East 21 St. North.  It’s all about the 11th Annual Chile Fest Augest 17 – 19; featuring fresh fire roasted Hatch Green Chiles.

We’ll tell you all about buying, roasting, storing and enjoying Green Chiles from Hatch New Mexico and the many fun Chile related activities all weekend at Johnson’s.  Stop by and be a part of the show, taste some of Good Life Guy’s Green Chile Casserole and sample a little wine of the week.

Dave DeWitt

I’ll be talking to The World’s Supreme Chile-Head; Dave DeWitt. Dave is an internationally known chile pepper expert and the author of more than fifteen books about chiles. The founder of the National Fiery Foods Show, Dave is the editor and publisher of Fiery Foods magazine.

Learn more about Dave at www.dave-dewitt.com and check out some of his videos and other fiery fun stuff at his Fiery Foods & Barbecue Supersite

We’ll also be talking about one of Dave’s earlier books Barbecue Inferno: Cooking with Chile Peppers on the Grill. Combining fire with flame, chile experts Dave DeWitt and Nancy Gerlach present a collection of recipes designed to bring your grill alive and set your taste buds ablaze. BARBECUE INFERNO covers the basics of cooking with chile peppers on the grill and in a smoker, offering up fiery recipe after recipe for meat, seafood, and vegetable dishes. From Margarita-Grilled Shrimp and Avocado Quesadilla to Thai Ginger Pork Steaks; from Armenian Spiced Lamb Brochettes to Southwestern Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad with Chile-Dusted Croutons, the authors draw on cuisines from around the globe in their gastronomic quest for fire.

This book is a must have for those of us who cook with fire and love any type of spicy food featuring an array of Chili Peppers!   First published in 2001 you can get a copy at Amazon.com

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2011 Mochetto Delle Venezie Moscato Rosa
A new blend of Italian Moscato-90% and Brachetto-10% grapes called “Mochetto.” This light pink, “gently sweet” and slightly effervescent Rosato wine is showcased in a clear attractively-shaped bottle with a silver “M” dominating the lower half of the bottle. The grapes were sourced in the delle Venezie ITG of the Veneto wine region of Italy. The Moscato imparts the bright pink color of a fresh and refreshing blush wine, as well as fruit flavors, while the Brachetto adds a little richness and weight. In the nose and mouth, it has the delightful aroma and taste of dried peach and berries, with a hint of roses in the background.  All that and low in Alcohol…only 5%ABV

Stop by and have a taste during the show, then you’ll want to head to Jacob Liquor Exchange on North Rock Road to pickup a few bottles for the weekend!

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Aug 11 – Chef Salt, Wicked Good BBQ and Charles Krug Sav Blanc

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Guy

Up first is Andy Schloss from Chef Salt a company founded by Andy and his partners Dave Joachim and Mark Bitterman.  www.chefsalt.com

Chef Salt was conceived when Andrew Schloss and David Joachim, who make a living as award-winning cookbook writers and chefs, met international salt expert Mark Bitterman. The three of us instantly found common ground on the subject of flavor. We agree that the best flavor comes from ingredients carefully grown and harvested in small batches by experienced farmers. We also agree that there are tricks to making these ingredients work together to achieve the best results. Everyone wants the flavor of great restaurant food in their own home, but many people lack the time, experience, or expertise to make it. After hours of riding bikes, tasting salts, cooking food, and sipping Scotch, the three of us had an idea for a line of seasoning blends that would match the world’s most majestic salts to equally magical combinations of herbs and spices. Each blend would bring the art and craft of professional cooking into the home kitchen. Our thought was to put the chef in a jar.

Each product is a careful blend of herbs and spices to enhance Chef Salt - sophisticated, Unrefined Seasoning

Products currently available:

*7 Salt
*Bacon BBQ
*Bamboo Curry
*NY Steak
*Tunisian fire
*Tuscan Herb

Visit www.chefsalt.com to learn more about each of these fine seasonings and for a good selection of recipes to try when you order your Chef Salt.

There are some great combo-gift packs too!

How about using some of your Chef Salt for a Wicked Good Summer BBQ

In the second segment I’ll be talking to the guys who put together Wicked Good Barbecue: Fearless Recipes from Two Damn Yankees Who Have Won the Biggest, Baddest BBQ Competition in the World.  

“A lot of serious barbecue champions have been waiting to see what secrets would be revealed in Chris and Andy’s book, and they are not going to be disappointed! These guys are both finely tuned chefs and hardcore pitmasters, a rare combination, and they’ve shared it all. I now understand how they won the world championship. The barbecue cookbook bar has just been raised.” —Ray Lampe, Dr. BBQ, author of Ribs, Chops, Steaks, and Wings

Last but not least…

Charles Krug Winemaker Stacy Clark
joins us to talk about her just released Sauvignon Blanc.  “2011 threw at us everything it could muster: a soggy spring, delayed fruit set and, icing on the cake, a late harvest. “Challenging” is a euphemism for the vintage.”   As luck would have it, 2011 was also the year that Charles Krug’s new winemaker, Stacy Clark, came on board, and the first large scale Sauvignon Blanc she ever produced.

2011: Bad vintage, no real experience with the varietal, first harvest at the new job—a winemaker’s perfect storm!

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2011 Charles Krug  Sauvignon Blanc

Our Sauvignon Blanc, from the first fruit harvested during our 150th anniversary year, evokes aromas of grapefruit, lime and a hint of tropical passion fruit. Tantalizing flavors of orange blossom and tangy citrus commingle with a sprightly acidity that provides a refreshing finish. As always,night harvests guarantee fruit freshness in our signature style wine.

A late harvest was due to below average temperatures, late spring rains, a cool growing season and rain during the summer. The winter rainfall was a full 30% above normal, much of it late. A few brief heat spikes did little to make up for the late start.

Pick up some Charles Krug Wines at Jacob Liquor Exchange and join us!

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