My first guest is the World Famous author, cooking instructor, bon vivant and more; Rick Rodgers. He’s been busy as always adding to his list of more than 35 cookbooks with his latest collaboration with Heather Maclean; The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Sixties Cookbook. Just in time for the new season of the AMC hit series Mad Men.
As Don Draper famously said, “Nostalgia: a twinge in your heart far more powerful than memory alone.” Nostalgia, of course, also calls to one’s appetite. Thanks in part to the popular series Mad Men, fans are discovering the classic cuisine of the 1960’s; whether to revisit the favorite recipes of their childhoods or to celebrate the comforting, sometimes kitschy, always-satisfying dishes of the era, including:
• Waldorf Salad
• Sweet and Sour Meatballs
• Beef Stroganoff
• Steakhouse Creamed Spinach
• Buttermilk Dinner Rolls
• Cherries Jubilee
• Daiquiri Lime and Gelatin Mold
• Classic cocktails such as Blue Hawaiians, Brandy Alexanders, and Manhattans
• And many more!
Each recipe is adapted for the modern palate, with less fat and healthier ingredients than in the originals (no more bacon fat as a kitchen staple!). Full-color photographs showcase the food, proving that retro cuisine can be sophisticated and delicious. The Sensational Sixties Cookbook will also provide tips on hosting the ultimate sixties soiree, complete with menus, music playlists, and table decorations. So grab a swizzle stick, put Bobby Darin on the turntable, and get cooking—sixties style!
In the second half, it’s all about one of my newest favorite producer of great wine from California; Uvaggio. The BIG Cheese and winemaking magician of Uvaggio Jim Moore joins us to share info about the company and the wines that have just arrived here in the Midwest.
“Uvaggio is the result of two guys who represent a triple threat: too much experience, a low threshold for boredom and a desire to do something unique, which is why we make wines in California with grape varieties indigenous to Italy. In the past we have made Arneis, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, even a Vin Santo. Our current portfolio includes Barbera, Moscato, Primitivo and Vermentino. Our theory is simple: if California has a climate perfect for growing Mediterranean varietals, why not take advantage of it?”
“Based on our theory – if we grow the right grape in the right place, we can manage to get by with our respective degrees in psychology and geography. (If one of us gets lost then other can figure out why.) However, when you grow grapes in the wrong place, you probably need a Master’s Degree from UC Davis to make the wine taste good (if you are lucky). We think we have found the right places in Lodi for growing our grapes and urge you to discover this for yourself and try our wines.”
Good Life Guy’s Wines of the Week: Everything Uvaggio
2010 Uvaggio Muscato Secco
One of the finest dry style muscato’s I have ever enjoyed, it’s rich and round; lively mandarin and cantaloupe aromas; flavors of melon mixed with exotic tropical fruits like mango, papaya and star fruit. This wine is magic and we are lucky to have it here in Kansas. Find you some and join us!
Pick up a bottle at Jacob Liquor Exchange on North Rock Road
Extravagant, Opulent, and Exclusive are all words to describe POSH. Posh Handcrafted Red wine is a robust and sumptuous red wine of carefully selected grapes from some of the best Vineyards in the Northern Coast of California. We have carefully shaped this wine to consist of 39% Mendocino County Zinfandel, 32% Mendocino County Syrah, 26% Mendocino County Petite Sirah, with 3% Other Varietals for Complexity.
