Jan 16 – Winter Gatherings, World Soups

First up is Rick Rodgers with his latest book Winter Gatherings.

Winter Gatherings: Casual Food to Enjoy with Family and FriendsLooking for the perfect recipe to warm up a cold winter’s night? Making use of the hearty seasonal produce from root vegetables to apples, from leafy greens to lush pears, the recipes in Winter Gatherings bring winter’s flavors together perfectly.

Award-winning cooking instructor Rick Rodgers brings you purposefully cozy and uncomplicated recipes that highlight the particular flavors and tempting aromas of the winter season.

There’s no better way to warm up the hearth this time of year than by sharing a hearty meal with your friends and family. With mouthwatering, soul-satisfying recipes and inspiring color photographs, Winter Gatherings will brighten your holiday table all season long.

Then will continue the cold weather theme with the ultimate soup cookbook-from James Beard Cookbook of the Year award-winning author Clifford Wright.

Soup is an affordable, popular dish the world over. In The Best Soups in the World, renowned food scholar and cookbook author Clifford Wright compiles the globe’s most delicious soups into a single collection, exploring the history and cultural significance of each recipe along the way.

Perfect for cooks at any level of experience, the book includes traditional American and thrilling international flavors alike-from Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle to Thai Mushroom and Chile to Mexican Roasted Poblano and Three Cheese to Tuscan White Bean.

The Best Soups in the World presents exciting, enticing, easy-to-prepare recipes using common, easy-to-find ingredients-perfect for budget-conscious cooks whose tastes know no boundaries.

We’ll finish with a great cold weather “Wine of the Week”  

o7 cheverny Importer Kermit Lynch says: “In my view, Salvard’s Cheverny is the best Sauvignon Blanc value in the world, especially if you value classic varietal character in the Loire style, meaning relatively low alcohol, intense perfume, and crisp, invigorating body. Cheverny, which boasts a stunning château, is located between Reuilly and the great Chenin Blanc appellation of Vouvray. It is the northwest fringe of the Loire’s Sauvignon Blanc country.”

 
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Jan 9 – Sarah Janes Salsa and Clay Pot Cooking

green_tomato_sliceFirst up…Ms. Sarah May and her home grown & homemade Salsa!  “Fresh green tomatoes, jalapenos and bells from the garden combine to create a flavor sensation too good to keep to ourselves.  Experience the flavor in the spice variety of your choice.” 

 Home grown…Homemade…Taste the difference!

Sarah Jane’s
Wichita, KS
www.sarahjanesalsa.com

  

My next guest is Paula Wolfert with her latest book; Clay Pot Cooking – Traditional and Modern Recip-es to Savor and Share.  A one-of-a-kind cookbook showcasing modern and authentic clay pot cooking from the premier expert on Mediterranean cuisines

clay_pot_cookingPaula Wolfert is legendary for her expertise on and explorations of Mediterranean cooking. Now, Wolfert shares her inimitable passion for detail and insatiable curiosity about cultural traditions and innovations, with Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking.

Here, the self-confessed clay pot “junkie”-having collected in her travels ceramic pots of all sorts: cazuelas, tagines, baking dishes, bean pots, Romertopf baking dishes, French diablos, ordinary casseroles, even Crockpots, which have a ceramic liner-shares recipes as vibrant as the Mediterranean itself along with the delightful stories behind the earthy pots, irresistible dishes, and outstanding cooks she has met along the way.  Wolfert demystifies the process of clay pot cooking by which fresh ingredients are transformed slowly, richly, lusciously into magnificent meals. She shares 150 recipes featuring soups, fish and shellfish, poultry, meats, pasta and grains, vegetables and beans, pies and breads, eggs and dairy, and desserts.

 Good Life Guy’s wine of the week…A great value Gem from Spain

vina zaco2006 Vina Zaco Tempranillo from Rioja
“Black cherry and blackberry flavors are framed by smoky chocolate oak in this modern red, which is taut and focused, with firm tannins and bright acidity. Drink now through 2012.”

90 Points

Wine Spectator

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week is available at Jacob Liqour Exchange at Rock Road and 29th Street North!

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Jan 2, 2010 – Unforgettable Desserts, Terra d’Oro Moscato

Hard to believe it came and went so fast…but let’s start 2010 on a sweet note…

My guest is Dede Wilson, host of the PBS cooking show Seasonings with Dede Wilson, author of nunmerous cookbooks and contributing editor to Bon appetit.  We will be talking about her new book; “Unforgettable Desserts – More than 140 Memorable Dessert Recipes for All Year Round.”

Unforgettable Desserts (Hardcover) ~ Dede Wilson (Author) Cover ArtDessert is always a pleasure, but sometimes you want to up the ante a little, to make your guests utter a blissful sigh and lick their spoons. Packed with intriguing recipes and invaluable advice, Unforgettable Desserts helps you do just that. Baking expert and cooking show host Dede Wilson has created a collection of desserts that range from simple and elegant to exotic and extravagant. They are all absolutely unforgettable—and you don’t have to be a pastry chef to make them. In Dede’s hands, even the simplest, homiest treats like brownies and rice pudding become showstoppers. Dazzle your friends and family with treats that look as amazing as they taste!

Separate chapters give valuable information on equipment and ingredients, and provide basic recipes for pie doughs, cake layers, and cream fillings. Throughout the book, Dede offers expert advice on everything from choosing the right chocolate to keeping cookies crisp to making her recipes your own.  Luscious and instructive, Unforgettable Desserts gives you everything you need to make the last part of the meal the most memorable part.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of The Week…

Terra-d-Oro-Moscato-New-Package-Lo-Res-Label-Shot[1]A fun white wine with a little sweetness to make the new years desserts even better 😉

2008 Terra d’Oro Moscato

Bright, lush and floral, the Terra d’Oro 2008 Moscato really is the life of the party. The warm perfume of honeysuckle opens up to sun drenched peach, apricot and orange blossom. A rich, supple, mouthfeel swirls these flavors over the tongue, with a lip-smacking finish. Try pairing the Moscato with spicy Thai dishes, such as prawn and pineapple curry or match it up with a nectarine fruit tart or mango crème brulee.

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Dec 26 – Join Good Life Guy’s New Zealand Trip 2010

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of my wine loving friends!

new-zealand-wine-pure-discovery

This week it’s all about my New Zealand wine and food trip that you can be a part of…We depart on Sunday April 25, 2010 and enjoy seven days of first class touring from Auckland south to Marlborough.  We’ll see many of the essential tourist sites in addition to learning all about the wines of the many growing regions as we traverse the entire coutry.  My guest is our host for the trip Bert Queenin, a New Zealand based travel expert and wine and food enthusiast. 

Prospect Vineyard, Hawks Bay NZ

Prospect Vineyard, Hawks Bay NZ

Fresh and vibrant, New Zealand’s wine and food is amongst the best in the world. Taste is paramount. Talented and innovative chefs combine ingredients freshly harvested from garden, land and sea. Pacific influences, organics and indigenous foods make it unique.

New Zealand is a premier new-world wine country, producing award-winning wines that reflect the clean air and sunshine. Top quality wines are exported to cellars worldwide. Leading wine regions include West Auckland, Gisborne, Martinborough and Hawke’s Bay in the North Island and Marlborough, Central Otago and Canterbury in the South Island.

The Basics:

  • First class accommodations as listed or similar
  • All transfers and tours by private charter motorcoach
  • Sightseeing at some of NZ’s must see attractions
  • The services of experienced, English-speaking driver/guides
  •  (1 lunch includes wine and 3 of dinners include wine)
  • Round-trip coach excursion airfare from Wichita, Kansas

Click here for all the details

The Good Life wine of the week, available at Jacob Liquor Exchange…
2008 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc

whitehaven ab08winemaker’s notes:

Mid straw, with lemon tones. Vibrant currant-leaf, citrus and gooseberry aromas, with freshly cut herb undertones. A full flavored, medium bodied wine, with an abundance of archetypal currant and gooseberry flavors, that linger on the dry, clean finish.

Summer salads, poultry and shellfish, such as Marlborough’s famous green shell mussels, as well as lobster and white fish.

critical acclaim:

“Pale lemon yellow hue. Lively aromas of yellow fruit and stone fruit with soft herbal undertones. Bright acidity and a fine balance of minerals with green and yellow fruit. Cool-climate acidity and lovely, well-balanced citrus notes. Neatly melds New and Old World qualities.”

92 Points

The Wine News

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Dec 19 – CIA Soups, Duval-Leroy Champagne

When the weather turns cold, there is no better time for a steaming bowl of soup…

My guest is Chef David Kamen from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA).  David is the spokesperson for the many great books the CIA has produced and has been on the show many times in the past.   The New Book of Soups is a winter winner!

cia soupThe CIA has updated and expanded the selection of recipes for The New Book of Soups. The New Book of Soups contains all the recipes you’ve come to enjoy from the original Book of Soups plus 30 brand new recipes and more than 130 new full-color photos. We also added a chapter devoted to stews as well as Shopping for Soup Ingrendients, a valuable resource for planning your trip to the market. The New Book of Soups is the home cook’s ultimate guide for the preparation of delicious soups and stews for any season or occasion.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week featured at Jacob Liquor Exchange
duvalleroy parisA little bubbles to make your Christmas bright!
NV Duval Leroy Paris

Gold, straw-yellow color with abundant mousse, delicate fine bubbles, and aromas of  elegant fresh fruits, white flowers, honeysuckle and hazelnut.  This fine moderate priced Champagne is a pleasure to drink…and the fancy bottle is cute too. 🙂

Duval-Leroy continues its tradition of exceptional champagnes with a silk-screened bottle, signed by its favorite artist, the American painter LeRoy Neiman. He evokes Paris, the city of lights, a symbol of “art de vivre” and luxury.

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