Dec 12 – Entertaining, Olsen Estates Petit Verdot

Posted on December 10, 2009 by Guy

entertain cover

My first guest is Denise Vivaldo with her new book, perfect for this time of the year…The Entertaining Encyclopedia

The reliable and easy guide to planning any event – from dinner parties at home to weddings, birthdays and banquets.

This is the essential guide to planning any event on budget and with all details considered. In today’s challenging economy, people are rediscovering the fun and frugality of hosting parties and throwing their own celebrations, and The Entertaining Encyclopedia is the only do-it-yourself guide they will need. Every phase of entertaining is covered, from how to write and create your own invitations to deciding on a theme and planning and serving the food — even advice on getting rid of guests who have overstayed their welcome!

Also included are 200 recipes and 25 comprehensive menus, allowing readers to plan and host any gathering, from a picnic-boxed lunch to a Chinese banquet to an Oscar-night party. These recipes are foolproof, straightforward and loaded with insider tips and ideas, whether entertaining on a budget or planning a large event.

Then it’s all about Olsen Estates with Martin Olsen!

2007 Olsen Estates Petit Verdot

2007 Olsen Estates Petit Verdot

Black cherry, tobacco and chocolate surround a core of blackberry and cassis with a long luscious finish. 

  • 92 points: Wine Advocate
  • Bronze, San Francisco International Wine Competition
  • Gold, Seattle Wine Awards, 2009
Posted in Other | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Dec 5 – Home Catering and New Classic Family Dinners

Posted on December 1, 2009 by Guy

chefH-picPlanning on a little holiday entertaining…don’t want to do all the work, yet still have a class act dinner for 8, 10 or 12 in your own home?  You need my guest “Chef H!”  Harry Pape has been a BIG part of the charity scene for many years, donating his culinary talents to many great live auctions.  Now that former business executive Pape has a little more time on his hands, he is doing in-home event creation featuring several great menus and some creative wine pairings.

It’s not too late to find a date for your holiday event and let Chef H do all the work, you just provide the table, linens and the guests…Harry does it all.  Tune in for this fun show.  Check out www.chefh.net 

There’s more food, wine and fun for your ears in the second half…I’ll be talking to Chef/Restauranter Mark Peel about his new book – “Family Dinner Night”

A sumptuous collection of the best “Family Dinner Night” recipes from Mark Peel’s award-winning Los Angeles restaurant, Campanile

For more than ten years, acclaimed chef Mark Peel has used Campanile’s Monday night dinner menus to present his own special takes on popular comfort food dishes like eggplant parmesan and beef goulash. In New Classic Family Dinners, he shares recipes for more than 200 of his best-ever versions of family favorites such as Macaroni and Cheese with Wild Mushrooms, Steak with Anchovy Butter, and Monkfish Osso Bucco.

Peel’s explanations and excellent guidance make it easy to follow the recipes, both for those relatively new in the kitchen as well as for more experienced cooks. 
Click here to get a copy NOW!

…and the Good Life Guy Wine of the Week:

2003 E. Guigal Chateauneuf-du-Pape

guigal cht du pape80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 5% Mourvèdre and others from 45 year-old vines. A deep dark red in the glass with aromas of spices and mature red fruits. In the mouth, round tannins with powerful complexity. A rich unctuous wine with notes of mature plums, hazelnuts and red fruits. A very rich wine full of harmony and balance.

Serve with: Red meat, game bird and cheese.

Posted in Other | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nov 28 – Recipes from Historic California, Wine Trials 2010 & Campo Viejo Reservea

Posted on November 24, 2009 by Guy

Product Image Recipes from Historic California (A Restaurant Guide and Cookbook) (Hardcover)

My first guest, Linda Bauer is the author of a series of books featuring Recipes from several states that highlight some of the off the beaten path destinations for great food.  Her and husband Steve have added recipes from each of these great destinations.

Although part of America, California has a good deal of state-exclusive culture. “Recipes from Historic California: A Restaurant Guide and Cookbook” is an exploration of California’s culinary culture. The recipes of historic restaurants serving food one won’t be able to find anywhere else in the state are spotlighted. “Recipes from Historic California” is a delicious sample of California, and something that the adventurous eater and cook will relish.

 

winetrials2010In the second half I’ll tell you about a great new book by Robin Goldstein & Alexis Herschkowitsch called “Wine Trials 2010 – 150 Wines under $15”  Updated for 2010 and covering 50 percent more wines, it’s the breakthrough wine guide that enamored the media⎯”Devilishly delightful” (Dallas Morning News), “Everyday wine drinkers can rejoice” (Newsweek), rattled the snobs⎯”Malicious duplicity!” (Wine Spectator) ⎯and caught the attention of consumers looking to drink better wines for less.

Now the hardworking authors and editors, along with a double-blind panel of wine experts and consumers, blind-tasted wines under $15 that will be available to consumers in 2009 and 2010. The Wine Trials 2010 will reveal the 150 winners of this year’s competition⎯the best wines on the market for under $15.

 

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week: 2004 Campo Viejo Reserva – Rioja
campo viejo 04One of the wines featured in The Wine Trials 2010!  A great value red wine from one of my favorite producers in Rioja, this lighter style blend of Tempranillo, Graciano, and Mazuelo is a perfect match if lamb is on your holiday entertaining menu.  My first taste of Campo Viejo was the 1964 Gran Reserva at a small restaurante in the village of Torrejon when I was stationed in Spain in the late 70’s; it was this wine that my wife and I fell in love over during long dinners.  😉

Winemaker says; Ruby red with a golden hue at the rim, bright and deep. Complex nose. On the fruit side, it reveals the sum of the sensations contributed by the grape varieties used in its blend: cherry, black plum, ripe, juicy blackberries. The time spent in the cask brings cloves, pepper, vanilla, coconut, enriched by the aromas which evolve during the time in the bottle. Smooth, balanced mouth-feel, elegant and full, with a long, lingering finish.

Posted in Other | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Nov 21 – 500 Best Sauces, Dressing, Marinades & More; 2005 Ironstone Reserve Meritage

Posted on November 16, 2009 by Guy

500 Best Sauces, Salad Dressings, Marinades and MoreAuthor George Geary joins us to talk about his new book 500 Best Sauces, Salad Dressings, Marinades & More.

As more people get serious about cooking at home, they look to dress up old recipes. The easiest and most effective way of doing this is by using a sauce, salad dressing or marinade. The addition of one of these elements can turn a simple meal into a spectacular meal.

Grilled steak with a rich mushroom sauce. Pomegranate vinaigrette dressing on fresh greens. These are just two examples of the incredibly delicious yet easy-to-prepare recipes featured in this book, and many are accompanied by tips and techniques.

 

Roman-Patty-MeltSutter Home Winery 2009 Build a Better Burger winner was Suzanne Banfield of New Jersey.  An innovative and tasty take on a patty melt…click here for the recipe!

 

 

Then it’s all about family run Ironstone Vineyards with winemaker Stephan Kautz.  Stephan will be in Wichita for the American Institute of Wine & Food annual holiday dinner at the Wichita Marriott December 5th.

2005 Reserve MeritageWine of the week: 2005 Ironstone Reserve Meritage

92 POINTS, Wine Enthusiast, May 2009!

Aromas of blackberry jam, cassis and cola layered by mint and white pepper are displayed. Luscious cooked berry fruit fills the mouth with hints of vanilla and rich blackberry carries through to a smooth and well-rounded finish.

This is just one of the wines being poured December 5th at the AIWF holiday dinner.  To learn more and make reservations: www.aiwfwichita.org

Posted in Other | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nov 14 – Classic Lebanese Cuisine & Chateau Musar Hochar

Posted on November 8, 2009 by Guy

classiclebaneseMy guest is Chef Kamal Al-Faqih with his new book Classic Lebanese Cuisine.

The cuisine of Lebanon epitomizes the best of the Mediterranean diet, which is esteemed for its health benefits. Abounding in a wealth of heart-healthy ingredients—including fresh vegetables, grains, herbs, and spices; poultry; lamb; yogurt; and olive oil—it yields meals replete with robust, earthy flavors. In Classic Lebanese Cuisine, a leading chef presents 170 dazzling recipes that reflect the full breadth of authentic Lebanese cuisine. Many recipes include several variations, giving you the option of preparing a vegetarian dish or adding chicken, lamb, or beef.
Featuring favorites such as baba ghannouj, tabbouli, and kibbi, and a large variety of Lebanese classics ranging from entrees to hors d’oeuvres, salads, desserts, and side dishes, this book also presents Chef Kamal Al-Faqih’s signature dishes. From London broil layered with garlic yogurt and pita, to heart-healthy fire-roasted wheat with lamb, he developed these singularly sumptuous recipes over two decades as the preeminent Mediterranean caterer in the Washington, D.C., area. Feedback from clients, friends, and family allowed him to focus on each dish individually and refine the ingredients and flavors. And, more recently, he devoted two years to further perfecting these recipes—for this book.    
We are lucky to have a great selection of Lebanese restaurants here in Wichita, but if you want to try making this cuisine at home Chef Kamal’s books is a kitchen requirement!
 
Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week, available at Jacob Liquor Exchange at Rock Road and 29th St. North

Wine of The Week:  From Lebanon & The Bekaa Valley
hochar label2001 Chateau Musar Hochar Père et Fils
Produced by Château Musar and derived from old vines with low yield, the Hochar Père et Fils is in harmony with the evolution of taste in the 21st century.
A mix of cabernet sauvignon-25%, of carignan-25% with a dominance of cinsault-50% and a hint of grenache, the HPF is partially aged in oak vats 6 to 9 months.
“Serge Hochar is a remarkable man – after all would you brave the ravages of war just to make wine? Only the vintages of 1976 and 1984 succumbed and became another casualty of war, but Serge has stuck it out to fight his “own personal battle”. The wine is supple and balanced with complex layers of berry fruits; mulberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants with a touch of cedar.”
Posted in Other | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment