Jun 10 – Shrimp & Grits

Posted on June 5, 2023 by Guy

My first guest this week is Julius West, we’ll be talking about his journey in food and more importantly “Shrimp and Grits!”

Chef Julius West’s love of food developed as a child traveling the U.S. as the son of an Air Force Sargeant. While his dad was serving, Julius spent hours in the kitchen with his mom where she taught him that thoughtfully preparing traditional, homestyle dishes is a way to show others care and respect.

This inspired Julius to open his food truck in 2012 where his delicious shrimp & grits quickly became the most popular dish on the menu. Julius has now decided to bottle this fan favorite to make it easy for anyone to enjoy this delicious, time-honoured regional favorite at home.​

Good Life Guy grew up in South Florida and while some may not think that counts as “The South”, it counted in my house.  I make some pretty good shrimp and grits.  When I tried Chef West’s tasty sauce, golden grits and seafood seasoning I was hooked.  Easy as Sunday mornin’ and more tasty than my Dad made.  You can literally have a great meal, that’s as attractive on the plate as it is in your mouth in mere minutes. Just add some shrimp, I used the jumbo shell on shrimp from COSTCO.

Then it’s all about Gunnar’s Wheated Bourbon from Kansas with Tim Daniels.

Gunnar’s Bourbon is an all-American privately held partnership between three hard working families.  We salute the entrepreneurial spirit of those, like us, who are willing to take risks to build something on their own.

Gunnar’s Bourbon Company is situated in the heart of wheat country, Sedan Kansas. Surrounded by the Chautauqua hills and fields of wheat.  Kansas is a place where a handshake is your bond, and your word still means something. There is a long and rich tradition of entrepreneurship, agriculture, and a Kansan work ethic that’s second to none.

Tim Daniels, Partner – Manager, and our talented distiller retired from Bacardi USA after 24 years as their Senior Research Scientist. With a degree in chemistry, Daniels specializes in research and development and is passionate about working with fermentation and raw materials to craft Gunnar’s Bourbon.  Tim draws on over 30 years of experience to deliver innovative exceptional high quality wheated bourbon.  

The legacy continues with Tim Daniels Jr. and Mathew Daniels working beside their father creating Gunnar’s Bourbon

Good Life Guy’s Wine Spirit of the Week:
Gunnar’s Wheated Heritage Expression Bourbon
Our precisely crafted mix of grains include 63% corn for just enough bourbon sweetness, 34% wheat for a gentle mellow feel, and a small amount of barley for the perfectly balanced wheater. Featured in Wine Enthusiast’s “10 Bottles that prove some of the best bourbon isn’t from Kentucky”. Bottled at 90 proof.

Kansas is known as the Wheat State and at Gunnar’s our specialty is Wheated Bourbon. Wheated Bourbon is a style of bourbon in which the secondary grain in its mash bill is wheat, rather than the much spicier rye.  Without the spice or heat of rye this style of bourbon is exceptionally smooth and easy to enjoy neat or on the rocks. We take pride in using grain from local farmers we call friends not too far from where we call home. Join the wheat revolution.

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June 3rd – Janet Fletcher “Gatherr”

Posted on May 31, 2023 by Guy

My guest this week is Janet Fletcher, the author or co-author of more than 30 books on food and beverage. Her weekly blog, Planet Cheese, is read by cheese enthusiasts internationally, and she is a member of the Guilde Internationale des Fromagers. A longtime contributor to the San Francisco Chronicle, Janet has received three James Beard Awards and the IACP Bert Greene Award for her newspaper journalism. Her writing has also appeared in The New York Times and numerous national magazines, including Saveur, Bon Appetit, Fine Cooking, Culture and Food & Wine. A resident of California’s Napa Valley, where she maintains a large garden of perennials and edibles, Janet teaches cooking and cheese-appreciation classes around the country. And…she has been a guest on The Good Life before! (www.janetfletcher.com)

We will talking about a number of the many things she has been a part of, starting with her journey in cheese.  Her website and blog, cheese classes, instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and her most recent book Gather: Casual Cooking from Wine Country Gardens 

Some of the tastiest California cooking today comes from wineries with edible gardens, and now you can take a visual tour of these magical culinary green spaces, peek inside the winery kitchens that reap the harvest, and bring sun-ripened flavors into your own home kitchen. Gather: Casual Cooking from Wine Country Gardens showcases some of California’s most ambitious wineries’ culinary gardens and the fresh, wine-friendly dishes they inspire, all vividly captured by three-time James Beard Award–winner Janet Fletcher. Bring the garden to the plate California-style with Heirloom Tomato and Peach Salad with Burrata or Golden Beet Gazpacho. Enjoy a glass of Sauvignon Blanc alongside Crostini with Garden Carrots, Goat Cheese, and Dukkah; or savor a platter of crisp spring vegetables with Caramelized Spring Onion Dip. To show off a fine California red wine, try Spring Lamb Chops Scottadito with Charred Tomato and Black Olive Tapenade or Slow-Roasted Beef Short Ribs with Broccoli di Cicco and Farro. The book’s garden-inspired desserts include luscious finales such as Blood Orange Crème Brûlée, Cheesecake with Blueberry Gelée, and Lemon Verbena Apricots with Olive Oil–Sea Salt Ice Cream. In more than 60 delicious recipes, Gather delivers the finest of California’s wine country to your door, demonstrating the creative ways that wineries use their garden bounty to please their guests and complement their wines.

Get a copy NOW!

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2022 Ciena Rosé from South Africa
Inspired by traditional bubbles and happiness. This elegant still wine combines early harvest Chardonnay and Pinot Noir into a harmonious blend of freshness and spicy tropical fruits. A unique palate experience that walks the tight line between richness and sophisticated  Playfulness. Savor with a bit of sunshine and good friends. 70% Chardonnay/30% Pinot Noir from Certified Sustainable Vineyards. ABV13%

Available at Jacob Liquor Exchange East – Perfect for the recent warm weather

Hope to see you at DecantICT Sunday
June 4th 2:00-5:00 p.m.
Wichita Marriott East.
Must have made reservations prior! 🙂

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May 27 – BUDMO!

Posted on May 23, 2023 by Guy

My guest this week is Anna Voloshyna with her new book “BUDMO! – Recipes from a Ukrainian Kitchen.”

Celebrate the rich culture of Ukrainian cuisine with these traditional Eastern European recipes infused with a fresh, contemporary approach for today’s home kitchen, from one of today’s most exciting young chefs of Ukrainian cuisine.

With its emphasis on fresh ingredients, time-honored heritage, and warm hospitality, Eastern European cuisine is having a culinary moment, in addition to Ukraine being of great current interest.

Meaning “cheers!” in Ukrainian, Budmo! is the first cookbook to celebrate classic Eastern European recipes with a modern, creative twist. Presented by Ukrainian-born, California-based chef, blogger, and culinary instructor Anna Voloshyna, bright flavors and vibrant ingredients sing from each plate. A gorgeous magenta pkhali comes alive with roasted beets and a tangy pomegranate molasses. Borscht is reinvented with green sorrels and semi-soft eggs. And Voloshyna even shares a personal recipe for her Ukrainian grandmother’s duck—roasted to a delicious crispy-brown perfection. These are the dishes that are perfect for gathering your favorite people with, and each one is bound to uncover the mouthwatering flavors and traditions of this endlessly fascinating part of the world.  Get a copy NOW!

Anna Voloshyna was born in southern Ukraine in 1990 and relocated to the United States in 2011. She is a chef, blogger, and culinary instructor who translates Eastern European cuisine and flavors into approachable dishes for the modern home cook, and is particularly known for her wildly successful pop-up dinners and workshops. She resides with her husband in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Follow Anna on Facebook

“Ten Best Books About Food of 2022: In this colorful cookbook you’ll find recipes for dishes like cold borscht, dark cherry varenyky and sweet pumpkin rice kasha from Ukrainian native Anna Voloshyna, who moved to California in 2011. Known for hosting pop-up dinners and cooking classes, Voloshyna is also a food stylist, photographer and blogger. In her debut cookbook, she offers modern and American spins on the typical dishes she grew up with, and she also includes details like food origins, customs and traditions in each recipe’s headnote. Budmo, which is how Ukrainians say “cheers,” shares the country’s complicated history that has led up to the current war, while simultaneously celebrating its varied and vibrant cuisine.” —SMITHSONIAN.COM

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2021 The Pairing Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County AVA, California
Low yields and cool days created a blend that is both bold and rich as well as chiseled and steely. Citrus and green melon and hints of baking spice. Ready to pop and pour, it shines immediately out of the bottle.  Invigorating combination of ripe and silky fruit alongside a refreshing backbone of vibrant acidity. An inviting and delectable Chardonnay that offers something for everyone.
BARREL AGING 1/3 neutral French oak, 1/3 New French oak, 1/3 stainless tanks 1/3 went through malolactic fermentation.
CASES PRODUCED: 500

Wine Enthusiast 93
Focused aromas of Meyer lemon, crushed rocks and light pear show on the nose of this county cuvée. The palate is extremely mineral driven, like licking white rocks that are dusted with oyster shells and lemon zest. Kiwi flesh adds some roundness.
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May 20 – (Serious) New Cook

Posted on May 16, 2023 by Guy

Two interesting guests this week, Leah Su Quiroga and Cammie Kim Lin with the new book: (Serious) New Cook: Recipes, Tips, and Techniques.

Inspiration and stellar instruction in a groundbreaking resource for new(ish) cooks ready to level up. Perfect for teens and college students, twenty-somethings cooking in their own first kitchens, or folks of any age who are ready to get serious about making great food. 

“Learning how to cook—simply, seasonally, and organically, for family and friends—is one of the most fulfilling things you can do in life. This book is the essential (and delicious!) roadmap you need: friendly, approachable, and perfectly ready to inspire new cooks to fall in love.” —Alice Waters, chef, restaurateur, author, and American culinary icon

Filled with recipes for impressive, craveable food—with all the guidance needed to make it—(Serious) New Cook is perfect for young adults or any new(ish) cooks who have ever found themselves salivating at cooking TikToks or drooling over gorgeous cookbooks, only to believe they aren’t skilled enough to attempt the recipes themselves. Here, the clear, detailed instruction and stunning step-by-step photography will have readers wowing their friends and families from their very first dish. Along with recipes that are at once aspirational and totally doable, authors Leah Su Quiroga and Cammie Kim Lin use their experience as a chef from one of America’s top restaurants and an award-winning teacher and writer to deftly share knowledge, stories, and brilliant tips with humor and insight.

It’s an homage to their own multicultural families and to the countless young adults they’ve taught and cooked with—their own kids, Cammie’s high school and college students, the new cooks who came up under Leah in the Chez Panisse kitchen. (Serious) New Cook hits all the right notes, packed with inspired takes on familiar favorites, as well as new flavors to build an expansive repertoire: crepes with compote, handmade arepas, “broken” Caesar salad, mushroom pot pie, Korean bulgogi meatballs, classic cupcakes, dalgona milkshakes, and more. With stunning step-by-step photography by Molly DeCoudreaux, the recipes are presented in trios organized around a core technique or concept. Learn one recipe and readers will be well on their way to mastering all three. Also included are guest recipes from acclaimed chefs and authors Alice Waters, Bryant Terry, Sean Sherman, Sohui Kim, Russell Moore, Claire Ptak, Scott Peacock and Edna Lewis, ushering a new generation of (serious) new cooks into the fold. More than just a collection of recipes, (Serious) New Cook is an indispensable resource and an inspiring guide.  Check out this video

About The Authors 

Leah & Cammie

Leah Su Quiroga cooked for over a decade at Alice Waters’s renowned California restaurant, Chez Panisse, where she started out as an intern and quickly worked her way up to head chef. She currently lives in Sebastopol, California, where she’s raising a family. Cammie Kim Lin, Leah’s sister, is a serious home cook who got her start in commercial kitchens before becoming a professor and writer. She teaches at New York University and lives in Brooklyn, New York with her family, which includes the two teenaged (serious) new cooks featured throughout the book. Cal Peternell, also a former head chef at Chez Panisse, is the New York Times best-selling author of numerous cookbooks, including Twelve Recipes and Burnt Toast and Other Disasters.    Order a copy NOW

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Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2019 Peake Ranch Sierra Madre Vineyard Chardonnay
Sierra Madre Vineyard is situated on a sandy, south-facing slope, and produces a wine that is concentrated, decadent and complex. Caramel, sea salt and nutmeg aromatics are balanced by ripe stone fruits, granny smith apples and honeydew. The wine’s flamboyant attributes of richness and lusciousness are balanced by an acidic tension culminating with a long, velvety-textured finish. 100% Chardonnay, ABV14.5%
…
96 points Jeb Dunnuck:
“The 2019 Chardonnay Sierra Madre Vineyard comes from the Santa Maria Valley and was barrel fermented and aged 18 months in French oak, 45% new. More lemon, golden apple, chamomile, and savory herbs emerge from this beauty, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a bright spine of acidity, beautiful balance, and a great finish. It’s another remarkable wine delivering California fruit in a Burgundian style.” – Jeb Dunnuck
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94 points Wine Enthusiast:
“Light in the glass, this wine begins with clean and soft aromas of nectarine, orange cake, sea salt and apple flesh. A lime juice acidity splashes into the palate, where lightly poached Asian pear, salted apple slices and crisp jicama flavors align, returning to lemony acid on the finish.” -Matt Kettmann 
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Learn more about Peake Ranch wines – A good wine for a serious cook!
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May 13 – Eat Real America

Posted on May 9, 2023 by Guy

My guest this week is Krista Sanderson, c0-founder of “Eat Real America” and co-author of the “Eat Real Cookbook” with her partner and nutritionist Zonya Foco.

Krista is passionate about teaching people how to eat REAL food and make it taste delicious, and the funny thing is,  and Scott (her husband) are frequently asked “What do you really eat?”.  So, for Lent they decided to do a short (less than 5 min) video recap every day to show people exactly that…what we eat!  Krista says; “Yes, it was a video of our meals, every single day!”

“We started to think we were crazy and bit off way more than we bargained for, but then it got easier and was really enjoyable!  There ended up being 47 videos!  We posted them on Facebook and Instagram and they can also be found on our You Tube Eat REAL America channel.  We also did a coaching tip re-cap after Easter and have this posted on our Eat REAL America website.  You can find it here:  What Do We Eat Coaching Tip.  It sums up what we learned and some of the feedback we received.  This has inspired us to now begin working on a program to help people who want to improve their health but don’t know where to start when it comes to eating healthy.”

MEET KRISTA SANDERSON, REAL FOOD CHAMPION, WIFE AND MOM
Hi!  My name is Krista Sanderson and I live in Wichita, KS with my husband, two kids, and our spoiled Border Collie.  I have a HUGE passion for enjoying REAL food!  After many, many different ideas on how to help others enjoy all the benefits of REAL food, in 2013 (with the help from some great partners), our service, Get REAL Wichita, was born.  After a year of talking to our members, learning, helping others, and building the content on Get REAL Wichita, we were asked repeatedly to expand beyond Wichita…thus, the birth of Eat REAL America…with weekly meal ideas, recipes, blog topics, tips and more — all focused on REAL food!

Later in the show I’ll be talking to CEO Rovin Singh about Mode Chocolate, a company co-founded with his wife COO Crystal Braganza.

Crystal and Rovin have been married for almost four years and welcomed their first child into the world last summer. They started Mode to create delicious chocolate without the sugar highs and crashes. Each with significant CPG and retail experience, they’re putting their skills to good use and sharing their innovative chocolate bar with a health-focused customer.

Crystal and Rovin started Mode after their love affair with chocolate turned into a troublesome relationship with food. Too much sugar was taking a toll on their health and cutting it out only made them crave it more. So, they cleared off the kitchen island and began experimenting. Days turned into weeks and weeks into years, but they finally created a delicious chocolate bar—combining just a few ingredients you can actually pronounce, without all the sugar.

“We believe that guilt, permission and shame shouldn’t drive our decisions around food, and the less we have to think about food, the easier it will be to live our lives. Mode exists to give you an easier option to enjoy chocolate, however it fits into your life.   Great tasting chocolate without the extra sugar.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2019 Bodegas La Purísima Red Blend from Spain
La Purisima has a gorgeous black cherry color, with good intensity. There is a prevalence of ripe fruit, with hints of vanilla, toast and spicy notes. The nose is clean and complex with many nuances. The palate is fleshy, long and powerful with great fruit and spice on the finish.

Critical Acclaim JS93 James Suckling
An excellent blend with 85% monastrell, 10% syrah and 5% garnacha. Deep and glossy with blackberries, wild spices, tar and mineral. Concentrated but not hefty. Juicy, with a medium-to full-bodied palate enveloped by fresh, chalky tannins. Balance is the key here.

A Jacob Liquor Exchange exclusive with limited quantity available at the North Rock store!

This wine is a great value and brings BIG flavor to the party…

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