July 15 – Blue Ribbon Kitchen

Posted on July 13, 2023 by Guy

My guest this week is blue ribbon winner and internet sensation Linda Skeens with her new book Blue Ribbon kitchen!

Appalachian grandmother Linda Skeens became an internet sensation in the summer of 2022 after taking home dozens of blue ribbons in canning, baking, and crafting at the Virginia-Kentucky District Fair. The world soon learned that Linda had been entering county fairs for decades, frequently taking home the highest honors. Her first-ever published collection of recipes and family stories, Blue Ribbon Kitchen: Recipes and Tips from America’s Favorite County Fair Champion, answers the question that’s been on everyone’s mind. Get a copy NOW!

In her new book, she shares over 100 of her prize-winning and family-favorite recipes along with helpful tips, unique crafts, cherished memories and uplifting poems from Linda. You’ll find more than 30 of her prize-winning recipes in addition to more than 70 other family-favorite dishes. From canning and fudges to stews and casseroles, this cookbook features a lifetime of recipes collected and perfected by Linda Skeens. These recipes will inspire you to find comfort in your kitchen and may even help you win a blue ribbon or two at the next county fair.  www.lindaskeensblueribbon.com   @lindaskeensblueribbon

“Clear some space on your shelves! Linda Skeens, the Virginia grandmother who went viral for dominating her county fair’s cooking competitions last summer, has released her first cookbook. The 74-year-old’s legendary performance at last year’s Virginia-Kentucky District Fair earned her 25 separate ribbons and catapulted her to Internet fame. Now Skeens is sharing her secrets in her very own cookbook….Skeens shares 30 of her prize-winning recipes like her Peach-Raspberry Jam, Jalapeño Salsa, Buttermilk Biscuits with Pumpkin Butter, Pineapple Zucchini Bread, Piña Colada Fudge, and more. She’s also pulling back the curtain on 70 family favorites, including Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls, Fried Catfish with Tartar Sauce, Cornbread Dressing, and Oven-Fried Green Tomatoes.”  – Southern Living

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2022 Sea Salt Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand
Featuring wines from the two, premium winemaking regions of New Zealand, Sea Salt is a two-varietal brand in which the characteristics of the grapes and winemaking processes are uplifted by a slight effervescence. The hint of carbonation creates an incredibly fun and refreshing drinking experience, absolutely perfect for any social gathering.

This frizzante-style wine has grapefruit, nectarine, and gooseberry on the nose, with racy acidity, and delicate effervescence. The mouthfeel is soft and round but the palate is bright and shiny with lovely acidity and a long lingering yet subtle finish.

Enjoy with herbed pork or chicken, briny cheese and fruit platters, lightly-dressed garden veggies, or Asian food.

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July 1 – The Liquid Muse

Posted on June 26, 2023 by Guy

This will be FUN!  My guest this week is Natalie Bovis…AKA “The Liquid Muse” with her new book; Drinking With My Dog

Since founding The Liquid Muse in 2006, Natalie has been one of the leading women in her field while always keeping an eye toward community service. Natalie’s entrepreneurial endeavors draw from her background in project management, public relations, marketing, beverage product development, fundraising, and customized experiences for private, trade and corporate events. She is fluent in English, French and Spanish, and has judged bar competitions from Finland to New Zealand.

Bestselling author, award-winning mixologist, and passionate animal advocate Natalie Bovis pairs fascinating doggie trivia with easy-to-make drink recipes in this unique cocktail book for dog lovers.

If there’s one thing we know, it’s that we can survive anything with a furry companion and a cocktail by our side. Enter Drinking with My Dog, which combines our devotion to dogs with celebratory drinks in this charming, pet-centric cocktail book from Natalie Bovis of The Liquid Muse.

Inside you’ll find everything you need to know to set up your home bar and mix 60+ delicious cocktails organized into dog-themed chapters, featuring rescue dogs, famous furbabies, wild dogs, cocktails for pawlidays throughout the year, and more. Also included is canine history, whimsical illustrations, and toast-worthy quotes. Drinking with My Dog is the ideal companion for dog lovers and drink enthusiasts alike, and is the cocktail book we’ve always needed to help us raise a glass to wo/man’s best friend!

Natalie Bovis is an award-winning mixologist, culinary event producer, and writer with a passion for cocktails and animal advocacy. She founded The Liquid Muse in 2006 and penned three cocktail books, including the bestselling Preggatinis (Globe Pequot, 2009). Natalie writes for national food and lifestyle magazines and has shaken up cocktails on television shows around the United States. She is the co-founder/CMO of OM Chocolate Liqueur and teaches mixology classes to global audiences online. When not writing, Natalie is traveling, cooking, or walking her rescue dogs in the mountains above Santa Fe, New Mexico.  Follow Natalie on Facebook and Twitter!

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2020 Domaine du Closel Savennières, Clos du Papillon Chenin Blanc 
The Clos du Papillon parcel is a small valley (coulée), wonderfully exposed to the light of the Loire. We find shale, rhyolites but also quartz. The layer of arable soil is very thin (60 cm), which allows for excellent drainage of rainwater. To gather sustenance, the vines need to plunge their roots very deeply through the rocky soil.
During harvest, the pickers make several passes through the vineyard assuring that only grapes at peak maturity make it into this cuvée, from one of the finest vineyards in Savennières.

Expect ripe fruit aromatics including citrus, exotic fruit and baked quince or apple. In its youth, there can be a slight bitter almond edge that softens over the aging process. Expect this wine to drink well with 5-25 years of bottle age.

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Jun 24 – Trap Kitchen-Street Cocktails

Posted on June 20, 2023 by Guy

How about a new and different cocktail book from my guests, Malachi “Spank” Jenkins and Roberto “News” Smith

The Trap Kitchen franchise turns toward mixology with a comprehensive and creative guide to street cocktails, as this legendary culinary duo puts their spin on time-honored drinks on the go.

Elevate your book collection: Premium Svepa black faux leather cover, featuring intricate sculpture embossing for an exquisite, high-quality appearance.

It’s been four years since chefs Malachi “Spank” Jenkins and Roberto “News” Smith transformed their pop-up franchise Trap Kitchen into a book series. 2018’s Trap Kitchen: Bangin’ Recipes From Compton became a culinary favorite with 2022’s Trap Kitchen: Mac’N All Over The World proving equally as impactful. The gang members turned infamous culinary duo have had a steady rise in the cooking world and are now geared to take over mixology. TRAP KITCHEN: THE ART OF STREET COCKTAILS takes the time-honored culture of street cocktails and brings a Trap Kitchen twist, using favored libations and regional vernacular to create a one-of-a-kind experience.

The pandemic has only heightened the desire for drinks on the go, so The Art of Street Cocktails provides flavorful drinks that can be mixed, matched, and bottled, bringing the party everywhere you go. The Art of Street Cocktails includes creative mixes like the minty, rum cocktail Hulk Smash to a pineapple coconut flavored Trap Kitchen Cocktail, a nod to Trap Kitchen’s most famous pineapple chicken dish. TRAP KITCHEN: THE ART OF STREET COCKTAILS is more than just a drink guide for mobile mixology. It’s sending a strong nod to a social, urban, and regional tradition of making new mixes for the casual cocktail fan while keeping the innovation of Trap Kitchen alive with every sip.
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Later I’ll tell you all about a new cocktail event here in Wichita!

All the food & wine festivals are great, but what about a cocktail event? Save this date… July 16 from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. for the First Annual Wichita One Life Spirits Cocktail Competition. More Info and tickets, which are $50 a piece, are now available here.

Located at Odd Fellow Hall at 930 W. Douglas, all mixologists are invited to participate in this competition. Participants will submit a menu of 4 cocktails. Judges will select 10 finalists to compete in a 1 Public Round showcasing their Batched Cocktail and 3 elimination rounds showcasing a brunch, dinner, and dessert cocktail.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2021 Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay
Lush tropical fruit, lemon, lime and floral notes intertwines with nice minerality from the calciferous soils in the Santa Maria and Los Alamos Valleys. There is a touch of floral notes from the small amounts of Dijon and Rued clones, and a hint of vanilla and spice to round out the rich, long finish. ABV14.6%

 

100% estate sourced Chardonnay.  Made by Master Winemaker Randy Ullom!
· Aged 9 months in 86% French oak (29% new) and 14% American oak (1% new).
· Santa Barbara County is renowned as being one of California’s coolest grape growing
regions due to its unique east-west running valleys running along the coast.
· Santa Barbara’s cool, maritime climate results in a long growing season, with extended
hangtime on the vines giving these grapes more balanced ripeness and intense avors.
· This Chardonnay is sur lie aged with lees stirred twice monthly to integrate the fruit and
oak, and lend a creamy mouthfeel to balance the wine’s bright minerality.
· All of our estate vineyards are CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE

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Jun 17 – Ed Mitchell’s Barbecue

Posted on June 13, 2023 by Guy

It’s all about Carolina Barbecue with Ryan Mitchell co-author with his Dad Ed: Ed Mitchell’s Barbeque: Celebrating the Eastern North Carolina Whole Hog Barbeque of my African American Ancestors by Ed Michell and son Ryan Mitchell.

Ed Mitchell’s journey in the barbeque business began in 1991 with a lunch for his mama, who was grieving the loss of Ed’s father. Ed drove to the nearby Piggly Wiggly to buy a thirty-five-pound pig—that’s a small one—and fired up the coals. As smoke filled the air and the pork skin started to crackle, the few customers at the family bodega started to inquire about lunch and what smelled so good. More than thirty years later, Ed is known simply as “The Pitmaster” in barbeque circles and is widely considered one of the best at what he does.

In his first cookbook, a collaboration with his son, Ryan, and written with Zella Palmer, Ed explores the tradition of whole-hog barbeque that has made him famous. It’s a method passed down through generations over the course of 125 years and hearkens back even further than that, to his ancestors who were plantation sharecroppers and, before that, enslaved. Ed is one of the few remaining pitmasters to keep this barbeque tradition alive, and in Ed Mitchell’s Barbeque, he will share his methods for the first time and fill in the unwritten chapters of the rich and complex history of North Carolina whole-hog barbeque.

From cracklin to hush puppies, fried green tomatoes to deviled eggs, okra poppers, skillet cornbread, potato salad, and pickled pigs’ feet, Ed Mitchell’s Barbeque is filled with delicious and essential recipes honed over decades. And, of course, there is the barbeque—mouth-watering baby back ribs, smoked pork chops, backyard brisket, and barbequed chicken—all paired with lively and warmly told stories from the Mitchell family. Ed Mitchell’s Barbeque is rich with the history of Wilson, North Carolina, and yet promises to bring barbeque to the next level.  www.thepitmasteredmitchell.com

Follow Ed and Ryan on Facebook and Instagram

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2020 McPrice Myers “High On The Hog” Paso Robles Red Blend
High on the Hog shows notes of macerated cherries, strawberry reduction, sweet spice, spring flowers, plum tart, melted licorice, and fresh herbs. The palate has an exuberant, sweet approach, with a long, mineral-laced finish.  Pair with smoked brisket with red wine reduction barbecue sauce.

RP93 – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 2020 High on the Hog is a blend of 48% Grenache, 26% Petite Sirah, 7% Syrah, 7% Zinfandel, 5% Mourvèdre, 5% Malbec and 2% Lagrein. It has a deep ruby color and scents of tar, iron, underbrush and cured meats with a core of red cherries and potpourri. The medium-bodied palate is soft, supple and alluring with a long, floral finish. This is delicious and very easy to drink! Best After 2023.
WE91 – Wine Enthusiast
The nose offers inky iodine, cassis, beef and oak aromas, while the palate lands with satisfying richness, showing milk chocolate and more cassis flavors. Editors’ Choice
…
Something Big and Bold to go with Barbeque! Available at Jacob Liquor on N. Rock Rd.
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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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