July 30 – The Tequila Diet

Posted on July 25, 2022 by Guy

My guest this week is chef Dave Martin with his new book The Tequila Diet.
Learn more here 🙂

Top Chef Alum Dave Martin brings you ‘The Tequila Diet’, an homage to the world’s greatest spirit and a guide to some of the most loved classic foods of Mexico. This easy-to-follow book is a collection of recipes influenced by Dave’s adolescent years growing up in Southern California combined with his adult adventures traveling throughout Mexico. His deep reverence for Tequila is apparent through his use of the spirit in his tasty cocktails and several dishes where it makes sense. You’ll love learning more about tequila while you cook your way through this curated collection of Mexican favorites. Let this book be the delicious beginning of your own love affair with Mexican food and drink!

Enjoy simple Salsas & Ceviche or attempt your own Homemade Empanadas or Triple Chile Enchilada Sauce (pasilla, chipotle & guajillo). Learn how to recreate regional favorites like Mole Negro (a chocolate & chile based sauce), Birria (slow braised beef, goat or lamb) or Posole (a stew of pork, hominy & pinto beans). There are lighter takes on traditional dishes that will please even the pickiest eaters. Pan Roasted Fish Tacos, Tequila Braised Carnitas and Baked Chile Rellenos are packed full of flavor and friendlier to the waistline.

Inspired by Mexico and infused with Tequila, Dave brings the flavors of Mexican cocktails from his bar to yours with Tequila based drinks that you can replicate in your own home. Saddle up to the Cabo Cool-Aid with hibiscus soda, the Reynosa Ranch Water muddled with fresh cucumber or the Punta Mita Paloma (a new take on the original made Dave’s way with a blast of grapefruit hard seltzer). Along with signature cocktails, Dave has included tequila pairings for every dish to help make this book the ultimate entertaining companion. Get a copy NOW!  Follow The Tequila Diet on Facebook and Twitter

Dave Martin is an American Chef who first made a name for himself on the small screen with an unforgettable appearance on the inaugural season of Bravo’s Top Chef. Since the show, he’s gone on to have a busy career in restaurant consulting, events, and private chef work. In his down time, he loves to eat, drink and explore – spending as much time as possible traveling and becoming an expert at global cuisine.

While Dave loves the cuisine of every country he visits, his love for Mexican food and tequila is beyond compare. Dave is excited to share that love, and a piece of Mexico with everyone through food and drink.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2021 Bonny Doon vineyard Picpoul, Central Coast California
Winemaker Notes:
“The redoubtable Beeswax Vineyard in the Arroyo Seco appellation of Monterey County has the very singular and coincidental habit of producing white grapes expressing the unique scent of…well, beeswax. Along with beeswax, one apprehends the rather discreet scent of white flowers and perhaps pineapple. But while the scent of Picpoul is subtle, one is forcefully struck by the wine’s bracing acidity and its unique savoriness (who’s you-mami?). A soupcon of Grenache Blancs adds a discreet measure of weight and texture; further, there is a discernible quality of brininess that makes this wine and aboslutely perfect match for all manner of crustacean and molluscan nutriment.” – Randall Grahm (Winemaker/Founder)
90% Picpoul, 10% Grenache Blanc, ABV11%

“The 2021 Bonny Doon Vineyard Picpoul stands out as one of the “coolest” American white wines and one that is off the beaten track.  This wine shines with aromas and flavors of dried savory spices, earth, and tart fruit. Enjoy it with a bowl of steamed mussels and clams in a light garlic broth.” Wilford Wong – Wine.com 91  Wine Enthusiast 91

Grab a bottle at Jacob Liquor on North Rock Road and joins us

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July 23 – The Miller’s Daughter

Posted on July 18, 2022 by Guy

My guest this week is Emma Zimmerman, author of The Miller’s Daughter – unusual Flours & Heritage Grains 

The Miller’s Daughter is a cookbook at the forefront of America’s heritage grain movement with 80 glorious recipes and beautiful, candid stories that celebrate community, agriculture, sustainability, and the place of grains at every table.

Emma Zimmerman with her father, Jeff, is a rebel and a dreamer on the outskirts of rural Phoenix. In a country overrun by corporate, homogenized grain farming, the daughter-father team are champions of rare and near-extinct varieties of ancient grains. The rejuvenation of their business, Arizona’s Hayden Flour Mills, is an unlikely tale of an underdog rising from the Wild West.

In The Miller’s Daughter, Emma shares her stories of entrepreneurship and personal growth alongside stunning documentary photography. Her insights show readers how grains can and should be used to elevate our meals every day. Organized by grain (from farro to white sonora to red fife to corn, barley, durum, and rye), Emma’s collection of recipes covers breakfast, sweet, savory and mains within each chapter. Think recipes for chickpea cookies, pink polenta with crispy pancetta, sprouted barley salad, farro crust tart, white sonora berry salad – and much more. This is the true and captivating story of a mill restarted, of near-extinct grains rescued, and a whole host of nourishing dishes created and enjoyed along the way.  Follow Hayden Flour Mill on Facebook Instagram & Twitter

Emma Zimmerman co-founded Hayden Flour Mills in Arizona, USA with her father Jeff Zimmerman in 2011. The family business is devoted to making the freshest and tastiest flours from some of the world’s oldest varieties of wheat. Today, Hayden Flour Mills grows multiple different heritage and ancient grains. The grains are milled into heritage baking mixes, stoneground polenta, pasta flour, pizza flour and artisan bread flour. Hayden Flour Mills’ products have a loyal following and are available in 500+ retail stores including Whole Foods Markets and Eataly. Their flours have also been featured in Martha Stewart Living, Eating Well, Saveur, Bon Appetit, and Marie Claire.

Emma was also named by Marie Claire as one of “Six Women Who Make Going Big in the Food World Look Like a Piece of Cake”.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2018 Louis Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Notes of of black cherry, blackberry and plum are complemented by hits of toasted oak, dried currant and baking spice. Fine-grained tannins and ample brightness on the palate give way to a polished mouthfeel and exceptionally long finish. Blend: 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petite Sirah, 2% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec, 1% Merlot. ABV15%

Critical Acclaim

JS93 – James Suckling
A slightly high-toned red with walnut, berry, chocolate and spice on the nose and palate. Medium-to full-bodied with chewy tannins and a rich finish. A little firmer and tighter than in the past, which equates to a more serious red. A touch of petit sirah in this. Drink or hold.
WS91 – Wine Spectator
Solid and direct, with a core of plum sauce and cassis wrapped in warm vanilla-accented toast. Picks up tobacco and licorice root hints through the grippy finish.
WE90 – Wine Enthusiast
This wine delivers flavors of jammy blackberry, cherry, dark chocolate and graham cracker that make for a decadent, approachable experience. Drinkable now, it will please an array of palates. Editors’ Choice.

 

Pickup a bottle at Jacob Liquor Exchange on North Rock Road
or your local wine merchant, and taste with me Saturday!

 

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Jul 16 – Everyday Celebrations

Posted on July 11, 2022 by Guy

My guest this week is Maria Provenzano with her new book “Everyday Celebrations From Scratch.”

Why wait for the holidays to celebrate?

Life’s everyday moments are worthy of connecting people together with food and crafts. Everyday Celebrations from Scratch is filled with impressive (yet easy) recipes, step-by-step craft tutorials, and inspiration to set the scene–all to help you create the life you want, from scratch.

First, Maria shares the essentials of everyday celebrations, including must-haves for a well-stocked pantry and the basic supplies for craft activities anyone can do.

Each section of the book provides inspiration for both food and do-it-yourself (DIY) projects, so you can invest minimum time for maximum impact! Discover how fun it can be to celebrate . . .

  • Weeknight meals, so even a takeout night is memorable
  • Family, including an inspiring and nourishing breakfast before a loved one’s major presentation or important test
  • Friendship, with crafts like custom bookmarks for your reading club or wine glass tags for a girl’s night in
  • Sports, which can involve the best-ever tailgating party or a neighborhood backyard Olympics
  • Seasons, to make it even easier to feel festive all year round

Everyday celebrations are the foundations of memories that last a lifetime, and Maria will show you just how easy it can be!

Maria Provenzano is a lifestyle expert who loves inspiring others through crafting and unique recipes. She believes in all things homemade and hopes to encourage others to add a bit of creativity (and fun!) to every day.

Maria is the creator of the site FromScratchwithMaria.com and has had recipes published in numerous magazines, including Bake from Scratch Magazine, Taste of Home, Luxe Life Magazine, and Focus Magazine. She has also been featured on such sites as The Local Moms Network, LaurenConrad.com, Refinery 29, CafeMoms, and Giada De Laurentiis’s Giada: A Digital Weekly.

On Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family, Maria shares her love of homemade crafts, food, and do-it-yourself (DIY) projects. As a mother, she also loves to inspire families to come together through crafting with kids. A native of the Great Lakes State of Michigan, Maria graduated from Florida State University with a BA in theatre and moved to Los Angeles after completing her degree. She is a wife and a mom to two happy boys, and she loves yoga, a great cup of coffee, and spending time with her family.

Maria is a lover of all things crafty and is obsessed with cooking and feeding those around her. She is self-taught–and mom-taught, taking inspiration from the most imaginative, organized, detail-oriented person she knows: her mom! Her hope is to inspire others to be hands-on in their own lives. Follow Maria on Instagram @fromscratchwithmaria or on Facebook and Twitter

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week from Argentina:
2019 Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec
Fresh and fragrant nose of lavender, balsamic, plums, thyme, black pepper, and sweet black cherries. Nice crunchy graphite texture, with a lovely core of fruit concentration supported by lively acidity. Smart and delicious. ABV14%
Learn more here!

Critical Acclaim
JS93 James Suckling: Ripe cherries, lavender, shea butter and milk chocolate. It’s full-bodied with round, ripe tannins and a creamy texture. Seamless and caressing with a long, polished finish.

WW91 Wilfred Wong of Wine.com: The 2019 Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec is a husky red that delivers. This wine exhibits aromas and flavors of active red and black fruits. Pair it with grilled beef kebabs.
…
Available at Jacob Liquor Exchange or your favorite wine store www.jacobliquor.com
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Jul 9 – Kiolbassa Smoked Meats

Posted on July 5, 2022 by Guy

First up this week is Michael Kiolbassa, The King of the family owned and operated business in Texas.

There are many sausage companies and sausage brands. But there’s only one that’s as BIG AND BOLD as the state of Texas itself: Kiolbassa Smoked Meats. Genuine. Honest. Always delicious. Since 1949, the Kiolbassa family has been devoted to the time-honored tradition of hand-crafting sausage and bacon the slow, authentic way. We use only the finest cuts of meats and the freshest spices. We slow-craft our meats in small batches, then it’s smoked over hardwood. It’s never hurried, never compromised and contains no MSG or fillers. Just real, authentic meats crafted the old-fashioned Texas way. Bold. Hearty. And so satisfying. You’ll want to take your time enjoying Kiolbassa Smoked Meats. Because we sure took our time making them.

In October of 1949, Kiolbassa opened its doors to the Southwest side of San Antonio and began selling their smoked sausages. It would be slowly smoked with natural hardwoods, and made only in small batches.

  Michael Kiolbassa

Coming up quickly behind him, Robert’s son Michael started as a salesman within the company in 1987. He quickly learned the ropes of the business and the meat industry, and knew it was important to begin building partnerships with other local grocers.

After investing a lot of time and effort into networking, Kiolbassa became available in a few select HEB stores across San Antonio. Michael began delivering the product to HEB from his own truck, and as Kiolbassa gained popularity, it was picked up in HEB distribution centers. A few years later, Kiolbassa was able to gain distribution to Costco stores around the country.
Learn more at: www.kiolbassa.com

Later in the show I’ll be talking to long time friend Tiya Tonn, avid promoter of Butler County beef, including her own brand of premium beef, Satchel Creek Farms. Tiya and I will tell you all about the upcoming event “2022 Farm to Fork and So Much More.” 

The Butler County Farm Bureau Association is now selling tickets for its annual Farm to Fork and So Much More event in July. This year the event expands to eight days, July 16 to July 23, and includes agribusiness workshops and a public agri-art exhibit. Follow on Facebook!

Since 2016, the annual event brings urban and rural people together. The highlight is the one-day bus tour on July 23 that brings urban consumers to rural parts of the county to visit the farms and ranches, and the families producing their food source. The tour ends at Fulton Valley Farms south of Towanda with a dinner featuring locally sourced foods prepared by culinary chefs and students of Butler Community College’s Redler Institute of Culinary Arts.

“Everything we serve at dinner is produced in Butler County,” said Tiya Tonn, Butler County Farm Bureau Association county coordinator and Farm to Fork chair. “Whether its beef, pork, vegetables, fruit, breads, honey, cheese, it is all from our local producers. This is always a highlight. Each year people really enjoy it.” Learn more and get tickets

Good Life Guy’s Wine of The Week:
2019 Z. Alexander Brown Uncaged Cabernet Sauvignon
This rich Cabernet Sauvignon unfolds with rich aromas of black cherry, mocha and sweet toasted oak notes. Bold tannins frame a powerful mid-palate layered with mouth-filling flavors of black cherry and milk chocolate. Smooth and balanced, an elegant finesse defines the long and lingering finish. ABV14.5%   Pairs well with grilled Fillet Mignon, robust pasta, blue cheese.  Learn more here!  Follow on Facebook and Twitter

Grab a bottle at Jacob Liquor Exchange on N. Rock Road and taste with Good Life Guy

Critical Acclaim  
Tasting Panel 92
Distinctive and seductive, with a mélange of dark red fruit, mocha, and cedar in a generous and round body. This red unites power with princely charm.

Wine Enthusiast 90
This sturdy, deeply flavored wine checks all the boxes for excellent Cabernet. It shows subtle oak-spice aromas, concentrated black-cherry flavors and lavish fine-grained tannins that massage the palate.

 

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Jun 25 – This Week’s Show

Posted on June 20, 2022 by Guy

My guest this week is Dr. Will Bulsiewicz (you can call him Dr. B) with his new book; The Fiber Fueled cookbook.

The instant New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestseller!

New York Times bestselling author Dr. Will Bulsiewicz offers a groundbreaking cookbook packed with delicious plant-based recipes, as well as a targeted plan for overcoming food sensitivities.

Leading gastroenterologist Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, or “Dr. B,” introduced readers to the wonders of fiber with the New York Times bestseller Fiber Fueled—a guide to optimizing the gut microbiome, sharpening immunity, lowering cholesterol, and promoting weight loss through a diet rich in diverse fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Rather than restriction, Dr. B’s solution is abundance and variety. Now he applies all the principles of the Fiber Fueled diet in a cookbook that’s as beautiful as it is practical.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
NV Castello Del Poggio Rosé
This seductive, crisp, and delicate Italian wine is delightfully refreshing with notes of cantaloupe, white peach, pomegranate and cyclamen flower. Fruity, fresh and smooth, this off-dryRose is versatile enough to enjoy all year round. ABV7%
…
This wine is low in Alcohol = Less calories, it’s dairy free, gluten free and vegan friendly
When it’s HOT, this wine is a good choice.
…
Available at Jacob Liquor Exchange on North Rock Road
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