Dec 12 – Ultimate Spam Cookbook

Posted on December 7, 2020 by Guy

Today it’s all about SPAM and The Ultimate Spam Cookbook!  Not the computer generated kind, the canned kind that you may or may not have fond memories from your earlier years.  I have great memories of my Grandfather slicing Spam in to 1/4 inch slices and pan frying it in bacon grease as a breakfast meat.

My guest is Tara Cox Executive Managing Editor at Rachael Ray Every Day magazine and founding editor-in-chief of RVLiving magazine. She’s an Author, Essayist, RV fan, Roadside America Enthusiast, Coney Island Baby, B+W Cookie Hunter, Old NYC Aficionado and wrote the forward for this fun cookbook. Learn more about Tara here.

One Little Blue Can, Endless Possibilities

The Ultimate SPAM Cookbook licensed by Hormel Foods
Order a copy NOW!

Cook with SPAM products like you never have before!

The Ultimate SPAM Cookbook is filled with more than 100 unique recipes for every meal of the day—from breakfast hash in the morning and a pulled BBQ sandwich for lunch to savory grilled kabobs for dinner and even guacamole dip for a snack in between.

Whether you want to prepare elevated, gourmet dishes or cook with classic, down-home style, these recipes have it all!

  • Over 100 one-of-a-kind recipes for every meal of the day
  • Discover out-of-the-box flavors with SPAM (R) products as the perfect ingredient to incorporate in new and updated ways
  • Recipes from celebrity chefs, Hormel Foods (R), TV personalities, food journalists, magazine publishers, restaurant owners, and other renowned industry leaders.

History of an Icon
During World War II, more than 130 million cans of SPAM products were purchased by the military, since delivering fresh meat to soldiers was difficult. During the war’s food shortages, it was then introduced to places such as Guam, Hawaii, the Philippines, and others.
A lot of people—even some SPAM® lovers like you— still aren’t sure what SPAM® Brand stands for. We’re spelling it out once and for all: Sizzle Pork And MMM®   www.spam.com

Tonight’s Virtual Wine Tasting
Fun Wine for Entertaining – December 12, 2020 – With Good Life Guy
Facebook LIVE, 6:00 p.m. Central, Details/Downloads below

  • 2019 Dark Horse Sauvignon Blanc
  • 2019 Dark Horse Pinot Grigio
  • 2018 Dark Horse Chardonnay
  • 2018 Dark Horse Merlot
  • 2019 Dark Horse Cabernet

Find these wines at Jacob Liquor on North Rock Road or your local wine merchant. Buy them all or what you like, can’t find the exact vintage or producer?  Buy a similar wine and join the FUN!

Downloads: FB Live tips  Dark Horse Tasting Sheet
Go here to join the party:  Guy’s Facebook Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…
Save the date: December 14th, 2020 On line auction benefit for the
Kansas Restaurant Hospitality Association
Bid on the Dinner for 8 at Scott Redler’s home with wines selected and served by Guy Bower

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Dec 5 – Give Me Liberty & Give Me A Drink!

Posted on November 30, 2020 by Guy

My guest this week is Jarrett Dieterle with his new book “Give Me Liberty and Give Me A Drink – 65 Cocktails to Protest America’s Most Outlandish Alcohol Laws.”

Across this nation, in breweries, liquor stores, bars, and even our own homes, we’re being stripped of our most basic boozy rights. Thanks to Prohibition and its 100-year hangover, some of the most outdated, bizarre, and laughably loony laws still on the books today center around alcohol and how we drink it.

In New Mexico, $1 margaritas are illegal. In Utah, cocktails must be mixed behind a barrier called the “Zion curtain.” And forget about happy hour in Massachusetts—the state banned it in 1984. But we don’t have to stand down and dry up—it’s time to take to liquid protest. Created by the nation’s leading alcohol policy expert, Give Me Liberty and Give Me a Drink! combines the thirst-inducing pleasure of trivia with 65 recipes for classic and innovative cocktails.

So arm yourself with a mezcal-based One Pint, Two Pint, inspired by Vermont’s ban on beer pitchers, or The Boiling Point, a beer cocktail that is highly illegal in Virginia, and get ready to drink your way to a revolution on the rocks.

Jarrett Dieterle is a leading alcohol policy expert, the editor in chief of DrinksReform.org, a contributing drinks writer for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and the director of commercial freedom and a senior fellow at the R Street Institute, a nonpartisan think tank based in Washington, DC. A graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and the University of Richmond, he has written about spirits, booze history, and questionable regulations for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the Washington Post, the New York Post, Forbes, Liquor.com, VinePair, SevenFifty Daily, and NPR’s James Beard Award–winning blog, The Salt. He is a native of Michigan and lives with his wife and Australian shepherd mix near Richmond, Virginia, where he never, ever has a boilermaker (thanks, Virginia government).

In the second half I’ll be talking to Chef Darrell “DAS” Smith.  DAS learned most of his cooking skills from his mother. His love for food and the culinary arts began to further develop at the age of 19 while training at Atlanta Technical College, where he focused on American cuisine. Shortly after graduation, Chef Das landed a position in Detroit, Michigan where he taught youth how to find motivation and express themselves, using food as a creative outlet. His admiration for teaching and food prompted an uncalculated move to Los Angeles, CA where he worked to hone his craft and create a living for himself as a full-time chef.

Chef Das has prepared cuisine for Michelle Obama’s luncheon in 2014. He has been featured on the Food Network’s hit shows “Next Food Network Star” and “The Great Food Truck Race”. He has served as a recurring expert on the Oprah Winfrey Network’s hit series, “Home Made Simple” and published a cook book that focuses on the fundamentals of cooking titled “Now Look Who’s Cooking”. Most recently, Chef Das was the personal chef to entertainment mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Chef DAS recently launched Spice Sack product line a custom spice blend company designed to take the intimidation out of cooking.
Want to be a part of a cool new product?  Visit the Kick Starter page and support Chef DAS and his creative “Spice Sack” products.  Learn more about Spice Sack here!….

Tonight’s Virtual Bubbles Tasting
Worldly Bubbles for Holidays or Any Days
December 5, 2020 – With Good Life Guy
Facebook LIVE, 6:00 p.m. Central, Details/Downloads below

  • Lamarca Prosecco – Italy
  • Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava – Spain
  • Bouvet Rose Excvellence Brut – France
  • Mumm Napa Brut Prestige – California

Find these bubbles at Jacob Liquor on North Rock Road or your local wine merchant. Buy them all or what you like, can’t find the exact producer?  Buy a similar bottle and join the FUN!

Downloads:
Champagne & Sparkling Wine Overview
Great Value Bubbles Tasting Notes

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Nov 28 – 15 Minute Guide to Wine

Posted on November 23, 2020 by Guy

First up is the always entertaining and informative Jim Laughren with his two new books 15 Minute Wine Guides

What if you could learn the essentials of wine in 15 minutes? Jim Laughren wants to help wine lovers achieve this goal.  He wants to help those who are curious about wine learn as much as possible in a short time.  The author of 50 Ways to Love Wine More hopes these e-books will broaden a wine lover’s wine education. In each book, Laughren details wine information such as color, flavor, characteristics, fermentation, varieties to explore and much more.  www.jimlaughren.com

“My intention with these books is to jumpstart the reader’s wine education,” said Laughren.  “In addition, my hope is they will stimulate readers to ask more questions and try many varieties of red and white wines.”

In 15 Minute Guide to Red Wine, Laughren shares his years of wine knowledge to answer the readers’ most in-depth wine questions.  This simple guide gives the reader details about what they really need to know to impress friends and colleagues.  Laughren stresses that there is no need for a 300-page study or a ten-week course to get a foundation in red wine.  Get a digital copy NOW

In the 15 Minute Guide to White Wine, Laughren makes white wine come alive with details about flavor, color, and varieties to explore.  Food Coma creator and host Joe Ricchio calls it “an easy to understand, unbiased description of wine and winemaking, and a useful guide to some wonderful, off-the-beaten-path white wines (there really is life after Chardonnay!).”  Get a digital copy NOW

About the Author
Jim Laughren, CWE, is also the award-winning author of “A Beer Drinker’s Guide to Knowing and Enjoying Fine Wine,” named a Kirkus “Indie Book of the Year” in 2013. He loves wine, and he has for a very long time. Known for his irreverent approach and abiding enthusiasm for all things fermented, he is president of Chicago-based WineHead Consulting and a former importer-distributor of fine wines from around the world. He loves nothing more than sharing his passion for excellent wine with others, whether by developing wine lists and beverage programs or through wine tastings or training.

Tonight’s Virtual Whiskey Tasting
Horse Soldier Bourbon – November 28, 2020 – With Good Life Guy
Facebook LIVE, 6:00 p.m. Central, Details/Downloads below

  • Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey
  • Barrel Strength Bourbon Whiskey

Find these Spirits at Jacob Liquor on North Rock Road or your local spirit merchant. Buy them all or what you like, can’t find the exact producer?  Buy a similar bourbon and join the FUN!

Downloads:
Horse Soldier Overview-Tasting Notes-Drink Recipes
FB Live tips
Go here to join the party:  Guy’s Facebook Page

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Nov 21 – Horse Soldier Bourbon – Ernst Loosen Riesling

Posted on November 16, 2020 by Guy

First up is retired Green Beret Major Mark Nutsch, who grew up near Washington Kansas and is a Kansas State University grad, LIVE from Jacob Liquor Exchange as he readies for a tasting and bottle signing of his Horse Soldier Bourbon from 1:00-2:30 p.m. Central.  A premium Bourbon and perfect holiday gift or indulgence for any Bourbon enthusiast.

Captain Mark Nutsch was the leader of the team that spearheaded the invasion of Afghanistan following the 9-11 attack on the World Trade Center.  Much of our brotherhood was forged in fire during the first days after the 9/11 attacks. Immediately following this affront on our nation, the USA responded with a daring insertion of small teams of Green Berets into northern Afghanistan. The Northern Alliance successfully overthrew Mazar-i-Sharif, a Taliban stronghold, with the support of these brave men. This region’s inhospitable, mountainous terrain made efforts and enemy engagements on wild Afghan horses a necessity for one Special Operations team (ODA595). Nicknamed the “Horse Soldiers” their story was told in the movie “12 Strong“, all these brave men are honored today by America’s Response Monument overlooking “Ground Zero” in New York City.

The New York City Port Authority has donated to our team steel recovered from the World Trade Center after 9/11.  Each bottle of Horse Soldier is formed in molds of this steel to honor the spirit of resilience and service that arose after the attack on our nation.
HorseSoldierBourbon.com

Mark Nutsch will be featured on an upcoming Virtual Tasting with Good Life Guy!

In the second half I’ll be talking to Kirk Wille “The Master of Riesling” (my moniker) to talk about his journey in wine and his affinity for Riesling.  Kirk is much more than a Riesling enthusiast, he has made a career in the wine biz and has had great impact on the enjoyment of Riesling from both Germany and other producers.  Wille, who resides in Oregon, works as the president and general manager of Loosen Bros. USA (Wine Importer of the Year 2020) and is also on the Board of Directors of the International Riesling Foundation (IRF).  The IRF is the organization that created and promotes the use of it’s Taste Profile graph on the back labels to indicate the sweetness level of the wine.  The Riesling Taste Profile is a way to help consumers understand what’s in the bottle, and is now showing up on other wines as well…great idea! Follow Loosen Bros. USA on Twitter and Facebook

We’ll tell you all about the wines in the Loosen Bros. portfolio and touch on the wines available locally as well as easily ordered on-line.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
Dr. Loosen
2018 BLUE SLATE RIESLING KABINETT
This classic Mosel Kabinett is harvested from higher-elevation parcels owned by
Dr. Loosen in the villages of Bernkastel, Graach and Wehlen. The wine is bright and
pure with the vibrant white peach fruit and a floral, flinty minerality that is so typical
from blue slate. A plush attack on the mid-palate leads to a deliciously firm, delicate
finish.

This wine makes an elegant aperitif and is an excellent match for seafood, spicy
Asian cuisine, and especially Thanksgiving Dinner.

Where to buy this wine: Ask your local wine merchant to get you some from Southern Glazers Distributors here in Kansas!
Or order on-line here: wine.com  totalwine.com  klwines.com

Tonight’s Virtual Wine Tasting
Wines for The Thanksgiving Table – November 21, 2020 – With Good Life Guy
Facebook LIVE, 6:00 p.m. Central, Details/Downloads below

  • NV Korbel Extra Dry Champagne, California
  • 2018 chapel Hill Sangiovese Rose, McLaren Vale Australia
  • 2018 Ernst Loosen Saint M Riesling, Pfalz Germany
  • 2017 Bogle Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel, California

Find these wines at Jacob Liquor on North Rock Road or your local wine merchant. Buy them all or what you like, can’t find the exact producer?  Buy a similar wine and join the FUN!

Downloads: Wines for The Thanksgiving Table
FB Live tips
Go here to join the party:  Guy’s Facebook Page

 

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Nov 14 – Hanson of Sonoma Vodka

Posted on November 10, 2020 by Guy

Up first this week is Award Winning Sommelier Jon McDaniel to share info about his partnership with Chef Wolfgang Puck and their November 19 Cooking Demo & Virtual Tasting “A Perfect Pairing – Thanksgiving & Rosé” on Facebook @chateaudeberne.
Live from the WP Test Kitchen at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles, Chef Puck will demonstrate his favorite traditional Thanksgiving recipes with award-winning sommelier Jon McDaniel offering up the top rosé pairings by Château de Berne, including Inspiration, Romance and Ultimate Provence wines.  The Thanksgiving-themed event will air virtually on Thursday, November 19th, 2020 at 7:30PM EST (4:30PM PST), online on various channels including Château de Berne’s official Website and Facebook page, Wolfgang Puck’s Facebook page, Jon McDaniel’s Facebook page, and others.
RSVPs : https://www.eventbrite.com/e/126146669083

I’ll have a Provencal rosé  from Jacob Liquor in-studio that would be splendid with Thanksgiving dinner 🙂
2019 Esprit Sud Coteaux D’Aix En Provence Rosé
A unique blend of Grenache, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah and Rolle. From Provence and intense! Beautiful pink white peach haues. Imagine picking wild strawberries in a field of mountain flowers. Hibuscus and watermelon puree on the nose, followed by the tastiest morsels of strawberry/lime sorbet, honeysuckle, toasted vanilla and cherries jubilee. Very refreshing. Pair this with grilled red snapper and scallops with salsa verde or better yet…Turkey 🙂

Then it’s all about Hanson of Sonoma Organic Vodka produced from grapes with proprietor Brandon Hanson.  The Hanson Family says:

“Where do we get our inspiration to make unique artisan craft spirits? From each one of us! As a family we have found our passion — one might say obsession — for making something truly unique that gives you the opportunity to choose something different and — we’re convinced you’ll agree — better.  Our vision of an organic, grape-based, gluten-free and non-GMO vodka is the embodiment of Hanson of Sonoma.”

“In the spirit of artisan craft, we distill in a combination pot and 50-plate column still. Our vodka is always distilled from organic grapes and infused with real, organic ingredients to create a pure, clean, and above all deliciously smooth vodka.  Hanson of Sonoma organic vodka is the first of its kind, and the product of countless hours of research, testing, and plain old hard work.”

“To make organic vodka from grapes, first you have to make wine. Mastering two crafts is a heck of a feat, so we turned to our neighbors and mentors, Ceja Vineyards, to guide us through the process.  We would not be here without their expertise, generosity, and willingness to jump on board with our ambitious endeavor. Not only are they extremely skilled in what they do (and willing to pass on their knowledge), they are also a family-owned winemaking operation that goes back three generations.  We’re blessed and grateful for this community; without it, our organic, non-GMO, grape-based vodka would not be possible.”  www.HansonofSonoma.com

 

Good Life Guy’s Virtual Wine Vodka Tasting – Nov 14, 6:00 p.m. Central
Face Book LIVE – Hanson of Sonoma Organic Vodka 

These spirits are available at Jacob Liquor on Rock Road.

  • Hanson Original Organic Vodka
  • Hanson Organic Mandarin Vodka

We’ll tell you all about the Hanson Family Distillery and the fine Vodka produced from grapes, then we will be mixing and tasting a couple of cocktails.  Print the Cocktail recipes below, purchase one or more Hanson products and join the FUN!
Hanson Signature Cocktails
FB Live tips
Go here to join the party:  Guy’s Facebook Page

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