Mar 28 – Plants Only Kitchen & Vineyard 7 & 8

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Guy

My first guest this week is Chef Gaz Oakley a UK based Chef that is rocking the world with his creative veggie recipes.  His latest book is Plants Only Kitchen – Over 70 Delicious, Super Simple, Powerful & Protein-Packed Recipes for Busy People. Get a copy NOW!

Plants-Only Kitchen offers an explosion of flavor, with more than 70 vegan recipes that work around your lifestyle. With symbols flagging whether recipes are high-protein, take less than 15 minutes, or are suitable for meal prep and batch cooking, Plants-Only Kitchen explains how best to make a vegan diet work for you. No fuss, no fancy ingredients – just fantastic food using plants, only.  Gaz Oakley (aka @avantgardevegan) has amassed well over a million followers on social media with his exciting vegan dishes, which emphasize that a plant-based diet doesn’t mean missing out on taste. In Plants-Only Kitchen, Gaz’s recipes are easier than ever before – following his step-by-step instructions, tips and advice, anyone can cook great vegan food.

Gaz Oakley is passionate about vegan cooking. He became a chef in Cardiff, UK, at the age of 15. Inspired to follow a healthier lifestyle, he decided to change his diet and go vegan. Using the techniques he had learned working as a professional chef, he started devising beautiful, innovative vegan dishes. His Instagram and youtube channel @avantgardevegan has been phenomenally successful. His books Vegan 100 and Vegan Christmas were instant hits worldwide.  Subscribe to Chef Gaz’ You Tube Channel 

Later in the program I’ll be telling you about a great way to pre-order from the all new Elderslie Farm “Family Menu” for curbside pickup at the Farm’s Creamery. You can also pre-order and pickup fresh Elderslie Farm cheese too!

Then it’s all about Vineyard 7 & 8 and Correlation Winery with Estate Director and Associate Winemaker Wesley Steffens.

Following their appreciation and enjoyment of fine wine, Launny and Weezie Steffens journeyed to the Napa Valley in search of a great estate they could call their own. After a persistent and thorough search throughout the Napa Valley, in 1999 they purchased the forty-acre property atop Spring Mountain that is now Vineyard 7 & 8.  The Steffen’s Son Wesley if now playing a major role in the success of this magnificent wine producer! Vineyard7and8.com  Instagram   Follow Vineyard 7 & 8 on Face Book

Wesley’s journey in the Napa Valley began in 2001 after graduating from the Culinary Institute of America. Spending nearly two years working for Thomas Keller at The French Laundry, Wesley focused on expanding upon his passion for food and wine. In 2002 Wes began as a harvest intern at Harlan Estate Winery where he gained a deep appreciation and understanding of the winemaking process. After four years as a member of the winemaking team at Harlan Estate and BOND Estates wineries, Wes’ journey then led him up Spring Mountain to Vineyard 7 & 8 where he took the reins of his family’s dream.

Surrounded by a word-class team, including Winemaker Martha McClellan, Wes’ role as the winery’s Estate Director and Associate Winemaker allows him to focus on the constant quest for not only the utmost in wine quality but also growing the awareness of the brand and providing a premiere guest experience.
Instagram
Follow Correlation Winery on Face Book

Good Life Guy’s Wines of the week:
2013 vineyard 7 & 8 Correlation Cabernet
The 2013 Correlation Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a very rich, concentrated nose, beautiful color, and wonderful structure in which to develop. The only wine crafted from multiple vineyard sources, the Correlation was built to represent the relationship between vintner and grower.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Correlation spent 26 months in 95% new French oak and shows a heavy dose of vanillin and graphite. The color is dense ruby/purple, the wine pure, ripe, medium to fullbodied, powerful and masculine. Give it 4-5 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 20-25 years. Barrel Sample: 93-95 Points.
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2014 Correlation Winery Cabernet
The 2014 Correlation Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot.  The fruit is sourced from two estate vineyards farmed on top of Spring Mountain, as well as the Beckstoffer Melrose Vineyard in Rutherford, CA.  Martha McClellan and Wesley Steffens worked in tandem to craft this inaugural release. The resulting wine shows very focused yet fresh and vibrant aromatics, polished tannins with great tension, smooth texture throughout the wine ending with a very pleasing and lengthy finish. This wine will drink very well upon release, as well will continue to reward with aging in the cellar for many years to come.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
His 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot. This is a 1,100-case cuvee showing loads of blueberry and blackcurrant fruit, licorice, charcoal embers and baking spices. It is dense, full-bodied, ripe and much in the style of 2014 with its lusciousness and elegant precociousness. Drink it over the next 15 or so years. WA94
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Mar 21 – Bilinski Sausage & “How to Drink” :-)

Posted on March 17, 2020 by Guy

First up today is Stacie Waters, founding Owner and BIG Cheese at Bilinski Sausage Company.

Stacie is CEO and owner of Bilinski Sausage Co, a third-generation family business, headquartered in Cohoes, New York. Under her direction, Bilinski’s transformed from a regional old-world sausage company to a one of the country’s most innovative and respected organic meat processors, committed to making sausages from responsibly-raised organic chicken and simple, every-day ingredients. Stacie grew up in the meat business, but began her career in the technology industry after graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University. Later, she earned a Masters degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and served as an advisor to the US government on national security policy issues. In 2004, she returned to New York’s Capital Region to reinvent and grow the family business. Stacie lives in Clifton Park, NY with her husband and two sons and enjoys hiking, training for triathlons, and inventing new flavors of sausages in her home kitchen. Learn more at bilinski.com

Stacie says: “Back in 1989, our family created a better-for-you sausage made from chicken — the first of its kind — because we believed that sausages could be made responsibly and still be delicious. From our first chicken sausage over 25 years ago until now, our values have remained unchanged. We believe that real food is made simply – building from the ground up, we use only whole ingredients that are sourced, grown, and raised with integrity.”  Follow Bilinski on Facebook and Twitter

Later in the program I’ll be talking to Michael Fontaine, Editor and Translator of a very cool book “How To Drink – A Classical Guide to the Art of Imbibing.”  The manuscript was published in 1536 by Vincent Obsopoeus.

A spirited new translation of a forgotten classic, shot through with timeless wisdom

Is there an art to drinking alcohol? Can drinking ever be a virtue? The Renaissance humanist and neoclassical poet Vincent Obsopoeus (ca. 1498–1539) thought so. In the winelands of sixteenth-century Germany, he witnessed the birth of a poisonous new culture of bingeing, hazing, peer pressure, and competitive drinking. Alarmed, and inspired by the Roman poet Ovid’s Art of Love, he wrote The Art of Drinking (De Arte Bibendi) (1536), a how-to manual for drinking with pleasure and discrimination. In How to Drink, Michael Fontaine offers the first proper English translation of Obsopoeus’s text, rendering his poetry into spirited, contemporary prose and uncorking a forgotten classic that will appeal to drinkers of all kinds and (legal) ages.

Arguing that moderation, not abstinence, is the key to lasting sobriety, and that drinking can be a virtue if it is done with rules and limits, Obsopoeus teaches us how to manage our drinking, how to win friends at social gatherings, and how to give a proper toast. But he also says that drinking to excess on occasion is okay—and he even tells us how to win drinking games, citing extensive personal experience.  Get a copy NOW!

Complete with the original Latin on facing pages, this sparkling work is as intoxicating today as when it was first published.

 

Michael Fontaine is professor of classics and associate vice provost of undergraduate education at Cornell University. His books include Funny Words in Plautine Comedy and The Oxford Handbook of Greek and Roman Comedy.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2015 Chateau Bel Air Gloria Haut-Medoc
This wine has a ripe, clean and pure bouquet with attractive dark cherries and blackberry scents, neatly integrated with the oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fleshy ripe dark cherries laced with spice and black tea, nicely structured with an almost heady but attractive finish. Enjoy this lush Cru Bourgeois over the next five to seven years.  75% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc

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Mar 14 – Best Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook

Posted on March 11, 2020 by Guy

Coming to you this Saturday LIVE from InSite Real Estate Group in Delano and the St. Patrick’s Day parade.  The parade starts at Noon on Douglas St. from McLean to Walnut.   The Corona Virus Sucks!!!

Well that didn’t happen 🙁  Stay home and listen to The Good Life on KNSS 98.7/1330

My first guest is Dan Unruh of InSite who has been one of the biggest supporters of the Delano district and a driving force in the development and growth of this famous part of Wichita.

Then I’ll be speaking with Toby Amador about her new book “The Best Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook” available April 1st. Tobyamidornutrition.com

Level up your rotisserie chicken game with more than 100 recipes that will save dinner on even the busiest of weeknights.

Rotisserie chicken is available for $5-15 in most grocery stores and warehouse clubs across North America, and has incredible meal time potential. If you’re in the market for easy, cheap and downright delicious dinner options, then you’re in luck. The Best Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook showcases the versatility of store-bought and ready-to-eat rotisserie chicken and the multitude of easy ways you can prepare and enjoy it. Bestselling cookbook author Toby Amidor includes sections on rotisserie 101, cooking made easy, cooking for one, for two and for families, meals in 15 minutes or less, meals in 5 ingredients or less, one pot/pan meals, freezer friendly meals and meal prepping (with helpful icons throughout). You’ll find recipes for breakfast, appetizers and snacks, soups and sandwiches, salads, mains, sides, dressings, sauces and condiments.

Follow Toby on Face Book & Twitter

Then City Council Representative Cindy Claycomb joins us to talk about all the improvements in Delano and what we can look forward to in the future.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2018 Prisoner Wine Company “Unshackled” Red Blend
Unshackled Red Blend opens with aromas of raspberry, blueberry and crushed violets. Flavors of spiced dried cherries, florals and a hint of white pepper translate to a balanced red blend wine supported with a generious mouthfeel. A blend of Zinfandel, Malbec, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Grenache is barrel aged in French and American oak casks for 10 months before bottling. Serve just below room temperature by refrigerating this wine bottle for up to 30 minutes. Pair this red wine blend with BBQ Pork Ribs or a Portobello Mushroom burger.

WW90 – Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2018 Unshackled Red Wine is ripe and lush. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows excellent richness without going over-the-top. Its powerful aromas and flavors of black fruit and licorice should pair it well with pan-seared hanger steak. (Tasted: January 17, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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Mar 7 – Wine Legend Gary Eberle

Posted on March 2, 2020 by Guy

Another great interview this week with one of the founding fathers of Paso Robles wines, Gary Eberle.  I have known Gary for many years, a fellow aviator, an innovator and talented winemaker and of course the founder of Eberle Winery.

Gary Eberle grew up in Moon Township, Pennsylvania and was an all-star football player in high school. He was awarded a full ride scholarship to play football at Penn State in 1962. He earned a Bachelor of Science in biology, then attended Louisiana State University (LSU) for graduate work in cellular genetics. His success earned him a National Fellowship to Charity Hospital in New Orleans, where a professor introduced him to Bordeaux wine; one year later, Gary headed to U.C. Davis to study enology. Gary received a degree in Enology in 1971 and headed south to Paso Robles in 1973.   www.eberlewinery.com

Gary released his first Eberle wine, the 1979 Cabernet Sauvignon debuting the iconic boar logo, depicting the German origin of the name Eberle, meaning “small boar.  Since then, he has earned recognition for many firsts including recognition for co-founding the Paso Robles Appellation in 1983, the first to use Paso Robles appellation on his wine label, the first to produce a 100% Syrah commercially, amongst many more. Gary has also earned awards of the years including the 2015 Wine Industry Lifetime Achievement award and most recently was honored with being named the 2019 Robert Mondavi Hospitality Award.

Join us and learn about the great winemaker, his winery and the many wines produced!
Follow this link to see some great videos at The Wine History Project!
Also be on the lookout for “Full Boar – The Legacy” about Gary and his winery.

Gary’s wines are not currently available here in Kansas but you can order online and have them shipped direct.  Be sure to join the wine club and plan a visit to this great stalwart of Paso Robles.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2017 Chateau De L’Hyverniere Muscadet, Loire Valley –  France
The wine displays a limpid, pale green color has a complex aromatic structure of roses and lilies, while to the taste, it’s subtle and relatively low in acid but extremely lively on the palate.  Light, fresh style, demanding shellfish, with crisp, green acidity and just a hint of creamy baked apple. Just what a Muscadet should be, enjoyable now and for the rest of the year.  The ideal accompaniment to all shellfish (oysters, clams, mussels, etc.), fish in beurre blanc sauce, saucisses au Muscadet (sausages in Muscadet).  100% Melon de Bourgogne

This fine Loire Valley white wine, perfect for spring sipping is available at Jacob liquor Exchange!

 

 

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Feb 29 – Jeff Runquist Wines

Posted on February 26, 2020 by Guy

Happy Leap year my friends!
This week’s show is all about one of my favorite wines from Amador County and the award winning winemaker who crafts these wines.

My guest is Jeff Runquist, the award winning proprietor (along with his wife Margie) of Runquist Wines.  I first met Jeff and Margie when I took 12 friends on a magnificent Barbera wine cruise to Alaska several years ago.  I love Barbera and we enjoyed many great wines from around the globe but especially those of Amador County.  Needless to say, the wines with a big “R” on the label stole the show.

For the adventurous wine drinker looking to explore the diversity of the wine world, Jeff Runquist Wines offers unique varietals from California’s premier appellations inspired by the curiosity and passions of our growers and winemakers.

I’m not the only one who thinks Jeff Runquist Wines are top shelf!  The winery was awarded the distinction of California’s “Golden State Winery of the year” for 2019 by the California State Fair wine competition.  I judge at several commercial wine competitions.  Just got back from the 30th Annual New World International Wine Competition (NWIWC.com).

Guess who won overall best red wine out of over 600 wines entered…
2018 Jeff Runquist Tempranillo!

Jeff says “We produce balanced wines that can be enjoyed in their youth, but will also age and become more complex with time. Our wines share a theme of fresh fruit reflective of the varietal flavors inherent in the grape.” Follow Runquist Wines on Facebook and Twitter

While we don’t have Runquist wines on the shelves here in Kansas, you can order his wines on line and have them delivered to you directly!

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2018 Jeff Runquist Temprnillo, Liberty Oaks Vineyard, Lodi
The 2018 Tempranillo has ruby purple color of significant depth; this is not Petite Sirah, but it is darker than most Tempranillos.  The hues are a youthful garnet color.  Briary blackberry, dark raspberry and plums are the featured characters in the opening act.  Ten months in small oak barrels provides a note of milk chocolate along with subtle whiffs of oak, smoke and ash to the bouquet’s supporting role.  The main act has savory flavors of black raspberry and dark cherry along with creamy toasted oak delivered by a wine with a mild texture.  There are more tannins to this play than in previous presentations.  They are mature and manifest themselves by providing this wine with added viscosity along with a mild chalky dryness to the finale.  This is a mid-weight wine that is easy to like and worthy of a curtain call, or two. Try it with Pastel de Jamon y Queso or Flash Fried BBQ Chicken Wings.

TECHNICAL NOTES
75% Tempranillo, 25% Graciano
14.7% Alc., 0.70 g/100ml TA, 3.49 pH
29% American Oak, 53% French Oak, 18% Neutral Oak
517 Cases Produced
Released: Jan 1, 2020

AWARDS
Gold Medal – San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Double Gold Medal, Best Overall Red Wine – New World International Wine Competition

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