My guest this week brings new meaning to “World Travler!” Robyn Eckhardt and her photographer husband David Hagerman put together one of the coolest books of the year; Istanbul & Beyond – Exploring the Diverse Cuisines of Turkey. Having spent many months in Turkey while on active duty in the Air Force, I was always impressed with the people, culture and especially the food…this book brings back so many great memories 🙂
The most extensive and lushly photographed Turkish cookbook to date, by two internationally acclaimed experts
Standing at the crossroads between the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia, Turkey boasts astonishingly rich and diverse culinary traditions. Journalist Robyn Eckhardt and her husband, photographer David Hagerman, have spent almost twenty years discovering the country’s very best dishes. Now they take readers on an unforgettable epicurean adventure, beginning in Istanbul, home to one of the world’s great fusion cuisines. From there, they journey to the lesser-known provinces, opening a vivid world of flavors influenced by neighboring Syria, Iran, Iraq, Armenia, and Georgia.
From village home cooks, community bakers, café chefs, farmers, and fishermen, they have assembled a broad, one-of-a-kind collection of authentic, easy-to-follow recipes: “The Imam Fainted” Stuffed Eggplant; Pillowy Fingerprint Flatbread; Pot-Roasted Chicken with Caramelized Onions; Stovetop Lamb Meatballs with Spice Butter; Artichoke Ragout with Peas and Favas; Green Olive Salad with Pomegranate Molasses; Apple and Raisin Hand Pies. Many of these have never before been published in English. Get a copy now.
About the Authors
ROBYN ECKHARDT and her husband, DAVID HAGERMAN, have logged more than 15,000 miles in Turkey since the 1990s. Eckhardt’s articles and recipes have appeared in Saveur, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, Design Sponge, and Travel + Leisure. Hagerman has photographed around the world for Travel + Leisure, Saveur, and the New York Times. They live in Italy. Check out their Face Book page and learn more!
Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2015 Edna Valley Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
Our Edna Valley Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc offers elegant aromas of honeydew melon and grapefruit. On the palate, these citrus notes are echoed and complemented by
tropical fruit flavors of guava, passion fruit and a hint of lime zest. Balanced, crisp acidity with flavors that linger on the finish, this Sauvignon Blanc is a true expression of the varietal and the vintage.
If you missed it LIVE… 
The Martinelli family has been growing grapes in the Russian River Valley since the 1880’s. At the ages of 19 and 16, Giuseppe Martinelli and Luisa Vellutini eloped from their small village in the Tuscany region of Italy, making their way to California looking for land to farm and start a winery. Giuseppe had been a winemaker in Italy and with his viticulture knowledge he was hired to plant a vineyard for a farmer in Forestville. Within two years he earned enough money, and borrowed some from a local wood cutter, to purchase land of his own. Working side by side on a 60 degree slope, Giuseppe and Luisa planted a small area of Zinfandel and Muscat Alexandria vines, which later became known as the Jackass Hill vineyard. Over 100 years later, this south easterly exposure remains the steepest non-terraced vineyard in Sonoma County. 
“Our family has been farming in Sonoma County since 1860. All of our wines are produced from estate grown grapes, from vineyards farmed by patriarch Lee Martinelli Sr., and brothers George and Lee Martinelli Jr. Our focus at Martinelli Winery has always been making the best possible quality wines that are born in the vineyards. We use extensive cultural practices in our vineyards to reach this goal. Our winemaker Bryan Kvamme employs a natural approach to winemaking, allowing the essence of fully ripened fruit to shine through from the vineyard to the wine. ”
Good Life guy’s Wine of the Week:
Riding on the heels of a successful career in computing, product and design development and management as R&D manager for Gefen, Joseph Cruz joined forces with his colleague and business partner to pursue his passion for innovation and bring to life his own “big ideas.” Embarking on this journey as business owner and inventor, paired with the spirit of an entrepreneur, Joseph co-founded Apption Labs in 2015. As an avid fan of crowdfunding and the innate desire to develop his own products, Joseph enlisted the strength of the start-up community via Kickstarter to aid in bringing his first product, MEATER to market. MEATER is the world’s first truly wireless leave-in meat thermometer, paving the way for future innovations and setting a new standard in the consumer space in this product category. Apption Labs is at the beginning of its journey through the creation of innovative products with all-new efficiency tools and user-centric tech enhancements on the horizon.
This special label is in celebration of 50 years of winemaking at Chateau Ste. Michelle. From a warm growing season, the 2015 vintage is sourced from Columbia Valley vineyards in eastern Washington including Cold Creek, Canoe Ridge Estate and Indian Wells vineyards. The final blend is 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 4% Syrah, 1% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Cabernet Sauvignon is a standout variety from Washington, with silky tannins, rich complexity and concentrated fruit. That’s why our Columbia Valley Cabernet is the perfect choice to carry the nostalgic banner of our 50th anniversary. Raise a glass and help us celebrate the next 50 years! WE89
Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay is a pleasurable, food-friendly wine. It is crafted in a fresh, soft style with bright apple and sweet citrus fruit character with subtle spice and oak nuances. This special 50th Anniversary bottling celebrates five decades of Chateau Ste. Michelle’s commitment to tradition, innovation and the future. Pairs well with crab, poultry, salmon, and scallops. Try seasoning with ginger, lemon zest, tarragon, or thyme.
Professional journalist and amateur drinker Bianca Bosker didn’t know much about wine—until she discovered an alternate universe where taste reigns supreme, a world of elite sommeliers who dedicate their lives to the pursuit of flavor. Astounded by their fervor and seemingly superhuman sensory powers, she set out to uncover what drove their obsession, and whether she, too, could become a “cork dork.”
Bianca Bosker is an award-winning journalist who has written about food, wine, architecture, and technology for The New Yorker online, The Atlantic, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Food & Wine, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and The New Republic. The former executive tech editor of The Huffington Post, she is the author of the critically acclaimed book Original Copies: Architectural Mimicry in Contemporary China (University of Hawaii Press, 2013). She lives in New York City. Learn more about Bianca: 
This wine is a blend of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 13% Cab Franc, 11% Petite Verdot, and 7% Malbec. The oak treatment was 65% new French Oak for 28 months. A wildly expansive nose shows off wonderful herbaceous notes of tea leaf, mint, eucalyptus, pomegranate, olive brine, rubbed sage, fennel, dried red currant, Christmas spice, vanilla bean and cocoa powder. On the palate, this wine is deeply complex, well-structured and delicious with flavors of dried plum, rustic red fruits, blackberry, dusty tannins, cedar and a lingering finish. 
“VINEYARD Sonoma County,” a stunning, large-format collector’s edition coffee-table book featuring over 188 pages of color images by noted photojournalist and wine photographer George Rose. 
Over 40 years ago, George Rose began his long career as a photographer. Throughout the years, he has traveled a long and winding road through the elite world of popular music, film, news, politics, and sports, eventually leading him to California’s Wine Country. During his prolific years as a Los Angeles-based photojournalist, Rose developed a remarkable and historic body of photographic work focused on popular culture. 
2014 Benziger Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon
2014 Benziger Sonoma County Chardonnay