Oct 29 – Central Standard Brewing

If you missed it LIVE… Click here to listen or download this show!

First up is Ian Crane, co-founder and head brewer of Wichita’s Central Standard Brewing.

Ian Crane

Ian Crane

Wichita’s premier brewery and taproom — Central Standard Brewing. Producing a wide range of styles including seasonal, Belgian, IPA, Barrel Aged, Sour and Wild/Brett Beers.  With a variety of styles on tap and a relaxed atmosphere, CSB is a great place to hang out with friends and enjoy a few drinks in a comfy retro chair or on the patio. Ask questions, get the tour — our brewers love to talk about the beer they are so passionate about brewing.

With over 20-years of combined brewing experience, our brewers are freaks when it comes to making the perfect beer.

Follow CSB on Face Book!

csbEarlier this month, Central Standard Brewing earned a silver medal at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, which sponsors what’s considered the industry’s biggest, most competitive and most respected contest. Winning a medal there is difficult and rare – especially for a new brewery entering for the first time.

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Good Life Guy’s Wine BEER of the Week:
A couple of fine brews from Central Standard Brewing
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Oct 22 – Provence & Cookies :-)

If you missed it LIVE… Click here to listen or download this show!

My first guest is Georgeanne Brennan with her new book “My Culinary Journey – Food and Fêtes of Provence.”

img_3794In this extraordinary memoir, James Beard Award-winning author, Georgeanne Brennan, takes us on an intimate journey to Provence—the place of her early culinary inspiration—where she writes in lush detail about the food, people and French festivals she celebrated during her lifelong journeys through the region.

As a young woman, she and her husband, with their small children, bought a farmhouse with a little land and some goats, in hopes of realizing the dream of an idyllic existence in the French countryside. Now, these memoires, documented in A Pig in Provence, are accompanied by forty delicious recipes, gorgeous photographs (many are the author’s personal photos) and informative, lively text featuring information about seven of her favorite regional French festivals.

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Georgeanne Brennan

Georgeanne Brennan is an award-winning cookbook author, journalist,  and entrepreneur who is nationally recognized for her work. Her expertise ranges from cooking to farming and agriculture to history and food lore.

Get a copy of Georgeanne’s book NOW!  Learn more about Georgeanne.

 

Later in the show we’ll be talking to Dorie Greenspan about COOKIES.  I just had to get this book on early so you can be ready for the holiday baking season.  You may think you have some good recipes for cookies…but “Dories Cookies” will open your eyes to some new and tasty bits of goodness.

Image result for Dorie's CookiesOver the course of her baking career, Dorie Greenspan has created more than 300 cookie recipes. Yet she has never written a book about them—until now. To merit her “three purple stars of approval,” every cookie had to be so special that it begged to be made again and again. Cookies for every taste and occasion are here. There are company treats like Portofignos, with chocolate dough and port-soaked figs, and lunch-box Blueberry Buttermilk Pie Bars. They Might Be Breakfast Cookies are packed with goodies—raisins, dried apples, dried cranberries, and oats— while Almond Crackle Cookies have just three ingredients. There are dozens of choices for the Christmas cookie swaps, including Little Rascals (German jam sandwich cookies with walnuts), Italian Saucissons (chocolate log cookies studded with dried fruit), and Snowy-Topped Brownie Drops. And who but America’s favorite baker could devise a cookie as intriguing as Pink-Peppercorn Thumbprints or as popular as the World Peace Cookie, with its 59 million Internet fans?

Dorie Greenspan

Dorie Greenspan

Inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America, Dorie Greenspan is the author of Around My French Table, a New York Times bestseller that was named Cookbook of the Year by the IACP; Baking Chez Moi; and Baking: From My Home to Yours, a James Beard Award winner. She lives in Westbrook, Connecticut, and Paris.
Get a copy of Dorie’s Cookies NOW!  Learn more about Dorie here.

 

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
JCB Sparkling Rosé
BRUT Cremant de Bourgogne

jcb-roseEach JCB wine is known by a number. And each number has deep significance for Jean-Charles Boisset, the collection’s creator and namesake. Jean-Charles was born in 1969, the year that mankind went to the moon. As such, 69 represents unlimited expression, freedom, creativity, intellectual revolution, artistry, and refinement. Of course, 69 is also a rosé brut based exclusively on pinot noir; a rosé that entwines masculinity and feminity.

Number 69 is a seductively light and refreshing rosé. Vibrant aromas of raspberry and red currant evolve into aromatic jammy notes. This wine is tender in the mouth with crisp flavors.  By the way…Jean Charles has impeccable taste and judgement, he happens to be married to my friend Gina Gallo 🙂

Learn more about the man, the myth, and the wines!

 

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Oct 15 – How To Be A Wine Expert

If you missed it LIVE… Click here to listen or download this show!

First up is author James Gabler with his Third Edition of “How To Be A Wine Expert – A Beginner’s Guide.”

Image result for James Gabler author wine expertJames says:
“How To Be A Wine Expert, A Beginner’s Guide is published, and I’m delighted with how it turned out. It makes learning about wine easy and fun. In less than 3 minutes you can access the essentials of one of more than 100 of the world’s best wine varietals including: Color, Bouquet, and Taste Phonetic Pronunciations, Best Wineries and Producers, Best Food Pairings, Ideal Serving Temperatures, Value for Money Wines under $10-$20, Questions & Answers, When to Drink, Great & Good Years, How To Order Good But Inexpensive Wines when Dining Out, Thomas Jefferson’s Favorite Wines Available Today, Wine Do’s and Don’ts and A Glossary of Wine Terms.”  Get a copy NOW!

James Gabler

James Gabler

James Gabler grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated from Washington & Lee University with degrees in economics and law. He served as a finance officer in the U.S. Army with a tour of duty in Korea. He practiced as a civil trial lawyer in Maryland for both the defense and plaintiff. He is retired and living in southern Florida with his wife. He writes both fiction and non-fiction. Jim’s passion for includes travels to vineyard regions throughout the world, collecting wine and wine books, and writing about wine. His most recent book is How To Be A Wine Expert, A Beginner’s Guide, 3rd edition. Other books are Passions: The Wines and Travels of Thomas Jefferson, winner of the 1995 “Veuve Clicquot Wine Book of the Year,” and a Robert M. Parker, Jr. “Wine Book of the Year” selection, An Evening with Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson: Dinner, Wine, and Conversation, Dine with Thomas Jefferson and Fascinating Guests, Wine into Words: A History and Bibliography of Wine Books in the English Language, two novels, The Secret Formula, and God’s Devil, and a stage play, Franklin & Jefferson: Sex, Politics, and the American Revolution. Since the publication of Passions, he has been a guest speaker on Jefferson and wine at institutions, organizations and clubs throughout the United States including Monticello, Smithsonian Institution: Museum of American History, Boston Athenaeum, Winterthur, and The Society of the Four Arts. Jim also gives talks about Benjamin Franklin and wine, and conducts wine tastings.

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Wine Buff – stemware polishing towel

In the second half I’ll be talking to Andrew Lazorchak from Soiree Home about some of their cool wine and drink related products.  I recently received a cool wine stemware drying towel imprinted with Napa and Sonoma wine region maps called “Wine Buff!”  That’s just one of the many products you’ll find at Napa based SoireeHome.com

Wine Buff, the all new custom blended microfiber towel that will sparkle your wine glasses and knowledge of wine. a great product for spot-free glassware that features maps of Napa Valley and Sonoma. each map has over 250 wineries and vineyards, as well as AVA (american viticultural areas) regions, and sommelier-written notes on the growing region.  An awesome souvenir or gift for any wine-lover.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2014 Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernet
The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic Alexander Valley wine with medium body, great fruit flavors and polished tannins. Winemaker Kevin Hall added 6% Merlot for structure, a touch of Cabernet Franc for floral notes and Malbec and Petit Verdot for color. There are aromas of dark fruit, blackberry, cherry, cassis, plum, vanilla and a slight cocoa and chocolate note. In the glass there are rich flavors of plum, cherry, cassis, blackberry, spice and chocolate. This is a smooth wine with medium body, nice balance and a long finish.

 

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Oct 8 – Mexican Today & Popcorn

If you missed it LIVE… Click here to listen or download this show!

First up is Pati Jinich with her  latest book “Mexican Today: New and Rediscovered Recipes for Contemporary Kitchens.”

Mexican Today CookbookOn her PBS TV series, now in its fifth season, as well as in frequent appearances on shows like The Chew, Pati Jinich, a busy mother of three, has shown a flair for making Mexican cooking irresistibly accessible. In Mexican Today, she shares easy, generous dishes, both traditional ones and her own new spins. Some are regional recipes she has recovered from the past and updated, like Miners’ Enchiladas with fresh vegetables and cheese or Drunken Rice with Chicken and Chorizo, a specialty of the Yucatán. “Sweaty” Tacos with ripe tomatoes and cheese are so convenient they’re sold on Mexican streets by bicyclists. Her grandmother’s Cornflake Cookies feel just as contemporary now as they did then.  Order your book today!

Pati has “Mexed up” other recipes in such family favorites as Mexican Pizza with Grilled Skirt Steak and Onions. Still other dishes show the evolution of Mexican food north and south of the border, including Mexican Dreamboat Hotdogs and Cal-Mex Fish Tacos with Creamy Slaw. This food will draw everyone together—a family at the end of a working day, a book club, or a neighborhood potluck.  Throughout, Pati is an infectious cheerleader, sharing stores of the food, people, and places behind the recipes.  Learn more about Pati.

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Pati Jinich

PATI JINICH is the host of the popular PBS show Pati’s Mexican Table going on its fifth season and resident chef of the Mexican Cultural Institute. She appears regularly on NPR, The Splendid Table, NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s The Chew, and CBS’s The Talk. She hosts live programs for the Smithsonian Institution and has cooked at the White House for President Obama’s Cinco de Mayo celebration. She lives in Chevy Chase, MD with her husband and three sons.

Pati Jinich is one of the best Mexican chefs we have here in the United States. Mexico’s vibrant culture and its many influences shine in the recipes from this new collection. Each dish contains a story, and Pati brings the food of Mexico – and her kitchen – into our homes.” – José Andrés, chef/owner, Minibar by José Andrés & ThinkFoodGroup

Image result for jolly time logoDid you know that October is National Popcorn month? In the second half I’ll be talking to Garry Smith, 4th generation president of Jolly Time Popcorn.  October is poppin’ up quickly with all of the best fall things, including National Popcorn Month. Celebrate all month long with JOLLY TIME Pop Corn, the first-ever branded popcorn company that has, for more than 100 years, produced America’s favorite snack.

WE’ll tell you a little about the company and some of the great products produced as well as ideas on celebrating National Popcorn Month.  🙂

 

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
158647l2014 Nine Hats Riesling, Columbia Valley – Washington
Sourced from German clone plantings and some of the Columbia Valley’s oldest Riesling vines, this wine offers classic and distinctive Riesling character. Notes of citrus, jasmine, pear and honeydew melon combine with an appealing level of minerality and acidity to provide a fresh and lengthy finish.

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Oct 1 – Row Eleven Wine Co.

If you missed it LIVE… Click here to listen or download this show!

First up is winemaker Richard de los Reyes from California producer Row Eleven Wine Company.  Richard says:  “Founded in April 2004, Row Eleven Wine Company currently produces four wine brands: Row Eleven, Stratton Lummis, Civello and The Magician.  Our grapes come from the finest vineyards in Santa Maria, the Russian River Valley, Carneros and the Napa Valley. We crush within 30 minutes of the vineyard.    We are very proud that Row Eleven wines are served by the nation’s best sommeliers and chefs. The wines are consistently poured in the finest restaurants, resorts, wine bars and wine shops across the US.”

RICHARD DE LOS REYES – Founder & Winemaker

Richard is one of the most experienced winemakers working today. He has a unique, unparalleled knowledge and perspective of pacific coast vineyards. He has helped many of California’s top winemakers. In 2004 he founded Row Eleven, Stratton Lummis and Civello. The wines are primarily sold in premium restaurants, destination resorts and fine wine bars. Here is a list of just a few that have served his wines: The Four Seasons Hotel Group, Alain Ducasse, Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio, Cut and Spago, Emeril’s Table 10 and Delmonico’s, Melissa Kelly’s Primo, Charlie Trotter’s, Michael Mina’s Knob Hill, Charlie Palmer’s Steak, Jean Joho’s Eiffel Tower and Everest Room, Bobby Van’s Steakhouse, Jean George Vongerichten’s Spice Market and JG Steak, The Fountainebleau Miami Beach, St. Regis Hotel NYC, High Cotton and many more.

We’ll tell you all about the winery, Richards journey in wine and discuss several wines he has produced. www.rowelevenwines.com 

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Later in the show I’ll be talking to Lela Meadow & Shan Jabara from the Tallgrass Film Festival.

In addition to showcasing more than 180 films from around the world, the Tallgrass Film Festival features Gala Screenings and Parties, Filmmaker Lab Workshops, Panels, Special Interest Film Programs, Visiting Filmmakers from across the country, and more.

The 13th annual Tallgrass Film Festival Presented by Consolidated Equities Trust takes place October 12-16 in Wichita, Kansas. There once again is many great films submitted this year.  Learn more at: www.tallgrassfilmfest.com and www.stubbornlyindependent.com and be sure to follow the film festival on Face Book.

I’m looking forward to one film in particular…

Sour Grapes is a detective story set against the collision of two worlds – the arcane art of French wine production and the excesses of noughties New York in the lead up to the 2008 financial crash. The film traces the story of the millions of dollars made from the sale of fake vintage wine, which has flooded a susceptible luxury market with counterfeits that still lie undetected in cellars across the world.
With pockets full of cash, charisma and a preternatural memory for vintages, an unassuming youngRudy Kurniawan earns the reputation of a wine savant, surrounding himself with some of high society’s most fervent wine connoisseurs. But when Bill Koch, a top US collector,and, Laurent Ponsot, a Burgundian wine producer, discover suspicious bottles, a humorous and suspenseful investigation begins into one of the most ingenious cons of our time.  www.sourgrapesfilm.com  On Twitter; @sourgrapesfilm and Facebook; search sour grapes and see their page as well as the event page!

 

Good Life Guy’s Wines of the Week:
Some fine vino from Row Eleven Wine Company

  

 

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